Christmas Movie Advent Seventeen

By Simone Cromer

Set during Christmas time in Chicago, Home Alone is a comedy from the heart that demonstrates the importance of family during the holidays. Macaulay Culkin stars as a precocious 8 years old boy, Kevin McCallister, who causes so much annoyance and chaos as his family prepares for a Christmas trip to Paris, that when he is sent to the attic as punishment, he’s lost in the headcount as the McCallisters head to the airport in a rush the next morning. Prior to his exile, in an act of rebellion, he tells his mother, played by Catherine O’Hara, that he doesn’t like his family and wishes that he was all alone. Be careful what you wish for during Christmas time, because Kevin woke up to an empty house, and it’s party time for him. Unbeknownst to Kevin however, two stupid criminals are planning to rob his house because they know the family is going out of town.

As Kevin’s family is in the air flying towards Paris, Mrs. McCallister feels like she left something behind. Suddenly, she realizes to her shock and horror that her problem child was left home alone! Back home in Chicago, Kevin is the little man of the house, but he soon realizes that his house is about to be robbed by the home invaders played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. While Kevin’s panicking and heartbroken mother is bartering to get back to the States on several flights, the boy has set the stage in the family home to be a house of torture for the burglars.

A hilarious maze of inventive pain inducing schemes punish the crooks for trying to steal Christmas from the McCallister home. When a kid can make a grown man scream like a little girl, you know the game is over. These bumbling burglars are no match for Kevin. During one of Kevin’s outings, he meets up with the strange old man who lives next door. After a confessional conversation between the two of them, they both realize the importance of apologizing to family and loving them, especially this time of year. After Kevin wins the battle against the stupid home invaders, his mother arrives home to find him safe, and appreciating having his family back.Home Alone reminds you that being with family is what Christmas is all about.