Winter has come, and with it an excellent chance to settle down, a hot cup of hot chocolate in hand, with friends and family to watch holiday movies. The last few years have yielded remarkable Christmas movies, the likes of which include Home Alone, starring Macaulay Culkin in his breakout role as Kevin McCallister, Elf, directed by Jon Favreau, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Home Alone, which was released in 1990 and directed by Chris Columbus, tells the story of Kevin McCallister, the protagonist, after he is accidentally left home alone. After unintentionally sleeping in, the family rushes to get out the door and to the airport to leave for a vacation in Paris. In the resulting chaos, they don’t realize that Kevin is not with them. Initially, Kevin enjoys his newfound freedom, peace, and quiet. However, over time Kevin begins to realize that he misses his family, illustrated by his keeping a photo of them under his pillow. His situation is additionally complicated when robbers, who are attempting to loot his house, decide to strike while he is home alone. In response, Kevin defends his home by laying clever traps throughout the house, ultimately leading to their capture. Kevin’s traps yield hilarious results, including having an iron fall on their faces, having them slip and slide on the front steps, or sending them rocketing down the stairs by way of swinging pain cans.
Home alone also has a heartwarming element about it as well, aside from pure comedy. This is most clearly illustrated when Kevin befriends a lonely man known to shovel snow and put salt down in his neighborhood. Although initially frightened by him and the stories his older brother Buzz tells about him, Kevin later finds out that the old man, also called “old man Marley”, is not scary at all, just lonely. He tells Kevin that he misses his son, whom he had a fight with many years ago, and that he wants a chance to make everything right and meet his granddaughter. Kevin says, “If you miss him, why don’t you call him?”, and old man Marley says in response, “I’m afraid if I call, he won’t talk to me”. Kevin asks why he is afraid and old man Marley says, “You’re never too old to be afraid”. Kevin, who at this point really misses his family, tells him that, if he was to call, “at least you’ll know. Then you could stop worrying about it. You won’t have to be afraid anymore. No matter how mad I was, I’d talk to my dad. Especially around the holidays”. This exchange illustrates the importance of family connections, and overcoming comparatively insignificant squabbles for the sake of love.
Over the course of the movie, Kevin gains a valuable perspective about what is important in life, and the movie culminates in a touching reunion between Kevin and his mother, who flies from airport to airport in order to get home to her son. The rest of the family rush through the door shortly afterwards and Kevin even sees old man Marley, reunited with his son and his family, hugging his granddaughter out in the snow.
There is no movie quite like Home Alone, which brings together Christmas spirit, hope, love and joy, lightened further with touches of slipstick comedy and family humor. The plot is unique and fun, and the characters and their journeys are interesting. Home Alone is definitely worth watching, even if you’re not usually into holiday movies.
If you’re looking for another comedy, take a look at Elf. Starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, this 2003 film was a box office hit, grossing $178 million in the United States and Canada, and $50.4 million in other places.
The plot revolves around Buddy, who was taken from his orphanage bed to Santa’s workshop as an infant, who is convinced that he is an elf. However, upon finding out that he is in fact not, he ventures into the wider world in search of his father, Walter. However, unfortunately, Walter is on the naughty list. As conflict grows between buddy and his father, a relationship begins to bloom between Walter’s son, whom buddy eventually wins over. Buddy also becomes close to a Gimbel’s department store employee, named Jovie. As romance blooms between Jovie and Buddy, Buddy’s relationship between his father becomes more and more fraught. At its climax, Walter angrily disowns Buddy, who, ashamed, leaves, only to find that Santa’s sleigh, which runs on Christmas spirit, has crashed in central park. The movie ends when Buddy resurrects joy in the hearts of all and gets Santa’s sleigh back into the air.
After a year, Buddy establishes a company with Walter and starts a family with Jovie. The movie warms the heart and entices laughter from even the stoniest spectators. Elf is a gem of a Christmas movie, and a must watch during the holidays.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was filmed in 1989, showcasing a quirky, ridiculous American family living in the Chicago suburbs. The characters include Clark Griswold, the father, his wife Ellen, his daughter Audrey, his son, Rusty, as well as his extended family. Everyone, from cousin Eddie to aunt Bethony, gathers at the Griswold house for a funny, eventful, heartwarming Christmas.
The movie opens with Clark’s attempts to find the perfect Christmas tree, a pattern which will reoccur later as well. Clark strives to ensure that everyone has the best Christmas he can provide and strains himself to make everything “perfect”. However, at the end of the movie, Clark begins to realize what Christmas really means to him.
This movie is definitely worth watching if you’re looking for a good laugh. It’s captivating and engaging, as well as potentially relatable. The characters are full and dynamic, and pull you in. While watching this movie, the viewer has no chance of being bored.
Perhaps the most famous animated Christmas movie of all time, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a humorous, heartwarming, and classic film. From the original story written by Dr. Suess, the horrible green monster, the grinch comes to steal Christmas.
The Grinch, widely regarded as the lowest, meanest, most disgusting creature anywhere, lives in a cave on top of Mount Crumpit. One day, having been annoyed by the noise of Whoville below, the Grinch takes all the presents from the Whos, thinking that his actions will end Christmas. However, he is unsuccessful, and, inspired by the love and generosity of the Whos, his heart grows 3 sizes in one day. The movie shows that Christmas is more than material possessions, as illustrated by the citizens of Whoville, when they gather together without gifts and sing together in the town squares.
But why is this movie so good?
Well, if the Grinch, the meanest, ugliest, lowest creature can see the joy of Christmas through his experiences, so too can the viewer. This classic movie stresses togetherness and affection, some of the core Christmas values, but also incorporates touches of humor.
