Mr. Plinckett is right as usual. I watched it in IMAX 3D yesterday, but didn't feel immersed into the story all that much. While watching it I couldn't help but think that a panel of Disney marketing geniuses meticulously thought out what we wanted to see, to guess our expectations, more than the brain child of someone with a vision, with a true story to tell. The girl-that-every-girl-wants-to-be with great athletic prowess and wit as the main character to try and get women to go and see it. The two popular Chinese actors were obviously there to appeal to the ever more important Chinese market. Nostalgic re-enactment (or pre-enactment?) of the ROTJ final battle. Darth Vader! Tarkin! The Death Star! There's someone and/or something for everybody in this movie. Maximum appeal to go and see it.

I think all characters did have potential, but there wasn't any time for them to really come alive, as we were introduced to too many locations and too many people. On the topic of coming alive, resurrected Peter Cushing was very clearly stuck deep into uncanny valley, and watching him was a little... morbid I think.

Like with the Force Awakens, I left the cinema not really unsatisfied, but not really happy either. Just kind of... okay. That was something all pre-Disney SW films did way better for me.

Man, I'm suuuper late to this party....
Anyways, Die Hard is and is not a Christmas movie at the same time. And it depends on your definition what makes a Christmas movie.
I'm gonna take an insane detour here that'll make sense.
Is Star Wars Episode 4 a science fiction movie?
That setting is futuristic, sure, must be sci-fi then. Lasers, Spaceships, Robots, the works. The checklist is done. Sci-Fi.
But what are the themes it touches upon, what is the story?
A young farmer's boy (naturally an adoptred orphan) named Luke is dragged into a rebellion against an evil king (Palpatine) by accident. When the boy get's hold of a pretty princess' (RIP Carrie Fisher) message to an old ally and menthor (Obi) through the fault of her two comic-relief servants (Robot-slaves), he decides to seek the adventure he's yearning for. He finds the old man (by fucking up) and both seek the next harbor to board a ship to join the resistance. The hire smuggler/pirate/bandit/nerfherder Han and his foreign friend Chewie and cross paths with the black knight Lord Vader, the evil kings enforcer. Hijinks ensue, princess rescued, the magic castle/ship/train of the evil king get's destroyed and everyone gets a medal.
What's exactly sci-fi here?
That could play out in medieval times. Or ancient greece. Or the wild west. Or on Christmas.
The setting and the genre are two different things and both determine what you'll label a story with.
Alien is a horror movie, a slasher. Aliens is a war movie. Alien³ is a horror movie of the animal-gone-maneater kind. Alien: Resurrection is a disaster movie (hihi).
They're all sci-fi, like Star Wars. Because of the setting.
Now look at Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 9 'The Measure Of A Man'.
Lasers, spaceships, robots, the usual. What is it about?
A Robot who's so sophisticated that he has to go to trial to prove he's not property but a real boy. Sure, you'll say, I've seen Pinocchio and I can see african men argue the same stuff in the 18th century. The point of the story is not only that is humanity is questioned, the point is he's an artificial lifeform. The question is not only 'What makes you a person?' but also 'When does artificial intelligence become an artificial person?'
That shit won't work in a setting without spaceships and robots. That's sci-fi because of its story.
So, setting and story are both what makes you label a movie a certain way but they're not the same.
Die Hard. Happens on Christmas. Could be Thanksgiving too. Setting interchangeable.
Story? Doesn't contain any christmas-related themes beyond two estranged family members become closer again. That could happen at a funeral as well.
I'm in my mid-thirties and I love Die Hard. It's one of the best 80's action movies. I can watch it anytime and I've seen it at least 20 times (noit joking here). But mostly in the summer. But I understand the question and its diverse answers perfectly well.
Die Hard is a christmas movie if it feels like one to you. For me, Lord of the Rings (especially Fellowship) feels like a Christmas movie to me. I've seen them all in theatres in December, I watched them on VHS and Blu-Ray only in December so far. They have fuck all to do with the occasion but this year was the first one I didn't watch any of them in December. And I feel I missed something this year. I'm not sure I can watch them at this time of the year.

You're probably right, but enough costly redux flops will eventually stop future waves of nothing but rehashed movies....maybe.

For me, they don't destroy the memories but do tarnish them. I can't think of Evil Lord Vader without also thinking of little orphan Anni now. I can't watch Indiana Jones kicking ass without remembering how he was totally (figuratively) ass raped in the last movie. It certainly takes something from the purer memories of my youth to have the stories and characters pimped out for $15.

*promote

Absolutely terrifying stuff. I would do everything I could possibly imagine to flag down those vehicles in that oncoming lane. To see all that black smoke come up after those semi's entered was just terrible, because you knew just what that meant--I worked for UPS and those things are NOTHING but fire fuel (they are practically mini-bombs once they catch on fire at a good enough temperature...).

It would make a good driver-ed video, UPS driver video, state leaders, and even our country's leaders. So we can Improve our systems, education, infrastructure, first response, and our view of the issue.

Nope, just another day. Remember when Obi-Wan got killed by Darth Vader? Remember?

(Oh, spoiler, sorry...)

Considering the kids oxygen setup I just figured a Darth Vader helmet would have made more sense. The juxtaposition of cute kid/symbol of galactic oppression does make for an odd commercial.

http://videosift.com/video/Darth-Vader-NOOO-Variations

I have dispatched Lord Vader to get this release back on schedule. I am most displeased I have to wait until December.

Empire Strikes Back - Vader to Luke in the carbonite chamber

Followed Unity 3D for a while and was quite happy to see them release version 5 for free due to the pressure Epic put on them by releasing Unreal Engine 4 for free as well. This short is definitely pretty impressive but I still think UE is the more capable engine for sure. Unity also has a very slow release cycle with a lot of promised features either being pushed to future versions or forcing users to rely on the Unity marketplace.

Congratulations! Your video, Darth Vader Wakes 2 Year-Old Son, has reached the #1 spot in the current Top 15 New Videos listing. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish but you managed to pull it off. For your contribution you have been awarded 2 Power Points.

This achievement has earned you your "Golden One" Level 52 Badge!

I just saw a pretty impressive use of the Jedi Mind Trick by a 2-year old. On Darth Vader, no less!

Additionally, if Darth Vader had perhaps read Luke a story instead of kidnapping his friends, the movies might have turned out completely different.

Your video, Darth Vader Wakes 2 Year-Old Son, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

I never realised how much the legion of doom headquarters looks like Darth Stewie!

although apparently other people have....

Go to the Youtube page the video is imbedded from and the links work.... Youtube does this weird crap where it cuts the end of links off for some reason.

https://www.youtube.com/user/AListProductions

https://www.youtube.com/user/superman214681

https://www.youtube.com/user/rEdits92895/videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCURNdrLEd8EqQ8G_8AcRrmw

and he links the batman vs Vader vid in the comments section.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv6saLrn3UY

On a side note. This is almost a year old now and its just now getting mass attention.

Every single one of those links says "This channel does not exist."

and he doesn't credit MachinimaPrime who made the Batman v Vader movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj23dwWHukY or the guys who mad the star wars over san fran video.