Why is "Love, Actually" a Christmas movie?

[DizBelle]

Or is it just a movie that takes place at Christmas time?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, it takes place at XMas, and it's also about love and the spirit of the season, and the ups and downs of people's lives, etc.

We watched it last week, it's a great movie!

 

[Disneylover99]

I copied my post from Praying Colonel's thread......

There's a Christmas pageant, a Christmas party, they go Christmas shopping, and a singer is promoting his Christmas song throughout the movie. The whole theme of the movie revolves around love, forgiveness, second chances, being with the ones you love at Christmas.......It's a Christmas movie.

 

[Magpie]

Or is it just a movie that takes place at Christmas time?

Well, since I consider both Lethal Weapon and Die Hard to be Christmas movies... I'd say yes, it's a Christmas movie because it takes place at Christmas time. And possibly also because it makes at least some people feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Takes place at Christmastime" is a perfectly good reason to label something "A Christmas Movie".

It doesn't have to be the only reason, though... The Sound of Music is also a Christmas movie, not because it has any real Christmas stuff in it, but because when I was growing up it always aired on (or very close to) Christmas. I think that had something to do with syndication or something, but regardless... every Christmas, we watched it on TV. I suspect it won't be a Christmas movie for future generations, though.

 

[powellrj]

If Die Hard can be a Christmas movie, than Love Actually can be one too! There is a commercial on now that the guys says Die Hard is a Christmas Movie!

 

[ImDMous]

Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie in our house! So Love Actually can be one as well.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Die hard and Lethal Weapon aren't Christmas movies in the least. They aren't about Christmas. Throwing a tree in a movie or a house with Christmas lights in the movie doesn't make it a Christmas movie.

Home alone is dubious. But I'll grudgingly accept it because there certainly were some christmas themes in there with the mean old man across the street and mom insisting on getting home for Christmas and all that.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Why Die hard isn't a Christmas movie.
1. Christmas, or the Christmas season isn't an integral part of the story line. The story line is terrorists take over office building, Bruce Willis kicks terrorists butts. It could have been set at Easter or Thanksgiving or the 4th of July for that matter and it would not have made any difference in the plot. He could have just as easily put easter bunny ears on the terrorist he threw down the elevator shaft and it would make no real difference.
2. The movie was released in July. Though certainly not all movies released at Christmas time are Christmas movies and I suppose a Christmas movie doesn't have to be released in December. But the timing of the release suggests that those that produced it never intended it as a Christmas movie. Contrast that release with It's a Wonderful life which was released on Christmas. Though not on its own conclusive, that's a pretty strong indicator that it was intended as a Christmas movie.

For the record, whether it's Christmas or any other day of the year, I'd rather watch Die Hard. Ho Ho Ho.

As for Love Actually, my wife says yes if you're going to wrongly classify die hard as a christmas movie than to be consistent so is love actually. She says the latter belongs in the category of dubious. There is some there there but not enough there to say yes definitely a Christmas movie. I believe it was released in early November.

 

[Disneylover99]

As for Love Actually, my wife says yes if you're going to wrongly classify die hard as a christmas movie than to be consistent so is love actually. She says the latter belongs in the category of dubious. There is some there there but not enough there to say yes definitely a Christmas movie. I believe it was released in early November.

To kick off the Christmas season cause it's a Christmas movie.

 

[kimblebee]

Growing up, The Wizard of Oz was always played on tv over and over and over. For me, it's a Christmas movie lol

 

[RedAngie]

I saw Titanic in a theater when it was first released in mid-December 1997. So it definitely qualifies as a Christmas movie.

And no matter what anybody says, It's A Wonderful Life is NOT NOT NOT a Christmas movie. So there.

 

[leebee]

I grew up in the old days, before videos or DVDs or CDs. If you were going to watch a movie, you'd better be available on the ONE day of the year that it was being shown- which is why I always think of "Wizard of Oz" as an Easter movie- because that's when it was shown!

When I think of Christmas programs, I think of the Christmas Specials that were only shown just prior to Christmas, that have a Christmas theme and are about Christmas or about characters one associates with Christmas. You know, things like Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Charlie Brown's Christmas, A Christmas Carol (Mr. Magoo's is my all-time favorite Xmas flick), The Grinch, and White Christmas/Holiday Inn. Home Alone, Love, Actually (which I love), A Wonderful Life, and Die Hard just don't make the cut!

 

[ashley0139]

Love Actually is definitely a Christmas movie! The entire movie revolves around Christmas. They even count it down throughout the movie on screen - 3 weeks to Christmas, etc.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have got to see this movie.

I think this is the third time I've come across a discussion of whether it's a Christmas movie or not.

 

[E&Cmom]

Takes place around Christmas and a lot of talk regarding Christmas so yes Christmas. Saying that I can watch it any time of the year. Love it!

 

[mummabear]

Die hard and Lethal Weapon aren't Christmas movies in the least. They aren't about Christmas. Throwing a tree in a movie or a house with Christmas lights in the movie doesn't make it a Christmas movie.

Home alone is dubious. But I'll grudgingly accept it because there certainly were some christmas themes in there with the mean old man across the street and mom insisting on getting home for Christmas and all that.

Die Hard is as Christmas based as Home Alone, McClane is trying to win his wife back and spend the holidays with his family.
Sure they aren't as Christmassy as The Muppets Christmas Carol or Polar Express but certainly belong in the Christmas category

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Growing up, The Wizard of Oz was always played on tv over and over and over. For me, it's a Christmas movie lol

Well with Tornados in December these days maybe it was predictive.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Die Hard is as Christmas based as Home Alone, McClane is trying to win his wife back and spend the holidays with his family.
Sure they aren't as Christmassy as The Muppets Christmas Carol or Polar Express but certainly belong in the Christmas category

Again that isn't the plot. It's a side bar. He could have just as easily been trying to win his wife back and spend easter with her and it wouldn't make any difference to the plot.

 

[3Gsandme]

Home Alone is dubious as a Christmas movie?

 

[disneychrista]

If you ask Disney (ABC Family) Harry Potter & the Sorcerer Stone is a Christmas Movie. It ALWAYS aired during their 25 days of Christmas.