"How low can you get giving Kris Kringle a parking ticket on Christmas Eve? What's next? Rabies shots for the Easter Bunny?"

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2018)

A Museum of Artistic Accomplishment in Cinema (M.A.A.C.) Review
Home Alone / Director: Chris Columbus / Career Catalog #3 / Review #0001
9/10
After a series of unforeseeable events, an eight-year-old boy is left alone at Christmas time and must contend with two neighborhood crooks. This ridiculous premise is made quasi-believable by the warmth the writers imbue in their creation and the characterization of childhood innocence star Macaulay Culkin brings to the screen. While his family members are painted with familiar colors, they never devolve into the realm of stereotypes or one-dimensional representations. They function well together and it's easy to imagine they have been interacting with (and getting on the nerves of) each other long before the camera intruded upon their presence. Catherine O'Hara's iconic histrionics over realizing she left one of her children behind are particularly fascinating. Her roundabout road trip to return home provides a good counterpoint to Culkin's main storyline.
Then you have the acerbic wit of Joe Pesci thrown into the mix. It's hard to believe he filmed this role in the same year "Goodfellas" was released. The two performances are such polar opposites of each other and yet, when combined, stand as a testament to Pesci's abilities as an actor. His comedic compatibility with Daniel Stern is off the charts and it's hard to see anyone else filling their roles as admirably as they did.
I really like the fact that the filmmakers never took the easy route and wound up exploring more than one fear for our youthful hero. Not only does he have the fear of criminals invading his home (however bungling the burglars might be), he also has to deal with his fear of the basement and his fear of murderous local legend Marley whom he continually runs into over the course of his exploits. It's not just fear that Culkin's character has to tackle, but the day-to-day aspects of living a life on his own. The filmmakers were aware that sometimes the simplest of things can make the funniest of scenes. From torn grocery bags spilling their contents over a suburban sidewalk to the application of aftershave, there are a thousand little details other films would overlook that make this one a memorable experience.
This film has all the magic of the month of December in one place, from hectic holiday travel schedules to the inarguably argumentative confrontations uptight relatives will inevitably share. I can't imagine the holiday season passing without indulging in this yuletide favorite. It just doesn't feel like Christmas until I've had my fill of purposefully cartoonish violence and heartwarming heartland schmaltz.
On a side note, as this is my first cinematic review, I would like to say that it is my firm belief you get out what you are willing to put into a film. No more, no less. Everyone has a different idea of what makes a film important or enjoyable because everyone has a different set of experiences they have lived through which color their perception of what they see and hear. You'll never read the words "pretentious," "overrated," or "the Emperor's new clothes" in one of my reviews. Many people misuse the word "pretentious" when they actually mean "snobbish." Many people misuse "overrated" and "the Emperor's new clothes" when they actually mean "I don't like this film and I can't imagine why anyone else would either." These statements are limited ideological viewpoints which cheapen the medium of cinema as a whole.
Many people forget that critical analysis is nothing more than the opinion of one person. There are no set-in-stone rules for any avenue of art, nor should there be. Creation is as wide and as varied as human imagination itself. Your opinion . . . my opinion . . . anyone's opinion from that of a professional critic to an armchair reviewer should never be accepted as fact or gospel. Good reviewers understand this concept and often provide for interesting reads. Bad reviewers who forget or scoff at this concept become nothing more than parodies that waste time, effort, and space. So I bid you good watching . . . and good reviewing . . . at this joyous time of the year.
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