Five great Christmastime movies that aren't Christmas movies.

Originally posted on Facebook - December 4, 2009

Like Christmas but not Christmas movies? Give one of these a try.

Top Five:

Go (1999) - A madcap genX dark comedy about a bunch of people from different walks of life whose paths cross on Christmas Eve, due to a drug deal gone bad.

Love Actually (2003) - One of the greatest romantic films of the last decade, possibly ever.

Die Hard (1988) - One of the greatest action films of the '80s, possibly ever.

Gremlins (1984) - From the '80s powerhouse team of Spielberg and Zemeckis, this is a family movie that is funny, scary, and touching. It hasn't held up as well as some of its contemporaries in terms of storytelling, but it's an undeniable classic and a great Christmastime film.

Edward Scissorhands (1990) - "Batman" put Tim Burton on the A-list 18 months earlier, but it's this film that established him as a master. It's not strictly a Christmastime film (unlike Burton's following flick, "Batman Returns"), but the climax of the story and the framing sequence both take place in wintery settings and I think you'll agree that the feeling is there.

Two More:

Lethal Weapon (1987) - An excellent Christmastime buddy-cop action flick. It doesn't make the top 5 because there isn't room for both "Die Hard" and this one.

Home Alone (1990) - A fun kids' movie that's actually tolerable for grown-ups.