Dec. 24, 2025
The Big Christmas Eve Debate In Our Home: “Elf” Vs “Die Hard”
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RSS Feed On this Christmas Eve many families gather around to watch their favorite holiday movies, but in Amy and T.J. home, it’s a dilemma. And up until now, neither one had actually sat down and watched the other’s favorite movie. This week, they took the time to watch both films together, and have a spirited debate about whether either or both should remain a holiday classic for the Christmases to come.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, the folks, it's Wednesday, December twenty fourth. What is the perfect, perfect Christmas Eve movie for the family. Well, it's either gonna be Elf or it's gonna be die Hard.
00:00:16
Speaker 2: That's the fight, at least in this house. There are plenty of others people go to and.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: With that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I don't even want to go down the road of whether or not die Hard is a Christmas movie that's been settled, So let's not even do that.
00:00:30
Speaker 3: We'll start with the premise that it is.
00:00:33
Speaker 1: Okay, but these two movies are a sore, a sore spot in the house because of how much we seem to dislike the movie that the other absolutely loves.
00:00:49
Speaker 2: Right, and look, I don't hate die Hard, but it is a note it is but Elf is not playing in the apartment twenty four to seven, So that's your Diehard's It adds to the annoyance.
00:01:03
Speaker 1: Okay, you can explain.
00:01:04
Speaker 3: I don't TJ has how long.
00:01:06
Speaker 1: Have you been doing this my whole life? Adults?
00:01:11
Speaker 3: College?
00:01:11
Speaker 1: Maybe remember?
00:01:13
Speaker 2: Okay, So he as soon as it's Thanksgiving Day he puts die Hard on a loop. He actually still has a DVD player so that he can do it. And at some point the rule is in the apartment, some TV has to have Diehard playing continuously all the way through January one, And sometimes the volume gets turned up and all of a sudden, I hear a machine gun and gun fire. I'm like, what is going? Oh my god, it's die Hard. I forgot.
00:01:41
Speaker 3: It's playing on a loop in the apartment.
00:01:44
Speaker 1: And I'm laughing as we record this at our studio at home one, two three, it's playing on at least three TVs right now.
00:01:51
Speaker 2: Yes, you actually go around and put it on as many TVs as you can, but the rule is at least one TV in the house.
00:01:57
Speaker 3: Has to be playing Diehard.
00:01:58
Speaker 1: I love the movie.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: Why is that? I think that the journalist in me needs.
00:02:01
Speaker 1: To know why I only subject you to this a certain period of the year. I don't watch Diehard at all for the other eleven months of the year. Right, that's true, Okay, that's true. Why do I do this? I love this movie. It goes, Yes, it goes a little too. You know what, for folks out there, you were watching something was on? Was it Elf? It might have been that was I don't think it was Elf. There was something on you said, this just makes me so happy.
00:02:27
Speaker 3: Well, Elf, definitely does.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: Some you just have that thing that puts you in whatever Christmas spirit, or lifts you up, or takes you back to the time maybe you were happiest. That is absolutely what die Hard is for me. It seems like maybe for some folks in an odd movie to do that for someone. But this was the first movie I ever went to a theater to see with my dad, the first of all.
00:02:52
Speaker 2: Okay, and there we are, there we got to the meat of it.
00:02:55
Speaker 3: I did not know that.
00:02:57
Speaker 1: I told you that.
00:02:58
Speaker 3: I knew that you loved the movie, but I didn't know.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: It wasn't the first movie I ever went to the theater to see. My uncle took me to that, but this was the first one. And I love this movie. I remember the promos for it, and I was so excited to see this.
00:03:11
Speaker 2: So it's nostalgic and it takes you back, and that's what this movie gives you and brings to you.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: Yes, So it was funny growing up at Christmas time.
00:03:20
Speaker 2: The two movies that I was subjected to, I like them, but they don't have the same weight. My mom always had us watch a Christmas Carol, which had George C. Scott in it, that version, which I still love, and it takes me back to my childhood and Christmas vacation. Those were the two must sees on Christmas Eve. The lights yes, well, yes, yeah, he tries to plug the lights in Clark Griswold. He goes to cut down the tree. It's hilarious. I love that movie too. That would be my second favorite. But Elf started right around when Ava was a little baby, and I think I've watched it every single year since then.
00:03:55
Speaker 1: Oh, I am sure of it. You all seem to almost plan the evenings around it. No, that's and I think that the Bean's right there with us. Yes, But here is the thing, folks. She has never sat down and watched Die Hard, even though it's playing on a constant loop in the house for a full month.
00:04:17
Speaker 3: That is true.
00:04:18
Speaker 1: And I have never sat down and watched Elf, even though I have been in the house constantly. When you all have little watch parties, I'm not in Oh.
00:04:29
Speaker 3: Yes, I believe it was last Thanksgiving.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Sabine and a bunch of girls and I were all downstairs watching Elf and you were upstairs watching sports. You didn't even watch with us at that point. So, yeah, you have never up until now, you'd never actually watched the movie. In fact, in fact, Sabina and I will make quotes about it.
00:04:48
Speaker 3: You know, Bye, buddy, Hope you find your dad and you would say what is that from? And we'd be like, Elf, you have to watch EL.
00:04:56
Speaker 1: Do you think the majority of people who just heard you say that know the reference?
00:04:59
Speaker 3: Yes, hey, buddy, hope you find your dad?
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Really okay? Yes, okay, okay. So we finally, folks, we just did this within the past twenty four hours of this recording. We just sat down and watched each other's respective favorite Christmas movie, and um, we're gonna give you our assessment. Now, I'll give you mine. We reserve judgment about two movies. We haven't shared this. We'll share it for the first time. Elf. Though, as a reminder, let's start with that movie. Okay, Elf, two thousand and three. You had that right PG. If you don't know it, you think most people do, huh, I think most people do. Okay. Here it is about raised as an oversized ELF. Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit. Now, this cast is out of this world.
00:05:59
Speaker 3: It's amazing.
00:06:00
Speaker 1: It's out of this world. Will Ferrell, of course, but James com Bob Newhart ed Asner Mary Steam Merchant who we love, and John Favre his list.
00:06:08
Speaker 3: Of him and Zoey de Chanel. Wasn't he over there?
00:06:11
Speaker 1: Yeah? Because I left her off. That's on me. But this movie did really well at the box office. Who knew but two hundred and twenty million dollars worldwide. Rotten Tomatoes score eighty five percent. They liked it.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: It's funny.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: The audience liked it to seventy nine percent. The critic consensus is a movie full of YULETI cheer. Elf is a spirited, good natured family comedy benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Sanda's biggest helpers. Not a lot of audience critiques to even put it in there, but for you, as besides the feeling it gives you just what about the movie really works and that you love about it.
00:06:49
Speaker 3: I think it's hilarious.
00:06:51
Speaker 2: I laugh out loud every single time the lines can be delivered. I don't even know how many times I've heard them, and I still laugh. I love Oh we didn't mention Klige. I love love Peter Dinglich as the angry Elf. You know, they just nailed it in finding this. Just when it started to get cheesy or too hokey, it would get funny again, and then when you are laughing out loud.
00:07:14
Speaker 3: They'd sneak in some cheesiness. But actually, those of.
00:07:17
Speaker 2: Us who love romcoms, et cetera want a little of that sprinkled in because it makes it feel as it should, and it's all wrapped up in a bow in the end, and it makes me smile.
00:07:28
Speaker 3: My girls love it, and I think when.
00:07:30
Speaker 2: You've got a movie that you love with your kids, it just makes it feel extra special.
00:07:35
Speaker 1: Now, who is this? I mean, always is a family movie and it's for anybody. But do you imagine an audience that maybe this isn't for.
00:07:47
Speaker 2: I don't know, I'm trying to think. I mean, there isn't a lot of It might just be a really white movie. That's my only thought that I mean, it is not very diverse. The cast everyone that we just mentioned is amazing, but not a very diverse cast, so.
00:08:02
Speaker 3: Maybe that would be a would be off putting. But short of that, it's sweet. It's funny. I even think if you.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: Don't like cheesy movies, it's funny enough that it'll still grab your attention. But maybe you should be the person who speaks on that, because you don't like cheesy, hokey unless it's over the top, like you love a Lifetime or a Hallmark movie. But that's because they lean in so hard. It's hilarious when people are trying to thread the needle.
00:08:28
Speaker 3: You don't like it.
00:08:32
Speaker 1: We have weird movie taste this one. I finally watched it, and you know, there were some scenes this movie's been on constantly over the years, and I couldn't believe that. Well, I've never seen that scene. I've never seen that scene. First and foremost, I'm a fan of Will Ferrell. Obviously we all are. I'm a bigger fan after watching this movie. He is delightful. There's something about his eternal optim and positivity in the face of the meanest things in New York. There was something really sweet about being committed to that he never broke at least that character of just eternal. The coffee he was excited about.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: The college the world's Greatest coffee.
00:09:16
Speaker 1: Even when Peter Dinklish was being mean to him, he was still there was optimism in him. That was just there was something about his performance that I loved that carried the movie for me. Yeah, I loved loved watching him. Obviously it's a it's a fantasy, but I think the premise the story is kind of cool. Yeah, the idea of that now along the way like, of course that would never happen. Of course that would And then you stop yourself and go, uh, yeah, we're talking about an elf leaving the North Pole to find his dad in New York. Of course none of this could happen. But I did, like, it's just the thing. It's still not for me. I gotta go the rest of my life not seeing that. You said that after you watched it, because that hokiness and the gets into that thing. And at one point I looked at you and said, oh, this is the rom com formulaic part that comes in. Yes, the false ending, Yeah, that's when it was happening. And so yeah, it's I get and the cast, Mike, I love everybody so good, love everybody.
00:10:17
Speaker 2: It just makes you feel good, and I will say even if you say, and I believe you when you say you don't, or you would never have to watch it again. The whole time you were talking about it, you had a big smile on your face, like from ear to ear.
00:10:28
Speaker 1: The scenes the snowball fight is one of my favorite amazing and I for the first time saw the scene with him getting drunk with the fellas in the male I've never seen that before. You will have been saying that line to me for years. Oh, he's an angry off. I saw it for the first time today. You sit on a throne of lies and then he smells like meat and gee, right, So to piece that together and see some of those scenes, what's funny today?
00:10:57
Speaker 2: But yeah, it's just not my I don't know, I'm not a Maybe you won't be an angry Elf the next time it's on, and maybe you'll sit down and watch a few bits with us.
00:11:09
Speaker 1: Well, folks, Yes, that was my take on Elf singing for the first time. Fully here just a little while ago. But stay here, we're gonna hear from Robock about what she thought about finally watching my favorite Christmas movie of all time, Die Hard.
00:11:34
Speaker 2: Welcome back, everyone, as we debate Elf versus die Hard? What movie is the best Christmas movie? On this Christmas Eve? We hope you are with your family and maybe you are deciding what movie to watch. I know every family's got their movie, but when you blend a family, now we have to deal with die Hard versus Elf.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, those are the and I guess I am out numbered. Oh yeah, what am I? You're totally out numbers four.
00:12:02
Speaker 3: It's four to one, Yes, four girls who all love Elf to your Diehard. Now, you had never watched Elf? You watched it, and we just heard your review.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: I had never actually seen die Hard, even though it's playing, as we mentioned before, for what a solid four weeks in this apartment NonStop. I see bits and pieces, I hear certain moments over and over, but I never.
00:12:26
Speaker 3: Actually saw the whole thing together.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: So actually it was last night from when we recorded this, I finally watched die Hard and I loved it.
00:12:35
Speaker 3: It was a little long, longer than I wanted it to be.
00:12:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, I could have ended about thirty minutes prior two hours and twelve minutes. It's rated R and I knew that already because I have heard the curse words and all the machine guns. But here's the synopsis for those of you who don't know what die Hard is. I highly doubt it. New York City policeman John McClain is visiting his estranged wife on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party and the headquarters of the Japanese owned business she works for, but the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high rise and everyone in it. Very soon, McLain realizes that there's no one to save the hostages but him. Look, I thought it was fun, exciting. There was a little bit too much gunfire for me for a Christmas movie, but I did like the acting and they had an incredible stellar cast.
00:13:29
Speaker 3: I love.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: I actually loved there was Christmas music in the movie, which made it festive and fun, so I appreciated that. But yeah, we're talking Bruce Willis. Obviously is John McClain the lead, and he's amazing. He that's like the hot Bruce Willis, young, strong, like snarky New York.
00:13:49
Speaker 3: He was great in it. He was really good when the.
00:13:54
Speaker 1: Hero could be a little goof yeah or rough around the edges, right, He's the the anti Schwarzenegg're kind of a thing, right, It's there's a room for both. And he was just as charming as anything.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, like a charming, smart ass New York cop who you like. Okay, you're cute even though I hate you right now, you're cute.
00:14:12
Speaker 3: That was him in this.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: Then you had Alan Rickman, the late Alan Rickman. He was so young in this movie because I just remember him obviously in his later works, just you think of him as an older actor. He is young and vibrant and evil. He always plays evil. We were going through all of his his characters. He does end up being the bad guy a lot, but he played it well. I don't know how to say. Reginald Johnson, Yes, family matters. He's the cop and we love him, love him. He is the guy you're rooting for other than Bruce Willis's character. You're totally rooting for Reginald's character. And then Bonnie Bidella is that how I say her name? But I knew I was gonna say that right now?
00:14:57
Speaker 3: She's great? What else has she been in? Because she has such a familiar.
00:15:01
Speaker 2: Face, But she's great and sweet and amazing in this And it's such a great anyway.
00:15:07
Speaker 3: So yeah, it's action packed, but again, it's just a little violent for me for a Christmas Eve movie.
00:15:13
Speaker 2: Even though this is coming out of the mouth of a horror lover, and I do love some Christmas horror as well.
00:15:19
Speaker 3: I'm not against a holiday horror flick. But I did like it.
00:15:23
Speaker 2: It had all the makings of a great movie. It had great acting, it had great just great action, and it had I liked the plot some of it. I kept laughing.
00:15:33
Speaker 3: Both of these movies that we watched had like office.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: Hours on Christmas Eve late and come on, who has an office party on Christmas Eve?
00:15:42
Speaker 1: That bothered you?
00:15:45
Speaker 2: And you're not upset that there's an elf walking through Manhattan. And I was like, okay to Chay. But and then I saw an elf he Walter Hobbs, was at a late night Christmas Eve work meeting too. I'm like, this just is very unrealistic. But anyway, I did think I liked the whole thing. It was really I think it was just a little long for me really, And I too.
00:16:06
Speaker 1: Would be okay late night for you, it was you were you had your own issues.
00:16:10
Speaker 3: It's always a late night.
00:16:12
Speaker 2: I too would be all right if I never saw it again, but I am glad I watched it and I did enjoy it.
00:16:17
Speaker 1: Didn't that crazy? I love this movie so much that it was just a a little hint of annoyance when you said you don't want to watch this movie again, Like I'm.
00:16:26
Speaker 3: So upset that I felt the same way when you said that.
00:16:32
Speaker 1: You would say such a thing. But you see that run tomatoes score.
00:16:35
Speaker 2: Well, oh yes, let me get to it rotten to oh wow, ninety four percent by the critics and ninety four percent.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: By the audience.
00:16:42
Speaker 2: If you all can see DJ's face right now, he feels so validated.
00:16:47
Speaker 3: It's like a warmth just spread over his whole face and body.
00:16:51
Speaker 2: And the critics consensus was this, It's many imitators and sequels have never come close to matching the top thrills of the definitive holiday action classic Boom.
00:17:05
Speaker 1: It's a good movie. It's a fun movie, and I just I love watching Bruce Willis. Yes, I just love.
00:17:10
Speaker 2: I have embraced my fate, I should say our fate, that Diehard will just always be a part of our lives.
00:17:15
Speaker 3: This time of year.
00:17:16
Speaker 1: Will let's get back to our horror movies. We'll have that episode for you. Yet, there are Christmas horror movies, folks, and we have some will recommend later. Be looking out for that. But for now, whether you're with my el Hamy Robock or with John McLean Junior over here at DJ Holmes, we appreciate you listening to us. We'll talk to y'all soon.
Speaker 1: Hey, the folks, it's Wednesday, December twenty fourth. What is the perfect, perfect Christmas Eve movie for the family. Well, it's either gonna be Elf or it's gonna be die Hard.
00:00:16
Speaker 2: That's the fight, at least in this house. There are plenty of others people go to and.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: With that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I don't even want to go down the road of whether or not die Hard is a Christmas movie that's been settled, So let's not even do that.
00:00:30
Speaker 3: We'll start with the premise that it is.
00:00:33
Speaker 1: Okay, but these two movies are a sore, a sore spot in the house because of how much we seem to dislike the movie that the other absolutely loves.
00:00:49
Speaker 2: Right, and look, I don't hate die Hard, but it is a note it is but Elf is not playing in the apartment twenty four to seven, So that's your Diehard's It adds to the annoyance.
00:01:03
Speaker 1: Okay, you can explain.
00:01:04
Speaker 3: I don't TJ has how long.
00:01:06
Speaker 1: Have you been doing this my whole life? Adults?
00:01:11
Speaker 3: College?
00:01:11
Speaker 1: Maybe remember?
00:01:13
Speaker 2: Okay, So he as soon as it's Thanksgiving Day he puts die Hard on a loop. He actually still has a DVD player so that he can do it. And at some point the rule is in the apartment, some TV has to have Diehard playing continuously all the way through January one, And sometimes the volume gets turned up and all of a sudden, I hear a machine gun and gun fire. I'm like, what is going? Oh my god, it's die Hard. I forgot.
00:01:41
Speaker 3: It's playing on a loop in the apartment.
00:01:44
Speaker 1: And I'm laughing as we record this at our studio at home one, two three, it's playing on at least three TVs right now.
00:01:51
Speaker 2: Yes, you actually go around and put it on as many TVs as you can, but the rule is at least one TV in the house.
00:01:57
Speaker 3: Has to be playing Diehard.
00:01:58
Speaker 1: I love the movie.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: Why is that? I think that the journalist in me needs.
00:02:01
Speaker 1: To know why I only subject you to this a certain period of the year. I don't watch Diehard at all for the other eleven months of the year. Right, that's true, Okay, that's true. Why do I do this? I love this movie. It goes, Yes, it goes a little too. You know what, for folks out there, you were watching something was on? Was it Elf? It might have been that was I don't think it was Elf. There was something on you said, this just makes me so happy.
00:02:27
Speaker 3: Well, Elf, definitely does.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: Some you just have that thing that puts you in whatever Christmas spirit, or lifts you up, or takes you back to the time maybe you were happiest. That is absolutely what die Hard is for me. It seems like maybe for some folks in an odd movie to do that for someone. But this was the first movie I ever went to a theater to see with my dad, the first of all.
00:02:52
Speaker 2: Okay, and there we are, there we got to the meat of it.
00:02:55
Speaker 3: I did not know that.
00:02:57
Speaker 1: I told you that.
00:02:58
Speaker 3: I knew that you loved the movie, but I didn't know.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: It wasn't the first movie I ever went to the theater to see. My uncle took me to that, but this was the first one. And I love this movie. I remember the promos for it, and I was so excited to see this.
00:03:11
Speaker 2: So it's nostalgic and it takes you back, and that's what this movie gives you and brings to you.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: Yes, So it was funny growing up at Christmas time.
00:03:20
Speaker 2: The two movies that I was subjected to, I like them, but they don't have the same weight. My mom always had us watch a Christmas Carol, which had George C. Scott in it, that version, which I still love, and it takes me back to my childhood and Christmas vacation. Those were the two must sees on Christmas Eve. The lights yes, well, yes, yeah, he tries to plug the lights in Clark Griswold. He goes to cut down the tree. It's hilarious. I love that movie too. That would be my second favorite. But Elf started right around when Ava was a little baby, and I think I've watched it every single year since then.
00:03:55
Speaker 1: Oh, I am sure of it. You all seem to almost plan the evenings around it. No, that's and I think that the Bean's right there with us. Yes, But here is the thing, folks. She has never sat down and watched Die Hard, even though it's playing on a constant loop in the house for a full month.
00:04:17
Speaker 3: That is true.
00:04:18
Speaker 1: And I have never sat down and watched Elf, even though I have been in the house constantly. When you all have little watch parties, I'm not in Oh.
00:04:29
Speaker 3: Yes, I believe it was last Thanksgiving.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Sabine and a bunch of girls and I were all downstairs watching Elf and you were upstairs watching sports. You didn't even watch with us at that point. So, yeah, you have never up until now, you'd never actually watched the movie. In fact, in fact, Sabina and I will make quotes about it.
00:04:48
Speaker 3: You know, Bye, buddy, Hope you find your dad and you would say what is that from? And we'd be like, Elf, you have to watch EL.
00:04:56
Speaker 1: Do you think the majority of people who just heard you say that know the reference?
00:04:59
Speaker 3: Yes, hey, buddy, hope you find your dad?
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Really okay? Yes, okay, okay. So we finally, folks, we just did this within the past twenty four hours of this recording. We just sat down and watched each other's respective favorite Christmas movie, and um, we're gonna give you our assessment. Now, I'll give you mine. We reserve judgment about two movies. We haven't shared this. We'll share it for the first time. Elf. Though, as a reminder, let's start with that movie. Okay, Elf, two thousand and three. You had that right PG. If you don't know it, you think most people do, huh, I think most people do. Okay. Here it is about raised as an oversized ELF. Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit. Now, this cast is out of this world.
00:05:59
Speaker 3: It's amazing.
00:06:00
Speaker 1: It's out of this world. Will Ferrell, of course, but James com Bob Newhart ed Asner Mary Steam Merchant who we love, and John Favre his list.
00:06:08
Speaker 3: Of him and Zoey de Chanel. Wasn't he over there?
00:06:11
Speaker 1: Yeah? Because I left her off. That's on me. But this movie did really well at the box office. Who knew but two hundred and twenty million dollars worldwide. Rotten Tomatoes score eighty five percent. They liked it.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: It's funny.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: The audience liked it to seventy nine percent. The critic consensus is a movie full of YULETI cheer. Elf is a spirited, good natured family comedy benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Sanda's biggest helpers. Not a lot of audience critiques to even put it in there, but for you, as besides the feeling it gives you just what about the movie really works and that you love about it.
00:06:49
Speaker 3: I think it's hilarious.
00:06:51
Speaker 2: I laugh out loud every single time the lines can be delivered. I don't even know how many times I've heard them, and I still laugh. I love Oh we didn't mention Klige. I love love Peter Dinglich as the angry Elf. You know, they just nailed it in finding this. Just when it started to get cheesy or too hokey, it would get funny again, and then when you are laughing out loud.
00:07:14
Speaker 3: They'd sneak in some cheesiness. But actually, those of.
00:07:17
Speaker 2: Us who love romcoms, et cetera want a little of that sprinkled in because it makes it feel as it should, and it's all wrapped up in a bow in the end, and it makes me smile.
00:07:28
Speaker 3: My girls love it, and I think when.
00:07:30
Speaker 2: You've got a movie that you love with your kids, it just makes it feel extra special.
00:07:35
Speaker 1: Now, who is this? I mean, always is a family movie and it's for anybody. But do you imagine an audience that maybe this isn't for.
00:07:47
Speaker 2: I don't know, I'm trying to think. I mean, there isn't a lot of It might just be a really white movie. That's my only thought that I mean, it is not very diverse. The cast everyone that we just mentioned is amazing, but not a very diverse cast, so.
00:08:02
Speaker 3: Maybe that would be a would be off putting. But short of that, it's sweet. It's funny. I even think if you.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: Don't like cheesy movies, it's funny enough that it'll still grab your attention. But maybe you should be the person who speaks on that, because you don't like cheesy, hokey unless it's over the top, like you love a Lifetime or a Hallmark movie. But that's because they lean in so hard. It's hilarious when people are trying to thread the needle.
00:08:28
Speaker 3: You don't like it.
00:08:32
Speaker 1: We have weird movie taste this one. I finally watched it, and you know, there were some scenes this movie's been on constantly over the years, and I couldn't believe that. Well, I've never seen that scene. I've never seen that scene. First and foremost, I'm a fan of Will Ferrell. Obviously we all are. I'm a bigger fan after watching this movie. He is delightful. There's something about his eternal optim and positivity in the face of the meanest things in New York. There was something really sweet about being committed to that he never broke at least that character of just eternal. The coffee he was excited about.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: The college the world's Greatest coffee.
00:09:16
Speaker 1: Even when Peter Dinklish was being mean to him, he was still there was optimism in him. That was just there was something about his performance that I loved that carried the movie for me. Yeah, I loved loved watching him. Obviously it's a it's a fantasy, but I think the premise the story is kind of cool. Yeah, the idea of that now along the way like, of course that would never happen. Of course that would And then you stop yourself and go, uh, yeah, we're talking about an elf leaving the North Pole to find his dad in New York. Of course none of this could happen. But I did, like, it's just the thing. It's still not for me. I gotta go the rest of my life not seeing that. You said that after you watched it, because that hokiness and the gets into that thing. And at one point I looked at you and said, oh, this is the rom com formulaic part that comes in. Yes, the false ending, Yeah, that's when it was happening. And so yeah, it's I get and the cast, Mike, I love everybody so good, love everybody.
00:10:17
Speaker 2: It just makes you feel good, and I will say even if you say, and I believe you when you say you don't, or you would never have to watch it again. The whole time you were talking about it, you had a big smile on your face, like from ear to ear.
00:10:28
Speaker 1: The scenes the snowball fight is one of my favorite amazing and I for the first time saw the scene with him getting drunk with the fellas in the male I've never seen that before. You will have been saying that line to me for years. Oh, he's an angry off. I saw it for the first time today. You sit on a throne of lies and then he smells like meat and gee, right, So to piece that together and see some of those scenes, what's funny today?
00:10:57
Speaker 2: But yeah, it's just not my I don't know, I'm not a Maybe you won't be an angry Elf the next time it's on, and maybe you'll sit down and watch a few bits with us.
00:11:09
Speaker 1: Well, folks, Yes, that was my take on Elf singing for the first time. Fully here just a little while ago. But stay here, we're gonna hear from Robock about what she thought about finally watching my favorite Christmas movie of all time, Die Hard.
00:11:34
Speaker 2: Welcome back, everyone, as we debate Elf versus die Hard? What movie is the best Christmas movie? On this Christmas Eve? We hope you are with your family and maybe you are deciding what movie to watch. I know every family's got their movie, but when you blend a family, now we have to deal with die Hard versus Elf.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, those are the and I guess I am out numbered. Oh yeah, what am I? You're totally out numbers four.
00:12:02
Speaker 3: It's four to one, Yes, four girls who all love Elf to your Diehard. Now, you had never watched Elf? You watched it, and we just heard your review.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: I had never actually seen die Hard, even though it's playing, as we mentioned before, for what a solid four weeks in this apartment NonStop. I see bits and pieces, I hear certain moments over and over, but I never.
00:12:26
Speaker 3: Actually saw the whole thing together.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: So actually it was last night from when we recorded this, I finally watched die Hard and I loved it.
00:12:35
Speaker 3: It was a little long, longer than I wanted it to be.
00:12:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, I could have ended about thirty minutes prior two hours and twelve minutes. It's rated R and I knew that already because I have heard the curse words and all the machine guns. But here's the synopsis for those of you who don't know what die Hard is. I highly doubt it. New York City policeman John McClain is visiting his estranged wife on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party and the headquarters of the Japanese owned business she works for, but the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high rise and everyone in it. Very soon, McLain realizes that there's no one to save the hostages but him. Look, I thought it was fun, exciting. There was a little bit too much gunfire for me for a Christmas movie, but I did like the acting and they had an incredible stellar cast.
00:13:29
Speaker 3: I love.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: I actually loved there was Christmas music in the movie, which made it festive and fun, so I appreciated that. But yeah, we're talking Bruce Willis. Obviously is John McClain the lead, and he's amazing. He that's like the hot Bruce Willis, young, strong, like snarky New York.
00:13:49
Speaker 3: He was great in it. He was really good when the.
00:13:54
Speaker 1: Hero could be a little goof yeah or rough around the edges, right, He's the the anti Schwarzenegg're kind of a thing, right, It's there's a room for both. And he was just as charming as anything.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, like a charming, smart ass New York cop who you like. Okay, you're cute even though I hate you right now, you're cute.
00:14:12
Speaker 3: That was him in this.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: Then you had Alan Rickman, the late Alan Rickman. He was so young in this movie because I just remember him obviously in his later works, just you think of him as an older actor. He is young and vibrant and evil. He always plays evil. We were going through all of his his characters. He does end up being the bad guy a lot, but he played it well. I don't know how to say. Reginald Johnson, Yes, family matters. He's the cop and we love him, love him. He is the guy you're rooting for other than Bruce Willis's character. You're totally rooting for Reginald's character. And then Bonnie Bidella is that how I say her name? But I knew I was gonna say that right now?
00:14:57
Speaker 3: She's great? What else has she been in? Because she has such a familiar.
00:15:01
Speaker 2: Face, But she's great and sweet and amazing in this And it's such a great anyway.
00:15:07
Speaker 3: So yeah, it's action packed, but again, it's just a little violent for me for a Christmas Eve movie.
00:15:13
Speaker 2: Even though this is coming out of the mouth of a horror lover, and I do love some Christmas horror as well.
00:15:19
Speaker 3: I'm not against a holiday horror flick. But I did like it.
00:15:23
Speaker 2: It had all the makings of a great movie. It had great acting, it had great just great action, and it had I liked the plot some of it. I kept laughing.
00:15:33
Speaker 3: Both of these movies that we watched had like office.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: Hours on Christmas Eve late and come on, who has an office party on Christmas Eve?
00:15:42
Speaker 1: That bothered you?
00:15:45
Speaker 2: And you're not upset that there's an elf walking through Manhattan. And I was like, okay to Chay. But and then I saw an elf he Walter Hobbs, was at a late night Christmas Eve work meeting too. I'm like, this just is very unrealistic. But anyway, I did think I liked the whole thing. It was really I think it was just a little long for me really, And I too.
00:16:06
Speaker 1: Would be okay late night for you, it was you were you had your own issues.
00:16:10
Speaker 3: It's always a late night.
00:16:12
Speaker 2: I too would be all right if I never saw it again, but I am glad I watched it and I did enjoy it.
00:16:17
Speaker 1: Didn't that crazy? I love this movie so much that it was just a a little hint of annoyance when you said you don't want to watch this movie again, Like I'm.
00:16:26
Speaker 3: So upset that I felt the same way when you said that.
00:16:32
Speaker 1: You would say such a thing. But you see that run tomatoes score.
00:16:35
Speaker 2: Well, oh yes, let me get to it rotten to oh wow, ninety four percent by the critics and ninety four percent.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: By the audience.
00:16:42
Speaker 2: If you all can see DJ's face right now, he feels so validated.
00:16:47
Speaker 3: It's like a warmth just spread over his whole face and body.
00:16:51
Speaker 2: And the critics consensus was this, It's many imitators and sequels have never come close to matching the top thrills of the definitive holiday action classic Boom.
00:17:05
Speaker 1: It's a good movie. It's a fun movie, and I just I love watching Bruce Willis. Yes, I just love.
00:17:10
Speaker 2: I have embraced my fate, I should say our fate, that Diehard will just always be a part of our lives.
00:17:15
Speaker 3: This time of year.
00:17:16
Speaker 1: Will let's get back to our horror movies. We'll have that episode for you. Yet, there are Christmas horror movies, folks, and we have some will recommend later. Be looking out for that. But for now, whether you're with my el Hamy Robock or with John McLean Junior over here at DJ Holmes, we appreciate you listening to us. We'll talk to y'all soon.