Home Alone Blu-ray / Family Fun Edition
Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Catherine O?Hara, John Candy
Directed by Christopher Columbus
Fox Home Entertainment 2008
103 minutes
Home Alone is a great comedy. It is still fun to watch 18 years after its original release. It is also one of few Christmas movies that are not schmaltzy. I am not convinced Home Alone Blu-ray version will change anything, as it does not bring anything new to this comedy aside from 1080p and lossless audio. The special features here were already available on the DVD version. However, if for some unfathomable reason you do not own a copy of this movie, might as well get the Blu-ray.
The story is very simple: 8 year-old Kevin McAllister (Culkin) is left home alone when his family leaves precipitately for its Christmas vacation. He must learn to rely on himself, confront his fears, and, and this is where the comedy really comes in, fight off a couple of inept burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the “Wet Bandits”).
Most of the laughs in this comedy come from the Tom and Jerry / Coyote and Roadrunner type of traps Kevin sets up to protect himself and his home from the burglars. Some are much more subtle such as Kevin watching the Grinch rob the Who home the first time the Wet Bandits show up. I especially like the fake party crowd the kid sets up.
Other laughs come from the tribulations Kevin’s mother goes through to get home and save her youngest. The third storyline in Home Alone, about the old man living next door, adds that extra bit of Christmas magic to the movie.
Another warm, fuzzy moment involves polka king Gus Polinski (the late, great John Candy).
This is a great comedy that will always be a family favorite.
Special features on Home Alone Blu-ray include audio commentary by director Chris Columbus and Macaulay Culkin, a 1990 press featurette, a Making of, Behind the scenes with Macaulay Culkin, How to Burglar Proof Your Home: the Stunts of Home Alone, Home Alone Around the World, Where’s the Buzz Now, Angels with Filthy Souls, Deleted scenes and alternate takes, and a blooper reel.
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