Words cannot describe how upset I am with this movie. But in an attempt to give these feelings words, here goes nothing...
WHY, Fox, why?!?!
Set to be a TV movie, this film is an attempt to strike what Home Alone 4 didn't: a deal for a TV spin-off series. But before we get into the technical nitty-gritty, let's talk about why this is so wrong, and look back at the previous films.
Home Alone
What's great about this movie:
An original plot. Great characters. Great actors. And let's not forget "Angels with Filthy Souls". Home Alone had it all.
Despite being made a year before I was born, as a kid I LOVED this movie. We all did. And I still do today. While there are a bunch of movies I liked as a kid that have dropped a few pegs on my list (some falling many, many pegs), there are a few that have stayed where they were on my all-time awesome list, this being one of them. Watching an 8-year-old transform his house into a giant trap for burglars was is amazing. (Sometimes I wonder how a current 30-year-old Kevin McCallister would set up his house in the event of zombies...) And watching Harry and Marv fall into his traps is always entertaining. Yes, somethings are a little over-the-top and would do more damage than shown, (I don't recommend taking a blow-torch to the top of your head)
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| Actually a boy, dressed as a girl. John Hughes felt too bad, otherwise. |
If there is one movie that gets me in the Christmas spirit, it is this one. And it has so many quotes to be taken from it, that my house sounds like the McCallister's around the holidays. Trust me, if anyone makes a mistake doing something, someone somewhere says "Look what ya did, ya little jerk!" Even with being deemed "a Christmas movie", I could watch this on any day, simply because it is THAT AWESOME!
Fun Fact: Home Alone was nominated for 2 Oscars in music, for Best Original Song and Best Score. Which is understandable considering John Williams was behind it.
What's bad about this movie:
The fact that I can quote basically the entire thing. Other than that there's not much wrong with it.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
What's good about this movie:
A great new chapter with the same great characters and actors. And, yes, Angels with Filthier Souls.
This was a great addition to the franchise. With a nice change in venue to New York City, we are once again brought to see what a Christmas is like with our favorite McCallister. Through in Tim Curry and a young Rob Schneider, and keep the cast from the original, and you have set your self up for success.
What's bad about this movie:
Once again, there are a few many unrealistic traps. But they are easy to overlook and still enjoy the movie.
Home Alone 3
What's good about this movie:
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| Let's not forget Alex's hot, older sister... |
Okay, here is where the franchise began to take a downward turn. While it can't compare to the first two, I still do, however, enjoy this as a guilty pleasure. Rather than simply offering a new actor, we are given an entirely new kid: there's nothing worse than replacing the main actor in a movie for the same character. We get two more villains for twice the amount of chaos, plus a nice, squawking bird to add a little bit of humor. And here's where we begin our dip into 'dislike'.
What's bad about this movie:
Home Alone 3 gives us our most unrealistic events stunts yet, not to mention a plot based around A MISSILE CHIP IN AN RC CAR! Also, HA3 dips out of the Christmas time frame. And while we now have four bad guys (well, three bad guys and one bad girl), they are definitely weaker than Harry and Marv. Also, there is Dorris, Alex's beady-eyed mouse... what happened to the main character wielding dangerous animals, like Buzz's tarantula? This movie fell and rolled a little ways from the Home Alone tree...
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House
What's good about the movie:
The return of Christmas, the McCallister family and Marv!... wait a minute...
What's bad about this movie:
Yes, they returned characters from the original two films, but in doing so they made a few more changes. For the worst, I might add. They replaced Culkin with a no-namer, made Kevin McCallister's character younger, replaced Harry with Marv's girlfriend, replaced Daniel Stern with French Stewart as Marv, and made Kevin's mom and dad get in a divorce, characters who are played by different actors as well. This made-for-TV movie was dripping with disappointment to the point I wouldn't and won't touch it. Take a look at the trailer yourself...
Bad. Just bad.
Which brings us to Home Alone 5...
So far Home Alone 5 looks like it will be a different character, rather than favorite, Kevin McCallister. Fox is trying to get a few extra bucks out of the series and possibly get the TV show they couldn't get with Home Alone 4. And in bringing this back, they are doing it for all the wrong reasons. Yes, ultimately companies make movies for money and the possibility of more money. Meanwhile, they should be putting out movies that people want to see.
If Fox was smart, they would scrap this idea and bring back original cast for a new film, one that both parents and kids could enjoy.
If Fox was dumb, well.... they'd keep on turning out bad Home Alone movies, further shaming a once great franchise.
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