''Keep the change, you filthy animal!''

Rating: 10/10 (30 May 2017)

Rising child star Macaulay Culkin first worked with the late screenwriter and producer John Hughes on his 1989 hit 'Uncle Buck' in which he starred alongside the much missed John Candy. Hughes was impressed by the young man's talents and remembered him for when he set about writing his next film which, of course, was 'Home Alone'.
Eight year old Kevin McAllister is constantly the butt of his family's jokes, particularly his eldest brother Buzz ( Devin Ratray ). After getting into a fight with Buzz over a pizza the night before their Christmas vacation, Kevin is sent to his room whereupon he wishes that his family would disappear. That night, a huge storm knocks out the power lines meaning that the McAllister's sleep through their alarm. As they leave for the airport in a tearing hurry, they are unaware that Kevin is still in bed fast asleep. The first the family realise of this is when they are halfway to Paris.
Kevin is initially overjoyed when he realises that he is home alone but when he learns that two burglars, Harry and Marv, also known as 'the wet bandits', are planning to raid his house on Christmas Eve, he wishes his family would come home. In a bid to protect his home from Harry and Marv, Kevin sets about rigging his house with booby traps to outwit the bad guys. Fortunately, a kindly neighbour ( who is wrongly accused of being a murderer ) who Kevin has befriended is also nearby to help...
'Home Alone' is my favourite Christmas romp of all time, excellently delivered by its cast - Devin Ratray as Kevin's troublesome brother Buzz, Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as Kevin's overwrought parents, Roberts Blossom as Old Man Marley, the old man who came to Kevin's rescue. Full credit however must go to, of course, its star Macaulay Culkin as the cheeky but likable Kevin and the brilliant and underrated Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern ( who in my view was a comedy legend in his own right, as his performances in 'Bushwhacked' and 'City Slickers' will testify ) as the bumbling wet bandits.
Also impressive in the short time they are on screen are John Candy as Gus Polinski 'the polka king' and Macaulay Culkin's brother Kieran Culkin who as Kevin's younger ( and weak bladdered ) cousin Fuller ( was he named that because of his regular consumption of fizzy drinks, do you think? ) had me in stitches, especially in the scene in which he is pinned against the wall by a chair.
In 1992, a sequel - 'Home Alone 2 - Lost In New York' ( which was the last to feature Macaulay Culkin ) - appeared and did just as well commercially as the first film. Video game versions of both films were also released for both the Sega and Nintendo Consoles. In 1998, 'Home Alone 3' appeared, with Alex D. Linz as Alex Pruddit. It was not as popular as the first two movies but was worth watching nonetheless. Unfortunately in 2002, 'Home Alone 4', which had Mark Weinberg inheriting the role of Kevin McAllister, was made. It was a crushing disappointment for fans of 'Home Alone' and is generally regarded by fans as the worst in the series, a view I share wholeheartedly. Surprisingly, ten years later a fifth film entitled 'Home Alone - The Holiday Heist' was made, this time as a televised film rather than a cinematic release. It fared better than its predecessor though in my eyes nothing will come remotely close to equalling the original.
Funniest moment - the fight between Buzz and Kevin over the pizza. I really cannot begin to do the scene justice here but it is a classic moment of comedy, wonderfully delivered by all concerned.
Second funniest moment - Harry and Marv continually falling foul to Kevin's various booby traps, each one being more pain inducing than the last!