Die Hard (1988)

It's Christmas Eve and NYC cop John McClane (Willis) has arrived in L.A. to spend the holiday with his estranged wife Holly (Bedelia) and their kids. Unfortunately, Holly is one of the hostages being held by a band of ruthless high-stakes terrorists in the Century City high-rise headquarters of a Japanese corporation. Soon it's the loner cop against the intruders, who are led by Eurotrash villain Hugo Gruber (a marvelous performance by Rickman). A high-voltage action thriller that's just as unbelievable as it sounds, but you'll love it anyway. Based on the novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp.