Bruce Willis Shares the Only Movies He Watches Every Year—And It’s Not Die Hard

It’s a Christmas tradition for many: gathering around the TV to watch Die Hard, the 1988 action classic starring Bruce Willis as John McClane, who battles terrorists at a company Christmas party. Despite the film’s unmistakably festive setting—even featuring McClane’s memorable “Ho Ho Ho” deadpan—the star himself has famously insisted that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. That might surprise some, but Willis is entitled to his own holiday opinions.

Still, Willis does indulge in some annual movie watching—just not the barefoot shootout at Nakatomi Plaza. In a revealing 2007 interview with Ain’t It Cool News, Willis laid out his personal list of films he revisits several times a year, offering a fascinating glimpse into the tastes of Hollywood’s legendary action man.

A Surprisingly Classic and Eclectic Movie List

Willis confessed he watches “three to five times a year” a range of films that far exceed his stated goal of “five or six.” His favorites include:

• Dr. Strangelove

• Raging Bull

• The Godfather (first two films)

• Taxi Driver

• Goodfellas

• Spartacus

• Bridge on the River Kwai

• Bullitt

• The Great Escape

• On the Waterfront

• Reservoir Dogs

• Patton

• 300

• Alien

• The Last Picture Show

While the list might seem an odd pick for a man synonymous with high-octane action, it reveals Willis’s appreciation for timeless cinema classics, gritty character studies, and historical epics.

Kubrick, Scorsese, and De Niro

Two Stanley Kubrick masterpieces—Dr. Strangelove and Spartacus—make the cut, showing Willis’s admiration for the visionary director’s work. More strikingly, three Martin Scorsese classics—Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas—reflect Willis’s fondness for raw, intense storytelling and perhaps his connection to Robert De Niro, a frequent Scorsese collaborator and fellow actor in Willis’s circle.

In fact, Willis once admitted to watching Goodfellas “once a week,” so its presence here is no surprise. His inclusion of the first two Godfather films, but not the third, hints at a shared fan sentiment regarding the trilogy’s uneven finale.

Military Epics and Historical Themes

Another fascinating thread in Willis’s list is his interest in war and military dramas. Films like Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, and Patton demonstrate a respect for stories about courage, strategy, and sacrifice—though, curiously, Willis hasn’t often explored these themes in his own film work. (One exception, Air Strike (2018), was notably less well received.)

A Humble Approach to His Own Work

Notably absent from the list are any of Willis’s own movies—a mark of humility not every actor shares. Many stars would happily tout their own filmographies as annual must-sees, but Willis’s choices emphasize his admiration for classic filmmaking over self-promotion.

Conclusion: More Than Just Action

Bruce Willis’s annual movie rewatch list reveals a cinephile with deep appreciation for classic dramas, iconic directors, and gritty realism—far beyond the explosive action that made him famous. So while Die Hard might be a perennial holiday favorite for many, Willis himself opts for a different kind of movie magic year after year.