Die Hard 4K UHD (1988)

[mikesncc1701]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

Either movie could take place at any other time of year. They aren't about Christmas; they are set during Christmas. The holiday has no bearing on the storylines at all.

They could, but they don't. And yes, the holiday does have a bearing on it. With Die Hard it's about family resolution and togetherness, with Lethal Weapon, it's about depression (which skyrockets during the holidays) and finding solace, which sure could happen at anytime of the year, but the holidays emphasize the humanistic elements of each film.

[Scottishguy]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are the two signature action franchises of the 80’s and each divides fans on individual film strengths and directions. I love both and still wish each one could get a proper sendoff. That being said at least LW did not get saddled with an atrocious modern junk “sequel” in name only. Or a car battery commercial....

The original like LW is one of those lightning in a bottle moments that shouldn’t have happened. Its strengths don’t hit you all at once and the genre mastery only becomes more obvious over time. 2 is a hell of a lot of fun and is really the only sequel in the same gritty universe. For me it is the only one near the original but I’ve become more accustomed to DH3 and still like it. I just think Vengeance is problematic due to its repurposed script, tacked on ending and some other elements that have kept it from ever feeling as good as it could have been. While it doesn’t exactly fit a DH film I LOVE the original ending!
DH4 was a complete surprise all those years later. There was still some gas in the tank and a little bit of sparkle that devolved into a modern action film but at least had some sparks of personality. Yes the PG-13 was ridiculous and constricting but it’s not a bad film...just okay...

Good Day To Die Inside played in the last theater I worked in and so I saw it an ungodly number of times. It’s an insult to any fan and an insult to one’s intelligence and time. That’s what happens when you hire the guy who made Swordfish....
In many ways the film closest to a Die Hard sequel is actually The Last Boy Scout. I miss the grittiness of the first two series films and here it’s present in spades.

But on the other hand if push comes to shove and I had to pick my favorite McTiernan picture it’s unquestionably Hunt for Red October.

The Lethal Weapon film's more importantly than it's action, in my opinion, gave a middle class African American voice to mainstream cinema. It was groundbreaking how so many contemporary issues were entirely addressed from the perspective of an African American.

[Jay H.]

Originally Posted by mikesncc1701

They could, but they don't. And yes, the holiday does have a bearing on it. With Die Hard it's about family resolution and togetherness, with Lethal Weapon, it's about depression (which skyrockets during the holidays) and finding solace, which sure could happen at anytime of the year, but the holidays emphasize the humanistic elements of each film.

I definitely see where you (and many. many others) are coming from. I don't really think anybody is right or wrong about this. It's all a case of personal feelings.

"Now I have a machine gun. Happy Easter!"

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

I definitely see where you (and many. many others) are coming from. I don't really think anybody is right or wrong about this. It's all a case of personal feelings.

"Now I have a machine gun. Happy Easter!"

Hop...Hop...Hop

[slimdude]

What makes a REAL Christmas movie is when it tells a story and a depiction of the true meaning of Christmas, and it's not about Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman nor The Grinch. Those are man made, secular Christmas fables and characters. When Linus tell a short story about the birth of Christ in A Charlie Brown's Christmas, that's what Christmas is all about, and that's what I loved about A Charlie Brown's Christmas because it recites the true meaning of Christmas, and it will always be a classic.

[Jay H.]

Let's never forget the most important thing about Christmas...

...save your receipts.

[KcMsterpce]

I thought DH4 was "fine", but the jet vs. highway sequence was too ridiculous for me.
It's like the ejector seat explosion from DH2, or the water geyser blast in DH3... I was like "uhhh... nah, not diggin' it."

Don't know if I'll ever watch DH4 again, but I wouldn't say it's terrible.

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by slimdude

What makes a REAL Christmas movie is when it tells a story and a depiction of the true meaning of Christmas, and it's not about Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman nor The Grinch. Those are man made, secular Christmas fables and characters. When Linus tell a short story about the birth of Christ in A Charlie Brown's Christmas, that's what Christmas is all about, and that's what I loved about A Charlie Brown's Christmas because it recites the true meaning of Christmas, and it will always a classic.

Using this post as an excuse to post how awesome the score for Arthur Christmas is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oIa...ature=youtu.be

[rocknblues81]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

You are entitled to your opinion, even if it's wrong, good sir.

What I said doesn't even have to be a shot at DH 2.

The original his the best in the series by far. It's a 10/10 for me.... I really like DH3 for 2nd place, but I'd still put it 2 to 2 1/2 points back.

DH tries a little too hard to be like the original. It just isn't able to generate that level intensity. Thornburg wears out his welcome here... William Sadler is fine as a character actor in drama nd stuff... But had just isn't up to the job hers.

Maybe some of it is the writing... His character is pretty one note.... He doesnt have the personality to fully make it work with the limitations that he is presented with. He is more like a Robin than a Batman to me.

The motivations off the bad guys never feels real.

It never fully takes off dramatically even though it has its moments.

The movie is a decent 7/10 tough.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by slimdude

What makes a REAL Christmas movie is when it tells a story and a depiction of the true meaning of Christmas, and it's not about Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman nor The Grinch. Those are man made, secular Christmas fables and characters. When Linus tell a short story about the birth of Christ in A Charlie Brown's Christmas, that's what Christmas is all about, and that's what I loved about A Charlie Brown's Christmas because it recites the true meaning of Christmas, and it will always be a classic.

As usual, wrong! The true Meaning of Christmas is shopping!

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by KcMsterpce

I thought DH4 was "fine", but the jet vs. highway sequence was too ridiculous for me.
It's like the ejector seat explosion from DH2, or the water geyser blast in DH3... I was like "uhhh... nah, not diggin' it."

Don't know if I'll ever watch DH4 again, but I wouldn't say it's terrible.

Yeah, the fighter plane bit is ridonkulous but how people moan about that yet give McClane SURFING A FRICKIN' DUMP TRUCK a pass in DHWAV I don't quite understand.

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

As usual, wrong! The true Meaning of Christmas is shopping!

https://www.christinascucina.com/typ...d-burns-night/

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

As usual, wrong! The true Meaning of Christmas is shopping!

Yeah going out charging up thousands of dollars, spending money they don't have and trying to pay off their credit card debt (with interest) for the next few years, if at all.

[RodChester]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Yeah going out changing up thousands of dollars, spending money they don't have and trying to pay off their credit card debt for the next few years, if at all.

What if you only spend money you do have and don’t over extend your budget? Is that ok with Christmas Jesus?

[Sky_Captain]

The irony of one the most joyless and obtuse melters on this forum, bleating on about the true meaning of Christmas.

You'll be telling me next that Mij works for Sony.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by RodChester

What if you only spend money you do have and don’t over extend your budget? Is that ok with Christmas Jesus?

95% of the people don't.

[Jay H.]

If it's not your money, it's not your concern.

[Scottishguy]

All I'm buying is my nephew something. We don't really do the whole gift giving in my family. My parents by Western standards are extremely non material. They mostly buy things for its functionality, practical purposes. Maybe it's because they were both brought up with very very old vaules. Definitely that's the case on my dads side. My dad peaked in "luxury" when he got a Sky + box. Can record golf and football, that's all I need!

And that has rubbed off on me. With people often commenting on how little I own, contrasted by this huge collection of Blu-ray media.

I don't know, just the way I am. I think if you have a toilet and running water life is your oyster after that.

[Sky_Captain]

My mother went to Defcon 1 last year, when I suggested that we don't do Christmas.

You'd think I'd shit in her Cornflakes.

By contrast, my father couldn't give less of a f*** and expects nothing.

[DaMikstar]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Ah, that old chestnut. I've always regarded Die Hard as a movie set at Christmas whereas Lethal Weapon actually feels like a Christmas film, with Riggs as Santa doling out white-hot rounds of justice from his Beretta to all those who've been naughty and not nice. (That Beretta 92 was everywhere back then, wasn't it?)

"Die Hard" is a movie I watched on Christmas for the last 20+ years. Also, here in Germany 1+2 were on TV on Dec 25 or 26 every year in the 1990s/2000s.

Last year we watched "Die Hard 2" after the mulled wine party at a friends house on the weekend before Christmas. Started on TV and switched to iTunes 4K for English audio.