A Year in Movies: Holiday Style

With the news that holiday-centric movie VALENTINE’S DAY is getting a spinoff/sequel titled NEW YEAR’S EVE, I wondered what percentage of a yearly calendar’s holidays have actually been turned into movies. My criteria was that the film had to be titled exactly the same as the holiday (so BLACK CHRISTMAS or BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY were out) and should be a major movie (no indie shorts or Lifetime Original Movies). Let’s start at the top and make our way through a year to see what holidays have had movies named after them. If I missed anything, feel free to add in the comments below!

NEW YEAR’S DAY

David Duchovny stars in this 1990 indie about a guy who returns home to find the three tenants are still living there, believing they have until the end of New Year’s Day to move out. It’s not a coincidence that the three tenants are all hot chicks. Randomly Milos Forman co-stars.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – Tangentially, I suppose but not really.

GROUNDHOG DAY

A classic mid-90s comedy starring Bill Murray as an obnoxious, self-centered weatherman forced to live the same snowy day in Punxatawney, PA over and over again.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – Definitely. Not only do we see the day being celebrated with much gusto, Punxatawney Phil makes a few cameo appearances.

APRIL FOOL’S DAY

A bunch of cliched college students are invited to the island mansion of weirdo heiress Muffy St. John on April Fool’s Day. Simple dinner party, right? Nope. They’ve each got secrets and they’re being taken care of one-by-one.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – Without giving too much away, it absolutely does.

MOTHER’S DAY

A psychotic old lady and her equally as psychotic children (who may or may not have a serious Oedipal complex), abduct three woman in the woods and bring them home for a torture session.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – Not really. It’s only “Mother’s Day” in spirit for these kooks as the movie doesn’t take place (or mention) the actual holiday.

FATHER’S DAY

Two guys who are fond of telling hacky, corny jokes are sent on a search for a boy who they are being led to believe could be either of their sons. Equally corny 90s rock band Sugar Ray is somehow shoehorned in.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – No. Like many of the jokes in the movie itself, it’s just an exceptionally unfunny pun.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Aliens attempt to take over Earth and only the most exceptionally random group of people – including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch and Harvey Fierstein – can save the day. Arrow in the Head writer Eric Walkuski stars as the President of the United States.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – A little bit. Technically the attacks take place on the 2nd of July and we fight back and give the aliens spyware on the 4th of July but that could be easily removed and the movie would stay the same.

COLUMBUS DAY

A thief (Val Kilmer) gets a pep talk from a little boy (that sassy black kid from ROLE MODELS) and decides to quit the biz. But not before one last score for which he enlists the help of his buddy played by Wilmer Valderrama.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – I don’t even know why this is called COLUMBUS DAY. It has zero to do with the holiday and doesn’t even seem to match any of the characters.

HALLOWEEN

A faceless killer stalks a babysitter on Halloween night unaware that years later his lifestory will be co-opted into a shitty movie by Rob Zombie.

Does it having anything to do with the holiday? – Like GROUNDHOG DAY, HALLOWEEN is perhaps the quintessential holiday movie for it’s namesake, due mostly to the fact that it’s really, really good.