Growing up in South India meant the changing seasons; the yellowing leaves of autumn, the chilly winds of winter, and the subsequent snowfall were experiences only enjoyed through the movies. This is also probably why my earliest memories of a Christmas film are so deeply intertwined with the weather I experienced only through the screen. I remember watching in awe as Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) trudged through knee-deep snow and wandered around a wintry New York City decked up in swathes of tinsel and dotted with gigantic Christmas trees in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York The status of Die Hard , released in 1988, as a cult Christmas film has been debated over the years.
The argument persists owing not just to its Christmas eve setting, but also how it has proven to be the ultimate comfort repeat watch. Years later, many of us trooped to the theatres to see action movie staple Arnold Schwarzennegger take on some Christmas spirit in the 1996 film Jingle All The Way . As kids, we cheered as Howard Langston looked for a toy for his son on Christmas eve, all while navigating rival parents, jetpacks and a bomb scare or two.
A still from ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ As a millennial, however, it has been fascinating to see how cosy, tropey romances that promise an unlimited supply of the warm fuzzies have slowly but surely climbed up my list of favourites, dethroning these family-friendly comedy dramas. Handsome, brooding hero? Check. Small-town warm vibes? Check.
Gr.
