The Daily Beasts
For theme projects (like #Kaijuly, #Mocktoberfest, and #SeasonsBeatings—for example),
a new film/show is profiled every day by a different writer.
ROCKY IV (1985)
ROCKY IV’s Christmas boxing match to end the Cold War was the main event—but it overshadows the real drama occurring within the wives of the fighters.
LETHAL WEAPON (1987)
Heather Wixson on how Richard Donner’s direction and Shane Black’s writing helped redefine the action hero in the 1980s.
ABRAXAS, GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE (1990)
This blundering action/sci-fi movie starring Jesse Ventura (and found in the public domain) is incredibly inept, but has its charms and its lessons to teach.
DIE HARD 2 (1990)
In celebration of the Christmas sequel to the Christmas action film, Mary Kay McBrayer looks at the Top 5 Bureaucratic Heroes of DIE HARD 2: DIE HARDER.
SANTA WITH MUSCLES (1996)
Hulk Ho-Ho-Hogan Spreads Holiday Cheer In This Much Maligned Children’s Holiday Movie.
DIE HARD (1988)
Or, 7 Ways to Improve Your Corporate Holiday Party—According to DIE HARD (1988)
HOME ALONE (1990)
HOME ALONE endures not just due to nostalgia and madcap violence, but also its embrace of the fantastic and moods of the holidays.
RENT-A-COP (1987)
A trainwreck of genres and ideas, Jerry London’s holiday-set film feels like everyone is in their own movie—no matter how it clashes with those around them.
TOKYO GODFATHERS (2003)
A beautiful Christmas tale of family and forgiveness, with the proper amounts of car chases, parkour sequences, and other madcap action sprinkled throughout.
ROBOCOP 3 (1993)
Fred Dekker’s third entry in the series has so much promise, but mistakes were made. But hey, Kiley wrote a poem about it—so it all works out!
BETTER WATCH OUT (2016)
An adventure in babysitting combines action and horror with enough seasonal psychosis and holiday hilarity to keep folks glued to the screen.
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (1969)
Christmas comes early again for James Bond as Rafael Ruiz looks at the sixth film in the series that promised a lot of change for the icon.
DEATH WISH V: THE FACE OF DEATH (1994)
A look at the last of Bronson's vigilante saga—set at Christmastime and in the fashion world—where Paul Kersey truly becomes the sadistic force for vengeance.
Holiday Movie Mood Board
Not sure what to watch this holiday season? Aundria Parker has compiled some choices to fit whatever mood you’re in.
IRON MAN 3 (2013)
A Christmas Carol in the merry Marvel manner, the holidays weren’t complete until Shane Black and IRON MAN 3 showed up to lend their fireworks to the MCU.
THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT (1996)
Memories can define who we are and our relationship to what we like. These ties remain and cast significance, even with popcorn films like THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT.
BATMAN RETURNS (1992)
The holidays are a perfect time to reflect on the past and look to the future as Andres Guzman hopes for a return to the Batman of Tim Burton’s second outing in Gotham.
DEADLY GAMES (1989)
Unfairly (and inaccurately) dismissed as “French HOME ALONE”, DEADLY GAMES is a much darker film full of dread and ‘80s charm.
FATMAN (2020)
Jeremy Lowe finds great delight in FATMAN’s choice to take its bonkers world completely seriously.
COBRA (1986)
Stallone faces off with a murderous cult in this vaguely Christmas-adjacent action classic!