Home For The Holidays...ALONE!

This is my favorite holiday movie! I have to say that every holiday season, I look forward to digging this video out of our collection and popping it in to revisit Kevin McCallister, his crazy family, and of course the two dim-wit burglars known as the "wet bandits".

The plot consists of the McCallister family & relatives getting ready to leave for France the next day to spend the holidays. Kevin is 8 years old and to him all of the adults and big kids are picking on him (Didn't we all feel this way at times when we were little?). His uncle Frank won't let him watch a movie that the older kids can, no one will help him pack his suitcase, everyone eats his cheese pizza, and on top of that, he has to share a bed with his cousin Fuller - a chronic bed wetter. Kevin wishes he could just live alone!! I can sympathize with the poor fellow!

Well, in movie land, be careful what you wish for! As the title suggests, Kevin's wish comes true. Then the mayhem ensues! It's funny because I think all little kids like the idea of being alone in their house without their parents and siblings. It makes them think that they are mature, or as Kevin puts it, "the man of the house". But, Kevin is still a kid, though. He's afraid of the furnace in the basement, and his mysterious neighbor, Old Man Marley.

Of course, no movie is complete without a few antagonists, and in this case we are given two bumbling burglars - Marv & Harry. These two aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, but that's what makes them funny. Here we have a little 8 year-old boy outsmarting two crooks. These robbers want to rob the McCallister home bad. Let's face it, this house is the nicest home on the block!

Speaking of the McCallister home, it's almost worth watching the movie just to see this nice house. I think it's absolutely gorgeous! I'd definitely live in this home any day. It's so spacious and beautiful. Of course it is even more spectacular since it is decorated for Christmas.

Throughout the movie, it's hilarious to see all of the drama of Kevin's mom trying to get back to Chicago to see Kevin, and Kevin fight off the bad guys. Of course along the way we learn the important lesson, that Christmas time means nothing without your family. Of course Kevin has fun at first pigging out on junk food, going through his brother's drawers, watching bad movies, and being on his own, but eventually he does become lonely. He walks by a house at night lit up with life inside. A family is inside getting together to celebrate the holidays and Kevin feels the inevitable pang of sadness. By the end of the movie, Kevin would rather not receive a single gift from Santa Claus, but instead have his family home for Christmas morning.

I guess the only bad part of the movie would be when Kevin lays out his plan to protect his house. I still can't watch certain parts ~ like the whole part where Marv & Harry are falling down the icy stairs, stepping on sharp objects, getting burned, etc. These things just make me cringe and I can't watch them!

What makes this a good movie is simple. Although most people can't relate to Kevin's whole experience - being forgotten at home, fighting bad guys, etc., but kids fantasize about doing heroic things like that. Also, families are great, but around the holidays we do tend to annoy each other, but in the end, we love one another. Plus, there really is no place better for the holidays than your home. Vacations are nice, but being away on Christmas isn't the best feeling.

This is such a wonderful holiday movie. I've read parts of the screenplay, too, and I just think it was well done all around. It's a comedy, but at the same time it doesn't forget to show some good old-fashioned emotion in it as well. The plot is far out, but like I said before it does possess a lot of elements & emotions that anyone can relate to. The music is excellent, too. Especially the title song, "Somewhere In My Memory" by the amazing John Williams (Star Wars, E.T., Jurassic Park, and many more classics). It's kind of a haunting, but beautiful score and very fitting for the plot.

This is a must-have movie for anyone to add to their holiday movie collection! This is a classic!