On H List of Movie Reviews

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Home Alone (1990)

Rate: 5
Viewed: 2/18

2/18: The box-office champ in 1990, Home Alone has lost a great deal of luster over the years.

In fact, I had forgotten the movie existed and didn't see it again until now. But my memory of the first sight at the grown-up Macaulay Culkin as a heroin addict will live on forever which effectively contributed to the decline of the film's popularity.

Anyway, if there's anything I don't like, it's the obscene level of sadism in terms of how the bad guys are physically punished. Most of what happened to them should've resulted in death or at least permanent brain damage. The hits never stop as they keep coming relentlessly. The booby traps are unbelievable and intricate for an 8-year-old kid to come up with. Either way, the movie has stopped being funny or fun for children.

As for the story, it's okay, but I'm more annoyed by the family. I don't care about any of them or whether or not Kevin is left home alone. It happens to many kids which is no big deal. And don't get me started on the hands-to-the-face-scream craze. For a long time, since I saw Home Alone in 1990, I thought Angels with Filthy Souls was a real film, but it turned out to be a parody of Angels with Dirty Faces. That scene is probably the best and most memorable part of the entire franchise.

All in all, it's hard to enjoy a film like Home Alone that features a spoiled brat.

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