One of the vital ingredients to any December is the children’s Christmas movie and this is one of the best. An annual visit to this modern classic is an absolute necessity in my house, and I’m certain others will agree. It’s the film that still holds box office records and made Macaulay Culkin the biggest child star of his generation, Home Alone.

Culkin plays eight-year old Kevin McCallister’s, who, in a youthful tantrum, wishes his family would disappear. The next morning they accidentally fly to Paris without him, leaving him home alone for Christmas.

Kevin embraces the freedom at first, jumping on beds and eating ice cream for dinner, but things become more threatening when two burglars Harry and Marv mark the house as their next target.

This danger is combined with the newfound responsibility of being the man of the house. Kevin learns how to do laundry and go grocery shopping, and even manages to fully deck out the living room in Christmas garb. He also meets the intimidating figure of Marley, the neighbour with a wild reputation as a killer. The two get to know each other and help each other rediscover the joys of family.

The poignancy is real, and the message is honest, but it’s the last half hour when the real fun begins. Defending his house from the two goons requires a lot of planning and wild setups. There are aerial assaults with paint cans, heads are set on fire and crotches are the target of pop guns. A must watch every Christmas!

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