Looking Back at 2017

I’m not one who gets particularly sentimental as the calendar rolls over to a new year, but I thought I’d take a look back at 2017 — a year that had a lot going on. 

As is the case with any typical year, there is some good, and some bad. There are moments of crisis handled, and moments of crisis averted. 

But there are fun moments as well. Let's look at some highlights...

The year started off as they typically do in Nebraska — cold. Cold weather means UNO Hockey season is in full swing, and since we’ve never missed a home game in the program’s history, it is kind of a big deal for us each year. 

We did discover a “game” on social media last February — "Finders Keepers" — that was sort of a crazy scavenger hunt across Omaha — where all the clues were given via Twitter (read my full blog post here). The hunt typically involved money hidden at various spots throughout the city, and hunters would race to find the loot. 

My nieces won on a number of occasions. This picture is of me, Bridget, and our nieces Lauren and Julia taking a pit stop from the race and munching on donuts (in the middle of the night) at Winchell’s in West Omaha: 

We also took some impromptu trips in 2017. We decided to drive two hours north to Sioux Falls, SD, leaving at 4 p.m. on March 7 to watch the UNO Men’s Basketball team play for a Summit League Championship (and try to earn its first berth in the NCAA tournament). The Mavs lost in the closing moments of play, but it was fun to be part of the March Madness atmosphere in the building. 

My dad ended up in the hospital in April. He’d been having severe pain in his leg. Doctors couldn’t tell if it was pain associated with a pinched nerve, or something more sinister. 

Pain killers didn’t work, and my dad’s condition worsened to the point where he was unable to walk. When the pain hit its zenith, Bridget took him to the emergency room to try and find him some relief. 

It turns out he had a couple of serious blood clots in his leg, and had to have surgery to remove the clots (followed by inpatient and then outpatient rehab). Kind of a crazy sequence of events, but at least he didn’t lose his foot or leg (which the doctor said was a real possibility due to oxygen deprivation in the limb). 

On April 14, we attended the League of Women Voters Mayoral Debate at the Omaha Press Club. Mayor Jean Stothert and Heath Mello sparred over various local issues impacting our city — and, as is the tradition with these forums at the OPC, attendees had lunch during the program. 

We welcomed our new nephew Anson on April 29. He looks like a little bug in this picture, but he has grown in the past 8 months, and is a fun little guy to spend time with. 

May 2nd saw us attending the Omaha Metro High School 7-7-7 Film Championship at the Western Heritage Museum. My niece Julia was part of a team (from the OPS Career Center) that competed in the event (read my blog on the 7-7-7 Film Championship). This picture is of Bridget with one of the Union Pacific trains on display:

On May 18, we had a chance to see and hear author Craig Johnson at The Bookworm. Johnson is the author of the terrific Longmire series of mysteries (which are the basis for the show “Longmire” that is available on Netflix). This was our third time meeting him!

We are volunteers at our neighborhood pool. I’ve written about the 61-year-old Robin Hill Pool before, and the challenges faced in keeping the aging facility running. On May 22, my nieces Emily and Lauren worked on painting the “big pool” and the “baby pool.” It was messy work (pool paint is basically oil-based rubber), but the three of us had a lot of fun talking and laughing that day, as illustrated in this picture: 

My niece Veronica graduated from 6th grade at Jefferson Elementary on May 25th. The very next day, my niece/goddaughter Lauren graduated from Central High School. 

Then things kind of fell apart, and life threw a wrench in the engine. My brother-in-law Sean was found dead in his apartment on May 30th. He died of complications related to undiagnosed diabetes. We were stunned. He was 49 — taken way too soon. 

I lost my mom in 2013, and I can’t imagine how it feels for my nieces to lose their dad at such a young age. 

But the summer wasn’t all melancholy. At the end of June we had the opportunity to brave the rising mercury and watch a couple games at the NCAA College World Series (held each year in Omaha). 

We also had the opportunity to see the fireworks display at Memorial Park on June 30 with our nieces Julia and Veronica. (Olivia was also at the event, but was with friends.) 

I saw the movie Baby Driver at Aksarben Cinema four times (read my full review).

On July 11, our friend Kathleen Lighthart invited us to their lake house near Fremont and we had a fun day hanging out with the Lightharts and our nieces and nephews. 

That same day we dressed up like cows so we could get free food at Chick-fil-A. 

We won tickets to see the local comedy/skit show “Omaha Live!” (season premiere party) at Aksarben Cinema, and won an autographed special edition poster for the show (read my full review of the event).

At the end of July, we took our nieces (and their mom Danielle) on a five-day RV trip to see the Tour of Utah. My brother-in-law Sean was an avid cycling enthusiast, and had spent his recent working years as a press officer for professional cycling teams. The trip was an opportunity for our nieces to get to see the sorts of things he did when he was on the road, and it was a chance for them to get to meet some of the people Sean knew through his profession. 

I wrote a multi-part blog covering the entire Utah trip last summer — here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

I also had the chance to eat at In-N-Out Burger for the first time on that trip:

Bridget and I saw the movie “American Assassin” at Aksarben Cinema on Sept. 14. We are big fans of the late Vince Flynn — the author of the Mitch Rapp book series that the “American Assassin” movie is based upon (read my review of "American Assassin"). 

We also like to spend time with our nieces and nephews at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch each fall. I wrote a review in 2016 about Vala’s — it is a cross between a pumpkin orchard and an amusement park.

In early October, we attended the National Resume Writers Association conference in Lombard, IL. Bridget and her colleague Kimberly took the opportunity to co-present a webinar (not related to the conference) while they were together in Lombard:

Nov. 11 saw the University of Nebraska at Omaha Men’s Soccer squad win a Summit League championship. We were in attendance (with our friend Mike) at UNO’s Al F. Caniglia Field to witness history as the Mavs secured their first appearance in the NCAA tournament. 

As I alluded to at the beginning of this post, we spend a significant amount of our fall and winter months following UNO Maverick Hockey. We run a fan site called mavpuck.com, and haven’t missed a home game... ever. 

Our niece Lauren is attending St. Cloud State University in Minnesota this season — a conference rival for the Mavericks. So this season has been a bit different since she’s not sitting with us at (most) games. 

That said, Lauren has made it to a surprising number of home games, including the matchup with St. Cloud in early December. 

Suffice it to say, it was incredibly uncomfortable sitting with her while she cheered for the Huskies (we still love Lauren... for now!)

The year ended quietly. We saw “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” on Dec. 14 (read my review), watched “Die Hard” on Dec. 24 (read my musings about how it is the best Christmas movie), and watched the UNO Hockey team sweep Union College on Dec. 29 and 30. 

It will be interesting to see what 2018 has in store — we're hoping it is a fun year. 

I want to wish all of you a terrific 2018. Thank you for reading. This blog recently surpassed 14,000 page views, and the feedback I’ve received the past year has been awesome!

I'm very blessed!

Previous post: Review: Netflix Series "The Toys That Made Us" Is Worth Checking Out 

Review: Netflix Series “The Toys That Made Us” Is Worth Checking Out

Something in life I find fascinating is the deep-seated nostalgia people have for things from their youth. That love can encompass pop-culture items like movies, TV shows, books, and clothes. 

But there is a relic of youthful fun that seems to shine above all others when it comes to passionate memories, and that is the toys that we played with as children. 

It is in that spirit that producer Brian Volk-Weiss brings to Netflix the new docuseries called The Toys That Made Us — the stories behind iconic toy brands.

The first four episodes of the series dropped on Netflix on Dec. 22. The first slate of episodes (each roughly an hour in length) sheds light on the history and development of the toys, as well as their legacy in the toy lexicon. 

Episode 1: Star Wars

Gives viewers a look into the rise of the Kenner’s popular toy lineup in the 1970s and 1980s. Interesting nuggets include an interview with the Kenner attorney who negotiated the toy deal with George Lucas prior to the Star Wars release in 1977 (Kenner received 95 cents for every dollar earned, and Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox split a nickel), and a look at the toy brand’s temporary demise in the mid-1980s. 

Episode 2: Barbie

Offers insights into the inspiration for Barbie dolls (not the most savory source material), the politics behind Barbie, and the perpetual retooling and marketing for the seemingly eternal brand. 

Episode 3: He-Man

I never owned any of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line, but watching the episode made me wish I had. Mattel’s launch of He-Man was in response to Kenner’s Star Wars line and Hasbro’s re-invention of G.I. Joe into smaller figures. You learn the origins of the toy (sold to execs on a wink and a promise), and get to meet the salty creators who utilized a shotgun approach in creating the odd assortment of characters produced. The episode also talks about the ill-fated 1987 Masters of the Universe movie starring Dolph Lundgren.

Episode 4: G.I. Joe

I owned a lot of the G.I. Joe action figures back in the early 1980s, and also owned a number of the vehicles (the W.H.A.L.E. Hovercraft was one of my favorites). The episode focuses on the origin of the Hasbro toy line — from the early “doll” years of G.I. Joe, through the retooling of the line during the Vietnam War, to the re-invention of G.I. Joe into an elite fighting force “small” figure line in the 1980s. 

What’s fascinating about the first season of The Toys That Made Us is how many talented individuals came to the toy industry from other careers — such as the aerospace engineering field. 

Producer Brian Volk-Weiss considers The Toys That Made Us something of a passion project. His producing career has focused primarily on comedy specials for outfits like Netflix. 

In the following interview, Volk-Weiss discusses his toy-centric project, the difficulty selling the concept to programmers, and he mentions that the next four episodes (set to debut sometime in 2018) will focus on Transformers, Hello Kitty, Star Trek, and Lego toy brands:

Even if you didn’t play with the particular toys featured in The Toys That Made Us, it is a fun and fascinating watch, and sheds insight on an industry that doesn’t feature a lot of written or filmed history. 

Check it out!

Previous post: Full Review: "The Last Jedi" Might Be The Greatest "Star Wars" Film (SPOILERS)

Full Review - “The Last Jedi” Might Be The Greatest “Star Wars” Film (SPOILERS)

I’ve been amused by the reaction the past two weeks toward Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Some people love the film, while others seem to have a visceral hatred for Rian Johnson’s creation.  

SPOILERS AHEAD... 

The Last Jedi improves with multiple viewings — at least, that is the prevailing sentiment of many fans online. I agree.

The film is gorgeous. It is crafted with care and is saturated eye candy. John Williams serves up one of his best scores in the franchise (read my review of the soundtrack). 

Two weeks (and two viewings) later, I am of the mindset that Star Wars: The Last Jedi might be the greatest film in the Star Wars saga. I realize this revelation might be as shocking to some as the content is in writer/director Rian Johnson’s narrative for the film. 

For some reason, Star Wars: The Last Jedi reminds me of Kevin J. Anderson’s “Jedi Academy Trilogy” books released back in 1994. In that trilogy, we find an older Luke Skywalker starting a training temple for new Jedi (which will include Han and Leia’s twin children). One of his pupils (Kyp Durron) succumbs to the dark side.

It’s been many years since I have read that trilogy, but what I liked about Anderson’s stylings is that the stories had an energy and a spark — and were wildly creative. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi should be taken as the story it is — rather than the story you want it to be. All too often these days, movies (in particular, big-budget, tentpole extravaganzas) are fairly rote, and fairly predictable. 

As Luke says to Rey in the movie, “This is not going to go the way you think.”

From the very first scenes of the Resisitance being discovered by the First Order, to the climactic battle on Crait, The Last Jedi is an original masterpiece. Rian Johnson is a skilled writer/director, and I’m happy Disney/Lucasfilm had the stones to give him this much freedom. 

When I viewed the film a second time, I found new things to like about it, and all of the “hang ups” I had from the first viewing slipped away. This shift comes from the fact that I was no longer waiting for “hypotheticals” to come to fruition — such as fan theories suggesting Rey (Daisy Ridley) is Luke’s daughter, or Obi-Wan Kenobi’s daughter, or Kylo Ren’s sister.

It doesn’t matter anymore. 

I simply enjoyed Rey’s time on Ahch-To Island with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as she learns about the Force, learns about herself, and communicates with Kylo Ren using a previously unknown ability to appear (as some sort of living “Force Ghost”) from faraway distances. 

Even the moments involving Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and Finn (John Boyega) on casino-planet Canto Bight — where they are looking for a master codebreaker to help them worm their way onto a First Order ship — worked better. 

Rose and Finn’s exploits — which were the result of Poe Dameron’s hatched plan for the struggling Resistance ships to escape an unwinnable space chase with the First Order — didn’t seem a problem with a repeat screening. For that matter, neither did Poe Dameron’s actions throughout that entire thread — which included a mutiny aboard his Resistance ship that wrestled the reins of command from Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern). 

The question in all of this is why fan ire was enflamed in a such an over-the-top manner. I still believe it has to do with expectations about how a Star Wars movie is supposed to unfold. 

A number of fans I know (die-hard and casual alike) believe that 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the best entry in the saga since Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.  

I never really agreed with that sentiment. I continue to be fond of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it ranks as one of my favorite entries in the franchise. 

For me, Rogue One was a nice diversion, but ultimately unfulfilling. I believe fans like it because it doesn’t tread on any sacred cows in the franchise, and “feels” like a Star Wars movie of old. 

Mark Hamill (who has spent the latter years of his career doing a lot of voice-over work) turns in a terrific performance in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Many fans were ticked off when Luke glibly tossed away his blue lightsaber (which Rey presents to him earnestly at the end of The Force Awakens). The internet is buzzing with people who seem to view that act as a metaphor for Disney tossing away the entire Star Wars franchise. 

This movie goes beyond our preconceived notions of what the Star Wars saga is all about. As Yoda says to Luke in the movie, “We are what they grow beyond.” 

Twice in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Luke corrects the movie’s two youngest “Force wielders” and tells them they are “wrong” about the Force.

In an early exchange during Rey’s training on Ahch-To, Luke asks Rey, “What do you know about the Force?”

Rey answers, “It’s a power that Jedi have that lets them control people and... make things float.”

Luke replies, “Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong.” 

Later on in the movie, when Luke has his showdown with Kylo Ren, Ren taunts Luke by saying, “The Resistance is dead, the war is over, and when I kill you, I will have killed the last Jedi!”

Luke calmly responds, “Amazing. Every word of what you just said is wrong. The rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi.”

Those exchanges in the movie might as well be a message to fans and viewers of the Star Wars saga. In essence, Skywalker is saying there is more to the story than we ever dreamed. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi features one of the best lightsaber battles in the entire saga. The showdown in Supreme Leader Snoke’s throne room is beautiful. It really isn’t a lightsaber battle in and of itself, but a battle with the Praetorian Guards — who are basically anonymous, red shogun warriors. 

Any kid who grew up in the 1980s wondering what the Emperor’s Royal Guards were capable of in Return of the Jedi finally get a glimpse in this movie, since the Praetorian Guards are an obvious homage. 

The entire sequence in the throne room (which is drenched in a glorious red tint) is both fun to watch and full of surprises. 

When Rey uses the Force to snatch up Kylo Ren’s unique red lightsaber to take on the guards, it illustrates once again that this isn’t yesterday’s Star Wars movie. Later on in the sequence, when Rey and Ren manage to “break apart” Luke’s original blue saber, it gives us another unique moment in Star Wars lore. 

For a moment, I really thought Kylo Ren was going to heed Rey’s call, and turn away from the dark side of the Force. Rian Johnson had me believing, and the sequence was crafted with a mercurial sleight of hand.  

Another part of the movie I thought was terrific involved Luke looking around the Millennium Falcon on Ahch-To Island. When he discovers R2-D2 on the ship — and the droid projects the old hologram of Leia saying "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi... you're my only hope" — it took me back. It was a cool nod to A New Hope, and a special moment I wasn't anticipating. 

All of the internet proclamations suggesting that Disney has destroyed the saga seem completely unfounded. This is the first Star Wars movie in a while that fans can’t stop talking about. 

Disney hasn't destroyed anyone's childhood. 

I’m not suggesting that The Last Jedi is perfect. Rather, I’m suggesting that viewing the movie for what it is makes you realize how good it is. 

After I watched Star Wars: The Last Jedi for a second time, it dawned on me that it might have been the most fun I’ve had watching a Star Wars movie.

The movie perfectly captures the experience of being a kid... creating adventures with Star Wars action figures many moons ago... 

Forty years later, you realize movies are different than they were back in the day... and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

Previous post: Book Review: Ernest Cline's "Armada" 

Book Review: Ernest Cline’s “Armada”

A few months ago I reviewed Ernest Cline’s first novel “Ready Player One” (read my review) — a wonderful sci-fi tale featuring a large dose of 1980s pop culture. It felt fresh, new, and vibrant, even though the story took place in a virtual reality video game. 

Cline’s second novel, “Armada,” is its own standalone story, separate from “Ready Player One.” 

“Armada” follows a teenager named Zack Lightman. Zack lives with his mom in Oregon. He goes to high school, loves videogames, and works part-time at a gaming store called Starbase Ace. He longs to know his father Xavier — who was killed in a wastewater treatment plant explosion many years prior, when Zack was a baby.

Zack is at school one day when he spots an alien craft outside his classroom window — it is a Sobrukai Glaive, which is a fighter featured in his favorite videogame Armada. He can’t tell if what he saw is real, or if he’s losing touch with reality. 

But Zack doesn’t shrug it off. 

He begins rooting through his dad’s old things, stored in boxes in the attic. He spots a letter jacket his father wore that featured a bunch of gaming patches. He also stumbles upon a series of notes his father took, outlining his theory positing that the government has been secretly training society for an alien invasion. 

What the reader learns is that movies like Star Wars, The Last Starfighter, Aliens, and Independence Day — along with a slew of videogames released throughout the years — are a surreptitious way to prepare society to defend Earth against attack. The popular multi-player games in the novel — Armada and Terra Firma — seem to be built with this goal in mind.  

Interesting premise... right?

It definitely is, but Cline’s "Armada" feels like it has trouble figuring out where to take the story from there. 

For a while, the narrative treads on fairly predictable ground. Unfortunately, reading about teens piloting drones in "Armada" via consoles (in an attempt to save the world) isn’t as compelling as the virtual treasure hunt Cline concocted in "Ready Player One." In a way, the main protagonist feels rather detached from things — despite Cline’s attempts to ratchet up the tension.

It could be that the narrative would have benefited from a different structure. Cline’s first-person story from Zack’s point of view is affable, but a limited third-person narrative might have given the story more heft, and allowed the author to “peek around the corner” in certain parts of the novel.

Furthermore, the story takes place in a single day, and parts of the narrative feel underdeveloped. 

Add in the fact that the ending of "Armada" felt rushed — an ending that seemed to step straight out of an episode of Star Trek — and you can see why I didn’t feel the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. 

The movie rights have apparently been optioned by Universal. I have a feeling that Armada — with a few tweaks — could achieve box office gold. 

There’s little doubt that Cline is a talented writer. 

Unfortunately, Armada doesn’t live up to "Ready Player One." It’s often difficult for “lightning to strike twice” with high-concept stories in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. 

Be that as it may, the book features a number of pop culture references, and the beautiful jacket design features blueprints of ships in the novel.

If you enjoyed "Ready Player One," you’ll likely find "Armada" to be an amusing diversion. However, in comparison, it felt a little "thin," was hurried at times, and lacks the spark that made "Ready Player One" a pop-culture masterpiece. 

Previous post: Quentin Taratino's Upcoming "Star Trek" Movie 

Quentin Tarantino's Upcoming "Star Trek" Movie

News has been circulating on the internet this month about much ballyhooed director Quentin Tarantino pitching a Star Trek movie to J.J. Abrams (who rebooted the franchise in 2009) — an R-rated tome in a franchise that hasn’t exactly been known for its “edginess” in recent years. 

But this is 2017. Welcome to the brave, new era where we get R-rated X-Men movies (Logan and Deadpool) and R-rated Star Trek movies. Let’s hope Pixar doesn’t join the trend. 

The Tarantino news isn’t that surprising. He has admitted in interviews that he is a long-time fan of 1960s Trek. And I had read in the past that Tarantino owns an original print of 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan that he screens periodically.

(Read my review of the "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" Director's Cut). 

Tarantino also named J.J Abrams’s Star Trek reboot as one of his top films of 2009. 

Deadline reports that “The Revenant” scribe Mark L. Smith is going to write the screenplay for Tarantino’s Star Trek movie. One can only imagine what sort of bear-like creatures Captain Kirk will find himself wrestling in the wilderness. 

If you want some insight into the direction Tarantino’s movie will take, he talks about his vision for a Star Trek movie in this interview from earlier in the year:

In the interview he mentions his fondness for the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (with its time-travel changing narrative), but I’m guessing he’ll be tackling the current Chris Pine-era crew.

Be that as it may, Patrick Stewart (who played Captain Picard on TNG) has expressed interest in the project. 

You might be asking yourself why this is all happening. At last check, Paramount was focused on developing a Star Trek prequel movie that would focus on Chris Hemsworth’s George Kirk character (seen briefly in the prologue of 2009’s Star Trek). 

But the Star Trek franchise — in an era where big-budget science fiction spectacles are ubiquitous — has been a somewhat tougher sell to audiences. 

Yet the recent success of Star Trek: Discovery (read my review) on CBS’s streaming platform has shown that the fan base is willing to dive into something a bit more edgy. 

Back in the 1990s, I remember hearing that Sean Connery suggested Quentin Tarantino reboot the James Bond franchise. That was during the heyday of Pulp Fiction. 

Others have suggested that Quentin Tarantino should move beyond the esoteric “art house” fare he is fond of producing, and use his talents in more mainstream franchises. 

You can’t get much more mainstream than Star Trek.  

It’s very possible that Tarantino’s non-linear storytelling would suit Star Trek well, and create something bold and compelling. 

On the other hand, we’ve recently seen the uproar caused when a director/screenwriter takes a popular franchise in a different direction — as is the case with Rian Johnnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 

Regardless of the outcome of Tarantino’s Star Trek project, the mere mention of the unlikely cinematic marriage has breathed new life into the franchise. 

With Tarantino at the helm, the franchise will definitely "go where no man has gone before..." 

Previous post: Is "Die Hard" The Best Christmas Movie?

Is "Die Hard" The Best Christmas Movie?

A number of my friends on social media have been getting in the holiday spirit the past few days... shopping for gifts, spending time with family, and watching... “Die Hard”...?

It appears that the 1988 action masterpiece — directed by John McTiernan — has aged like a fine wine. Not only does the movie harken back to a time when action movies featured practical effects, sweat, testosterone, and numerous f-bombs, it has also become a Christmas tradition for a number of my friends. 

As far as I am concerned, it is FANTASTIC. I remember when I first saw the movie at AMC Westroads 8 back in 1988. 

“Die Hard” represents an era of action movie that will likely never be matched. Sure, the superhero movies we see today have action, and often have brawny men in dire situations. But they aren’t the same. They just aren’t.

Some question whether or not “Die Hard” qualifies as a Christmas movie. Let’s take a look:

“Die Hard” takes place at Christmas. That is a key for any Christmas movie. The attempted robbery of the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles happens on Christmas Eve. NYPD cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies out to spend Christmas with his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) and their two kids. A limo picks McClane up at the airport, and delivers him to the Nakatomi holiday party. 

Like any good Christmas movie, “Die Hard” focuses on working-class people. Whether we are talking about George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” or Bob Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol,” the best Christmas stories focus on working-class stiffs trying to beat the odds and make a better life for their families. 

John McClane epitomizes that archetype. Not only is he trying to make amends with his wife (they’re separated because she took the job with the Nakatomi Corporation), he’ll do anything to keep his family in one piece — even if it means brandishing a H&K MP5 to take out a bunch of euro-trash terrorists on Christmas Eve. 

Let’s face it, “Die Hard” is basically the same movie as “Home Alone” — a movie that became the biggest movie in the world when it was released in 1990.

Yet some people consider “Home Alone” a holiday classic, while poo-pooing “Die Hard” in the same breath. 

There is very little difference between Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) and John McClane.  

First of all, both have last names of Irish descent. Both are unappreciated by their families. And both have to kick the crap out of robbers on Christmas Eve. 

McClane toys with baddie Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in the same manner that Kevin toys with crooks Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) — causing their nemeses fits throughout the movie. 

“Home Alone” gets a pass because Kevin has that poignant Christmas Eve moment in church, and decorates his house for Christmas.

McClane doesn’t have that luxury. The guy can’t even find a pair of shoes that fit, and has to root around the Nakatomi building barefoot throughout the movie (even though he kills a number of terrorists along the way who were bound to have shoes bigger than the “one with feet smaller than [his] sister”). 

“Die Hard” also features ample Christmas music — a staple of any good holiday movie. We hear “Jingle Bells,”Christmas in Hollis,” “Let It Snow!,” and “Winter Wonderland.” 

McClane also sends messages of holiday spirit... like this one where he wrote: “NOW I HAVE A MACHINE GUN HO-HO-HO.”

While some might shrug off the tradition of “Die Hard” as being a social media-induced way for guys to be all contrary and ironic with their Christmas movie traditions, there is something to the notion that the exploits of John McClane are true to the spirit of Christmas in the same way that egg nog and mistletoe is to holiday cheer. 

Let’s face it, what most of us want for Christmas is to imbibe in holiday beverages, kiss the one we love, and beat the snot out of a bunch of bad guys who try to ruin the day.

If you aren’t one of the denizens who follow the “Die Hard on Christmas” tradition, maybe you need to start. If you do, all I can say is, “Welcome to the party, pal!!”

Previous post: My Friend Jay's Cool Christmas Light Display