I Think We're (Home) Alone Now

Now that the minions are a little bit older we've been able to go a little more full throttle on the variety of Christmas movies and shows we're watching this year. Each time we finish watching a holiday special Molly jumps off the couch and announces, "That was the best Christmas movie ever!" I don't foresee a profession reviewing movies from the detailed "critiques" she's provided so far, but they both seem to be enjoying our selections.

On Sunday I worried that they'd be scared of The Ghost of Christmas Future in Mickey's Christmas Carol.  Thanks to some creative edits to ensure maximum ad space by CBC, and Molly and Jack's exposure to the character of Pete on the show Mickey Mouse Club House they barely blinked at the scene where Pete (AKA the Grim Reaper) pushed Scrooge McDuck into his own grave.  This scene terrified me as a child on a level comparable to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Is anyone else willing to admit with me that Disney used to be scary?  Twice now, since the viewing of the movie, Molly has reminded me that Pete was showing Scrooge why he should be good.  Apparently the holiday message gleaned here is simple comeuppance.

Then there's the boy child.  Jack loves slapstick comedy and it somehow seemed fitting for us to view  Home Alone  together on the 25th Anniversary of the movie.  He liked it so much that we've since watched Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, twice, and are now the proud owners of both movies on DVD.  Listening to him giggle makes it almost worth it.  Here's the other thing, Molly isn't really a fan of slapstick.  For most of the movie she'll sit there, tilt her head sideways with an expression that says, "I know this is supposed to be funny, but I just don't get it."  Watching the two very different, yet understandable reactions simultaneously is just amazing.

Image courtesy of Loft Cinema

Should you decide to go down the Home Alone rabbit hole like we did here are some fun facts about the movie to look for while you watch.  Parents be warned: you may be watching again, and again and again. I'm sorry.

10 Interesting Items of Trivia About Home Alone....AHHHHHHHHH!

1. Home Alone is the most successful Christmas themed movie ever.  The film is actually in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest grossing live action comedy, ever.  It earned $285, 761, 243 in theatres and remained on the big screen well past Christmas.
2. The drawing of Kevin's plan to thwart the robbers was actually drawn by actor Macaulay Culkin.
3. Bad guy robber, played by Daniel Stern, isn't actually screaming when the tarantula is on his face.  He had to mime the scream, so as not to freak out the spider.
4. The gangster movie, Angels with Filthy Souls, doesn't really exist.  It was created for the movie, although it was requested for rentals at video stores a lot in the 1990's because of the success of Home Alone.
5. The "other Culkin", Kieran Culkin, is in the movie and plays Kevin's bed-wetting cousin Fuller.
6. The movie was written for Culkin and inspired by a scene (and his performance) in the movie Uncle Buck.
7. Scenes in the flooded out basements, caused by The Wet Bandits, were filmed in a local Chicago high school's swimming pool.
8. Actor Jon Lovitz reportedly turned down the role of burglar Harry (as played by Joe Pesci).  But he doesn't have any regrets...right?
9. Macaulay Culkin has a scar on his finger from Joe Pesci actually biting him during one of the final scenes of the movie.
10. When Kevin's dad (arguably the most useless character in the entire movie series) is cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, you momentarily see Kevin's plane ticket in the garbage.

What holiday movie do you want to rediscover with your kids this year?


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