Monday Morning Critic – The Top Five Christmas Films That Aren’t About Christmas

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Every Monday morning, InsidePulse Movies Czar Scott “Kubryk” Sawitz brings an irreverent and oftentimes hilarious look at pop culture, politics, sports and whatever else comes to mind. And sometimes he writes about movies.

It’s Christmas Eve which means you’re doing one of a handful of things. You could be in for a couple hours at work, relaxing on the job. I’m not, as I took the entire week off to relax and whatnot. You could be taking a break from getting ready for the shenanigans that comprise the holiday, my pithy words your respite from it all. Or you don’t celebrate the holiday and this is just the normal routine of killing time on the web somehow. I can dig any reason why someone would want to read my pithy column on cinema and as such for whatever reason you’re reading this column and I appreciate it.

In the spirit of the holiday I’m doing something quick, easy and somewhat festive. Thus I’m taking a break from the format of oddball movie stuffs, DVD reviews and breakdowns of what’s coming out to focus on just one thing. That and I’ve been focusing on a short sale of a townhome about to fall apart and thus the column has been short-changed this week.

The one thing about Christmas is that there are a TON of films set around Christmas but don’t actually involve the holiday. I imagine you can turn on the Netflix and have a great holiday of cinema with any number of films. Here’s the five I would totally use:

The Top Five Christmas Films That Aren’t About Christmas

You Should Watch … And Stuff

5. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Why You Should Watch It – This is the film that essentially confirmed Robert Downey Junior’s comeback was legit, is a fantastic film and has Val Kilmer playing a gay dude. I like to think it’s the film that ultimately got him Iron Man, of course, and the rest is history. Plus Michelle Monaghan in a Sexy Santa outfit.


4. Lethal Weapon

Why You Should Watch It – The ultimate buddy cop film, the one that took the basics of 48 Hours and crafted it into a more PG-13 setting. It was the perfection of the mismatched cops routine that has played itself into cliché over the years.


3. Die Hard 2

Why You Should Watch It – It’s the only Die Hard sequel that is true in spirit to the original as opposed to being just a generic Bruce Willis action vehicle with Die Hard slapped onto the poster to sell some more tickets.


2. Rambo: First Blood

Why You Should Watch It – It’s probably the best of the Rambo series.  Plus Brian Dennehy kind of owns it as a bad guy cop who just loves harassing Stallone.


1. Die Hard

Why You Should Watch It – It’s the greatest action film ever made.

Scott “Kubryk” Sawitz brings his trademarked irreverence and offensive hilarity to Twitter in 140 characters or less. Follow him @ScottSawitz .