The Only Movies Bruce Willis Watches Every Year — And Die Hard Isn’t One of Them

Bruce Willis might be the face of one of cinema’s most enduring holiday debates, but when it comes to his own annual viewing list, Die Hard doesn’t even make the cut. While fans continue to argue — with tongue firmly in cheek — that the 1988 action classic is a Christmas movie (it’s set at a Christmas party, it features a deadpan “Ho Ho Ho,” case closed), Willis has flatly denied the label. And though countless households pop in Die Hard each December alongside their turkey dinners, the actor prefers a very different cinematic tradition.

Speaking to Ain’t It Cool in 2007, Willis revealed a surprisingly eclectic roster of films he watches “three to five times a year.” His so-called “top five or six” quickly ballooned into a list that reads like a crash course in 20th-century cinema: Dr. Strangelove, Raging Bull, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Spartacus, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Bullitt, The Great Escape, On the Waterfront, Reservoir Dogs, Patton, 300, Alien, and The Last Picture Show.

A Cinephile’s Picks

Willis’ choices reveal a deep affection for cinematic craft over sheer spectacle. The list features two Stanley Kubrick masterworks (Dr. Strangelove and Spartacus), as well as three Martin Scorsese classics (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas). The last holds a special place for Willis — he once admitted to watching it “once a week.” His fondness for gangster epics extends to the first two Godfather films, notably skipping the much-maligned third installment.

Robert De Niro emerges as a clear favorite, starring in all three Scorsese titles and both Godfathers. Willis’ admiration for George C. Scott is also evident, with the actor appearing as both the unhinged Buck Turgidson in Dr. Strangelove and the indomitable General Patton in Patton. Steve McQueen earns a double nod with Bullitt and The Great Escape, the latter paired with David Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai to reflect Willis’ evident interest in World War II narratives — a setting he’s rarely explored in his own work (and no, the critically panned 2018 Air Strike doesn’t count).

More Drama Than Action

For a man whose career was built on dispatching villains in explosive fashion, Willis’ annual rewatches lean heavily toward drama, historical epics, and psychological character studies. The only overtly action-heavy choice is Zack Snyder’s 300 — also the most modern title on the list — though even that is grounded in historical legend. The inclusion of Alien and Reservoir Dogs shows his taste for genre-defining works that pushed cinematic boundaries.

A Humble Omission

Perhaps most telling is what’s not on the list: Willis resists the temptation to slip in any of his own films, a modest move in an industry where self-promotion often trumps sincerity. Instead, his picks showcase a genuine love for cinema — the kind that transcends his own screen legacy.

So while Die Hard might be an annual tradition for millions, for Bruce Willis, the holidays — and indeed the whole year — are better spent in the company of Kubrick, Scorsese, McQueen, and Lean. Call it the viewing list of a man who, despite a career of gunfights and explosions, still prefers his movie nights a little more cinematic.