Guys, I'd never seen Home Alone so it was time to pop my cherry. Case in point, I thought the whole thing was the like the last 20 minutes, i.e. Die Hard for Kids. But it's much better paced than that, with the point of view moving from little Kevin to the family to the burglars, so as to give us a stake in everything. A real lesson in Chekhov's principles, everything you see will have a use later on, either as a plot point, a gag, or a death trap. As it is a Christmas movie, its sense of whimsy is appreciated, and it's probably the child's perspective on the angry furnace, for example, that allows to accept a Wile E. Coyote climax in which Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern aren't outright killed. That, or the semi-supernatural moment that makes the situation possible, though the script finds great ways to make us believe a family would accidentally leave one of their own alone while they jet off to France. Fun to see the puzzle pieces click into place, and Catherine O'Hara, as the mom, doesn't take the realization lightly. It's this and the subplot with the neighbor that gives the movie some heart, and so I was wrong to presume it was just slapstick and bad parenting!
Home Alone succeeds in finding the perfect tone to blend what should be a bizarre mix of soppy Christmas comedy and deeply violent revenge fantasy. It’s the stylisation that does it - the knowing looks to camera, the OTT screams of realisation, and of course the subliming executed violence, which takes a leaf out of the LoonyToons book by making it both cartoonish and absolutely mercilessly brutal. As Tarantino understands, if you want the audience to enjoy brutal pain being inflicted on characters, they need to be unmistakably ‘bad’. As loony toons understood, they also need to be stupid and arrogant. And it’s the violence that is the real draw here (other than the most iconic child star in the world), which works so well because it all feels more or less plausible. In fact, The simpler the better. Few things are better than watching Joe Pesci get a paint can in the face.
The sequel really gives nothing new, taking exactly the same template as the first and relocating it. But it does it just as well as the first, an opportunity to see more inventive pain being inflicted.
The softer side of the films are also effective at times though somewhat shallow. Ultimately these are films of moments rather than wholes. But there are some brilliant moments.
One of the best movie for kids ever! Maybe the only very enjoyable for parents.. I'm really happy that I could be one of those kids watching this in the Cinema
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Comments 1 - 12 of 12
littlestar714
Classic movie! I watch this all the time when it's on and never get sick of it! It gives me a warm fuzzy holiday feeling!Annesemj
192 people are going to be fed to my tarantulaSiskoid
Guys, I'd never seen Home Alone so it was time to pop my cherry. Case in point, I thought the whole thing was the like the last 20 minutes, i.e. Die Hard for Kids. But it's much better paced than that, with the point of view moving from little Kevin to the family to the burglars, so as to give us a stake in everything. A real lesson in Chekhov's principles, everything you see will have a use later on, either as a plot point, a gag, or a death trap. As it is a Christmas movie, its sense of whimsy is appreciated, and it's probably the child's perspective on the angry furnace, for example, that allows to accept a Wile E. Coyote climax in which Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern aren't outright killed. That, or the semi-supernatural moment that makes the situation possible, though the script finds great ways to make us believe a family would accidentally leave one of their own alone while they jet off to France. Fun to see the puzzle pieces click into place, and Catherine O'Hara, as the mom, doesn't take the realization lightly. It's this and the subplot with the neighbor that gives the movie some heart, and so I was wrong to presume it was just slapstick and bad parenting!Earring72
Classic. Funny sweet and after 20+ times......very good, First christmas watching with my own children......WHO LOVE IT :-)imokaylarry
Home Alone succeeds in finding the perfect tone to blend what should be a bizarre mix of soppy Christmas comedy and deeply violent revenge fantasy. It’s the stylisation that does it - the knowing looks to camera, the OTT screams of realisation, and of course the subliming executed violence, which takes a leaf out of the LoonyToons book by making it both cartoonish and absolutely mercilessly brutal. As Tarantino understands, if you want the audience to enjoy brutal pain being inflicted on characters, they need to be unmistakably ‘bad’. As loony toons understood, they also need to be stupid and arrogant. And it’s the violence that is the real draw here (other than the most iconic child star in the world), which works so well because it all feels more or less plausible. In fact, The simpler the better. Few things are better than watching Joe Pesci get a paint can in the face.The sequel really gives nothing new, taking exactly the same template as the first and relocating it. But it does it just as well as the first, an opportunity to see more inventive pain being inflicted.
The softer side of the films are also effective at times though somewhat shallow. Ultimately these are films of moments rather than wholes. But there are some brilliant moments.
benjiman
Uncle Frank has somehow managed to dislike this 522 times!halcain
In my top 5 Christmas movies!IreneAdler
A really sweet family movie - always loved it. Funny and cute!Dieguito
One of the best movie for kids ever! Maybe the only very enjoyable for parents.. I'm really happy that I could be one of those kids watching this in the Cinemabundestar
greatMalena
a classicalnaruto-uzumaki
good movie!