It is hard to believe that it has been 30 years since Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) was left behind by his family, again, during another one of their Christmas trips. Instead of being home in Chicago, Kevin is left in New York after accidentally following someone he thought was his dad on to the wrong flight. The rest of the McCallister clan is spending Christmas in Miami, losing Kevin once again. As Kate says to the Miami police officer, “It’s becoming sort of McCallister family travel tradition.”
Of course, it would not be “Home Alone” if the Sticky Bandits, formally known as the Wet Bandits, didn’t make an appearance. Harry and Marv have escaped prison and are desperate to get back to stealing things. Instead of hitting up houses, they want to go big or go home.
Even though the sequel does not get as much praise as the original, it still deserves some credit. Kevin proves he still has what it takes to bring down Harry and Marv once and for all. Plus, the holiday season would not be the same without Kevin’s shenanigans.
There were not many funny, family-friendly, live-action Christmas movies before the first “Home Alone” was released. There was “A Christmas Story” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” but the latter was geared more towards adults and not exactly kid appropriate. It seems that the “Home Alone” franchise started a trend toward more family-friendly Christmas comedies, because not long after “The Santa Clause” and “Jingle All The Way” were released. Another 2000s classic, “Elf,” may not even be around if it were not for “Home Alone.”
“Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” brings even more laughs than the original film. Harry and Marv fail to understand that they cannot outsmart Kevin McCallister. In this movie, Kevin manages to outdo himself when trying to catch the Sticky Bandits. From throwing bricks from the roof to electrocuting Marv, the kid proves he has what it takes when it comes to catching some idiot criminals.
The employees at the Plaza Hotel also have some of the funniest scenes. First, there is the concierge (Tim Curry), who is suspicious of Kevin as soon as he sets foot in the hotel. Then there is the bellhop (Rob Schneider), who is lovably stupid, especially when trying to get a tip. You did read that correctly; these two amazing actors were in the film. The scene where they are trying to catch Harry and Marv is probably the most well-acted scene in the whole movie. Kevin really tricked them into believing a movie scene was reality.
It would not be a “Home Alone” film if there were not touching scenes that pull at your heartstrings. The best example is when Kevin meets the Pidgeon Lady in Central Park. Although she scares him at first, Kevin eventually goes up to introduce himself. This scene shows that while even though Kevin may just be a kid, he cares about others. That’s something adults tend to overlook when kids are involved. It can be hard to remember that children can be some of the most intuitive people.
Just remember that the holiday season would not be the same without the adventures of Kevin McCallister. Whether you watch the original or both, you are bound to have a good time. “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” can be streamed on Disney+, along with the first film. If you want to be bold and buy the film digitally, it is $10 on the iTunes store.
