Home Alone 3

While stuck at home with the chicken pox, Alex Pruitt begins to notice some suspicious new people in his neighborhood. Little does he know, at first, that they're actually a group of international thieves who are trying to recover some stolen military tech that had accidentally been picked up by Alex's neighbor, Mrs. Hess. Once the thieves realize that their cover has been blown, they launch an all out assault on Alex's home. You can imagine how that goes. I was sixteen by the time that Home Alone 3 came out, twice the age of the lead character, and the series didn't have the same appeal to me anymore. I might have had more interest in seeing the movie if Macaulay Culkin had been in it but I can't really blame him for turning it down.

Rating: 52%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: Haviland Morris, who played Alex's mother, also played Marla Bloodstone in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

A year has passed and the extended McCallister family are on their way to another destination Christmas vacation, this time to sunny Florida. However, their plans are sullied after a mishap at the airport sends Kevin to New York City, alone. And, it just so happens that a certain pair of burglars have managed to escape from prison as well. Home Alone 2 is not as good as the original Home Alone, which is hardly surprising. Lost in New York rushes the setup and repeats too many elements from the first film. The violence against the Wet Bandits has been amped up this time around, which still manages to delight. And the movie is really helped by the addition of Tim Curry as the hotel concierge. Watching him hold back tears after being slapped by Catherine O'Hara is amazing.

Rating: 70%

(Image from Wikipedia)

The Great Outdoors

For Chet Ripley, it was going to be the perfect vacation. A week on the lake in Wisconsin, far from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. Nothing but fishing, family bonding and hot dogs. But that was before Chet's brother-in-law Roman showed up. As much as I love The Great Outdoors, it's a bit of a shaggy dog story. The crux of the plot doesn't really come in to play until the third act. Based on the film's trailer, there were probably a number of deleted or alternate scenes that didn't make the final cut. And, given the movie's lukewarm reception, there likely won't be a Planes, Trains and Automobiles-style home video release containing the lost footage. That said, I couldn't care less. I grew up watching The Great Outdoors and have endless affection for John Candy and Dan Aykroyd.

Rating: 80%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Home Alone

A few years ago, my sister decided to show Home Alone to her kids. They loved it, which is hardly surprising. Home Alone is a rollicking power fantasy for children. She did, however, have to explain to them what a VHS tape was. Ah, the passage of time. Watching the movie again, for the first time in many years, I appreciated how well the premise was set up. There’s a lot going on in that first act, but it’s very well executed. Kevin comes off a little brattier than I remembered, which makes sense because I was probably around the character’s age when I last watched the movie. I won’t lie, I got a little misty eyed when John Candy showed up. His scenes with Catherine O’Hara were definitely a highlight for me. The movie squeezes in a lesson about the importance of family, but it’s never cloying or maudlin.

Rating: 78%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: John Heard and Daniel Stern were both in C.H.U.D.