Home Alone watching Home Alone

Rating: 7/10 (5 October 2012)

John Hughe's 1990 classic story, "Home Alone" directed by Chris Columbus -- Not only did this slapstick family comedy single-handedly launch the career of it's childhood star Macaulay Culkin, it also holds the distinction of being one of the highest grossing Christmas film of all time with over 475 million in box office revenue worldwide. Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy, frustrated with his family, who wishes he didn't have one. We as the audiences don't blame him, as most of the family member's really do treat him horrible: mostly the Uncle and brother Buzz. The family is made out of mother Catherine O'Hara, father John Heard, Devin Ratray and Roberts Blossom in other family roles. When he wakes up on Christmas morning the next day, he discovers he's been accidentally left home alone after his entire family flies to Paris on vacation, and forgets about him. It's does feed the same story as "It's a Wonderful Life", in a very odd way, when it applies to both the main character and the supporting cast, where both sides wish that the main character never existed and when they are apart they realize they really do love each other and want to be together for Christmas. At first, he's relishing the time with himself. I'm surprise that the pizza guy didn't call the cops in one of Kevin's pranks, but the closing it get to Christmas, the more he miss his family and matured. Matters are complicated when two bumbling burglars attempt to rob the large house Kevin is home alone in played by Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci known as the Wet Bandits. The two adult idiots quickly get outsmarted by a kid is always fun in a sick demonic way and protected his home. Kevin eventually manages to outwit them with a series of booby traps and tricks. Now, it's a race between time, as the parents rushing home to rejoin Kevin, and the Bandits trying to hurt him. I wonder what would happen if Kevin accidentally kills them. Would he be charge for man slaughter? Parents should still watch the movie, just in case if the movie has way too much violence and swearing in the movie. The characters in the movie are presented as cartoon-like. But the fact remains the actors are real people and not animated images, and the visual effects are done with a very high degree of realism. It's a bit disturbing. That the protagonist is himself a victum of child abuse is a bit disturbing in itself. The violence he inflicts on others is only an acting out of the resentment and rage he fosters towards his parents. So there might be something wrong with Kevin, indeed. Still, one of the most memorable aspects of Home Alone is the score by John Williams. It's amazing to hear. I love the planning song. The slapstick might be cruel, but in heart, the movie does have a Christmas theme with the story of Kevin and his snow- shovel carrying neighbor. It's truly a XMAS movie indeed.