Home Alone

Plot synopsis:
The McCallister family prepares to spend Christmas with Peter and Frank's brother Rob in Paris, gathering at Peter and Kate's home in a suburb of Chicago the night before their flight. Eight-year-old Kevin, their youngest son, finds himself the subject of ridicule from his siblings and cousins. After getting into an argument with his older brother Buzz, he is sent to the third floor bedroom of the house, where he wishes his family would disappear. During the night, a power outage resets the alarm clocks and causes the family to oversleep. In the confusion and rush to reach the airport on time, Kevin is left behind and the family does not realize it until they are already airborne. Once in Paris, his mother and father desperately try to book a flight home.Meanwhile, Kevin wakes up to find the house empty and is overjoyed to find that his wish came true. He takes Buzz's life savings, practices shooting with Buzz's BB gun, jumps on the bed, watches a gangster film, and eats a large amount of junk food. However, he finds himself scared by the appearance of the Chicago Police Department called by his parents to check on him, his next door neighbor "Old Man" Marley, who was rumored to have murdered his family many years earlier, and the appearance of The Wet Bandits, Harry Lyme and Marv Merchants, who are breaking into other vacant houses on the block.On Christmas Eve, Kevin overhears Harry and Marv discussing plans for breaking into his house that night. After conversing with a Santa Claus impersonator and watching a local choir perform in a church, he comes across Marley. The two of them talk, and he learns that Marley is in fact a very nice man and the rumors about him are not true. He tells Kevin he is watching the choir because his granddaughter is in it, and he never gets to see her because he and his son have not spoken in years after a big argument they had. Kevin advises him to reconcile with his son.After leaving the church, Kevin heads home and sets up various booby traps inside the house. Harry and Marv break in. After the two spring every trap in the house, Kevin flees to the second floor of the house and dials 911. They chase him out of the house and he flees to the vacant neighboring home. The Wet Bandits catch him when he runs to the top of the stairs and hang him on a coat hook on the door. Marley has sneaked up behind them and knocks them out with a snow shovel and takes Kevin home. Shortly after, the two burglars are arrested.Kevin wakes up the next morning and is disappointed to see that his family is still gone. He then hears Kate enter the house, calling for him. He goes downstairs and the two of them meet and reconcile. Immediately after, the rest of the McCallisters, having traveled directly from Paris to Chicago, arrive. Kevin keeps silent about his encounter with Harry and Marv, although Peter finds Harry's missing gold tooth and wonders what it is. Kevin and Buzz have a moment of reconciliation. He then goes over to the window and sees Marley greeting his son and his family. As he is hugging his granddaughter, he looks up to see Kevin. He waves at him and Kevin waves back, smiling. He watches as Marley heads inside with his family. However, Buzz interrupts him by calling out, "Kevin! What did you do to my room?" He immediately runs there and the film ends.

Tags: cult, comedy, violence, humor

Review:
He brought in a great comedy about a boy who accidentally is left home alone when his family goes on vacation and takes on two burglars.
Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are the perfect comedy duo of two idiots who can't rob the place because a 8 year old child has out witted them and set some clever and very funny traps around the house.Please give this movie a chance, it's just terrific and I guarantee nothing but great laughs for you and the whole family.10/10.
Macaulay Culkin plays 8 year-old Kevin, a misunderstood kid who lives in a big ass house with his family.
'Home Alone' has succeeded in establishing itself as a Christmas tradition, spawning off three sequels (including a made-for-television flop), and a whole franchise in and of it.Macaulay Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, the average American child.
He lives with a large family, which, right now, being around Christmas time, is about quadrupled, flooded by relatives' children, all of whom pick on poor, poor Kevin (sympathy long lost later into the film).One day Kevin wakes up from his sleep to find his wish has come true: his parents (John Heard and Catherine O'Hara) have disappeared.
Unfortunately for Kevin, his parents have not just disappeared - they have accidentally left him at home before going to Paris!Trouble really starts when two pesky burglars, Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern), decide that their next burglary will be at the McCallister residence.
Little do they know Kevin is more than prepared, arming the house with an array of booby-traps that would impress top spies in the American government.John Hughes, writer/director/producer of my favorite comedy, 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' wrote this film, and it is no wonder.
Fortunately, with great performances by John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Pesci and Stern, his bad acting is long forgotten by the time we become absorbed into the film.John Heard and Catherine O'Hara bring Kevin's parents to life.
It's a hard choice to decide which baddie is better, so I just say I like them both the same.All in all, 'Home Alone' is probably the best Christmas movie to rise out of the film industry in the last twenty years.
The overwhelming success of 'Home Alone' (it spawned two sequels), is enough to guarantee that most people will love this story of a family that departs for Paris on the Christmas holidays, mistakenly leaving an eight-year old boy to fend for himself.
Macaulay Culkin seems to have no problem carrying most of the film with a wide variety of looks, gestures and expressions--but for my money it's Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci who get the main laughs as the bumbling burglars intent on outwitting the kid's traps.
"Home Alone" is a hilarious film about a young boy (Macaulay Culkin) who is accidently left home during the Christmas holidays after the rest of his family goes to Europe.
Both Hughes and Chris Columbus seem to prefer setting their movies during the holiday season (Gremlins, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Christmas Vacation) and manage to pull them off without too much sentiment, or sickening amounts of gooey love.There are two reasons why Home Alone was such a big success.
Their idiot-proof determination proves to be their downfall, as they are tortured and torn-up upon entering Kevin's domain.Although this is not the only point of the film, there is an important message that family is what really matters to a child, or to anyone, and having them home for the holidays is better than wandering a huge house all by yourself.There are some movies that work best at Christmas and this is one of them.
While most of the film is unbelievable (both good and bad), most of the film should keep families in good spirits, unless parents don't enjoy seeing Pesci getting his head on fire and Stern screaming like a girl.
For some reason, I also find funny whenever Kevin screams maniacally (particularly when he says he's not afraid anymore and sees Old Marley and screams out loud.The scenes which Kevin fools and scares the Little Nero's Pizza boy and Marv with the gangster film "Angels with Filthy Souls" are hilarious, but in the case of the Pizza boy it is unfair for him.
An eight year old boy is left home alone at Christmas when his family leave for a France vacation, not realizing he isn't on the plane with them.
Home Alone is one of my all time favourite Christmas movies, I couldn't get enough of it as a kid growing up.
Home Alone is basically about a family that leaves for vacation, but in the rush of getting out on time they forget that young Kevin McCallister was not with them on their way to the airport.
The traps that Kevin sets are smart and witty, and the location shots are perfect for the tricks he has planned for Harry and Marv.All in all Home Alone is a classic film not only for Christmastime, but all year round.
In this film we have the pairing of two talented actors in Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern(I REALLY LIKE THE WAY THIS GUY ACTS & HIS SENSE OF HUMOR!!!).
This film has a decent sequel: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York which follows the further mishaps in the life of Kevin.Other Macaulay Culkin films worth seeing/having: Uncle Buck, The Good Son, My Girl, Getting Even with Dad, and Richie Rich..
Then things get worse as two bumbling burglars played by Daniel Sterns and Joe Pesci target his house...Although I was an adult when I watched this film, I could still see why Kevin McAllister appealed to kids around the world.
Everything from irons (which he uses to hit their heads) to christmas decorations with sharp ends which Daniel Sterns steps on.It's hard not to thoroughly enjoy a film like this, especially as it appeals to all of us (adults and children) who have wished we could just have the house to ourself and do what we please.
John Williams has another great score here!This is a perfect movie for people to watch around Christmas and if you need a big laugh watch this as it will crack you up!
It is a classic for me, certainly a child hood favourite!The story is a very simple one; Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left at Home over the Christmas as his whole family fly to Paris.
The on screen chemistry between these two and the relationship they have is fantastic, it comes across very realistic and hilarious.Macaulay Culkin was 9 or 10 when Home Alone was filmed and given such a big role with this much screen time must have been a big challenge but he walked it and gave a very convincing performance.
It's Christmassy & It's got great characters with some truly hilarious moments.Overall, Home Alone is a very fun movie; I have the relation to it as it was always on at Christmas when I was a child.
It's really one of those "feel good" movies, the kind that make you want to cuddle up on the couch with family and relax and enjoy it.If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out on a great Christmas movie.
Kevin initially manages to keep them away by making the house look as if the family is home, but they eventually realize the deception.This film is one of the best Christmas movies however at first it is a little slow on the set-up..
Kevin McCallister is part of a huge family including his big brother Buzz and his uncle Frank and he feels that everyone is against him because his parents don't like his behavior and he gets sent up to the attic and wishes he never had to see his family again.Kevin is accidentally left home alone while his family is on vacation and of course he is very happy about making his family disappear but now he has to defend himself and his house from two burglars.This is a funny and well directed movie with great preformances and it will never get old..
Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern give wonderful performances and are the best thing in this movie.
He turned out to be a fine child actor.The two guys (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) that play incompetent crooks are funny and some of the humor is clever, although slapstick "rules" in this film.There are some really nice messages in here, such as "families suck," says the kid.
Never Gets Old. When it comes to enjoying that jolly time of year, there are several movies that must be viewed or else it just isn't Christmas.
Written and produced by the late, great John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, it follows the story of young Kevin McCallister (Played by Macaulay Culkin, arguably the best child actor since Shirley Temple) who's constantly picked on and looked down upon by his large, extended family but especially by his older and much hated brother, Buzz (Devin Ratray in what has to be his best role).
Shock turns to happiness as Kevin realizes his wish has come true.But it's not all fun and games as two naughty burglars Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern who give a wonderful performance together as the two bumbling thieves) are on the rampage in Kevin's neighborhood.
To be sure, the physical comedy of Harry and Marv getting their asses handed to them by Kevin's traps is nothing short of a laugh riot (Traps include anything from heated door handles to slippery steps).But the film also manages to include a lot of heart as Kevin slowly but surely begins to realize that family is what the holidays are all about and without them it's pretty lonely, a lesson he learns first hand by the at first feared but then loved neighborhood recluse, Old Man Marley (the late, great character actor Robert Blossom).
In the movie "Home Alone" Kevin does a great job making his character likable and fun to watch, The bad guys in the movie depict not so smart villains, but create a slapstick style comedy for the whole family to enjoy.
The acting in this film is good especially the robbers played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
The story itself is simple:  The extended McCallister family sets off for a Christmas vacation in Paris, and inadvertently, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) gets left behind.
Macaulay Culkin became a household name starring as Kevin McCallister, a precocious eight-year-old accidentally left behind when his family heads out on a holiday vacation.
If fending for himself weren't enough, Kevin must also contend with two bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), who have targeted the family home.I first saw "Home Alone" when I was 10 years old.
Macaulay Culkin stars as a young, inadvertently left behind at Christmas when his parents go on holiday, who foils some inept housebreakers, played delightfully by Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci.
Macaulay Culkin is pretty good in this movie, as well as Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, but the rest of the actors aren't too good.
Actually i cannot really think of any recent Christmas orientated films that come close to this.Its Child star is Macaulay Culkin is a very good actor who with his funny expressions and fun characteristics make it a 10/10 for me.
Chris Columbus did a great job directing the film from a story by John Hughes.Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern costar as the bad guys who call themselves the 'wet bandits'; a duo who bumble and burglarize.
It's highly entertaining, and Macaulay Culkin does as good an acting job as any child actor can be expected to, especially when he's carrying the whole film.HOWEVER: The treatment of Kevin by his family has not aged well.
8 Year old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left behind, while his large family on a Christmas holiday to Paris.
This is after all about a an eight year old named Kevin who's criticised by the fellow childhood members of his family for not being able to pack his own suitcase (their family is travelling to Paris for Xmas) and yet proves remarkably resourceful when fending off the movies antagonists; the burglars Harry and Marv played with hilarious brilliance by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
Luckily, this movie is made for everyone!For a basic plot summary, "Home Alone" sees young Kevin McCalister (Macaulay Culkin) waking up a few days before Christmas in a completely empty house, his extremely large and rather disorganized family having left him behind on their trip overseas.
While the family tries to get back home, Kevin must outwit a pair of two-bit thieves (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) who want nothing more than to loot his home.What really makes this film special is the wide appeal of the humor.
From young Kevin's attempts at "holding down the fort", to the bumbling burglars played brilliantly by two veteran actors, this is the type of movie that you will be quoting long after the TV is turned off.Thus, I highly recommend "Home Alone" to quite literally anyone, especially during the Christmas season.
The movie is predictable, of course, but that is part of the charm you expect from a Christmas story, unless you are watching an horror movie or a proper adult comedy.I loved Macauly Culkin when he was a child.
I highly doubt that anyone reading a movie review blog hasn't seen this film by now, but those select few...The film centers on Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) a bratty kid, whose extended family is preparing for Christmas in Paris.
I prefer the 2nd one over this as I feel like the 2nd one is more funny and we see Kevin in a more exciting place than home, as in the 2nd movie he's in NYC.
Eight year old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin, in his appealing break through lead performance) is frustrated enough with his family to "wish them away".
Some of it may be a bit much, and may not jibe that well with the more serious portions of the movie, but it's doubtful many kids watching are going to care that much.It does, in the end, make a very good case for the need for family, how we're perfectly capable of taking our loved ones for granted, how to deal with one's fears and do some growing up, and in the case of Old Man Marley (the excellent veteran Roberts Blossom), how it's never too late to mend relationships.
I think that its a Holiday classic.Joe Pesci is hilarious in the film, and macualay Culkin brings a real sensibility to the role.
This is a really good family film so long as you can get through the slapstick.Home alone is pretty much as it says.
The two criminals (Joe Pecsi and Daniel Stern) make up for little Macaulay Culkin who is good in his own way i suppose and while not as hilarious as his co stars of previous mention, he does have his moments.Then of course everybody's favourite part of the film, the pranks.
Is great and Macauly Kulkin is the perfect Kevin Mcalisster, With his unmistakable shout he was gained an important place into the hearts of so much people.Besides the idea that they have both movies they seem to me of the most original and entertaining thingi think that Macauly Mulkin is one of the best actors in the planet and this film is is a living probe of it, and the second part is really fun.I liked very much also that the movie had a sentimental side ( Besides that I have a sentimental very developed he he he)I recommend him her to the whole world, they will not repent seeing her.I am sure that his success in ticket office was well-deserved well.
At first, I was going to say that Roger Ebert has simply lost touch with his inner child, but I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.I watched "Home Alone" today after many years and I still loved it and I still laughed, even though I had practically memorized the movie as a kid and still remembered it all.
As an adult, one watches family movies to remember what it was like to be a kid, to remember the dreams of being grown-up and independent and the silly little fears of things in the basement.
Timeless, one of the best Christmas films in a long time, and one of the best family movies ever made.
Home Alone was one of the funniest film released in 1990 and is still a Christmas classic to me , tweleve years later.
Kids of all ages just loved this movie about a little 8-year-old boy who gets accidentally left home all by himself after his family rushes off to spend Christmas in France.
Home Alone is a lovely movie and I consider it the greatest family film ever made because of the storyline and the well developed plot.
The story is crazy but also funny as Macaulay Culkin as a precarious 8-year-old who accidentally is left behind by his vacationing family, in the meantime Culkin must battle a twosome of goofy and inept burglars wonderfully depicted by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
No matter how many times you have seen Home Alone watch this classic every holiday season it's a film to enjoy for a lifetime..
As a child I grow up watching that movie, and I think I still watch it every year on Christmas time.
I would love to watch this movie again.So, the story is about a young boy named Kevin MacCallister who gets aaccidently left home during Christmas after his family goes to Europe.
The performance of Macaulay Culkin as Kevin is great and for an eight year old boy, he is very smart.
The burglars, played by Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci, are also great and fun to watch.However, it does have it's problems.