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The original "Home Alone" is a Christmas staple and has been watched yearly in my family for every Christmas I can remember.
Written by Chris Columbus and released by Warner Bros., "Home Alone" was released Nov. 16, 1990 and has spawned numerous sequels. The movie grossed $476.7 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing live-action comedy until the release of "The Hangover Part II" (2011).
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister -- played by Macaulay Culkin -- is left home alone after his family accidentally leaves him behind as they rush off to Paris. His parents Kate (Catherine O'Hara) and Peter (John Heard) don't notice the child missing until they're already on the plane. Kate scrambles to get back to her son in time for Christmas.
Meanwhile, Kevin gets a chance to do what every kid dreams of -- watch all the TV they want and snack on junk food for days on end. But his dreams are quickly thwarted when two burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), attempt to break into his home. While not the most capable burglars, the "Wet Bandits" had already hit the majority of the houses on Kevin's block and left their calling card.
Kevin -- instead of doing the sensible thing and calling the police -- decides to take matters into his own hands and sets up booby traps across his house. From swinging paint cans on the stairs to an actual flamethrower mounted on the doorframe, Kevin really becomes the man of the house.
While I always enjoy watching this classic movie around the holidays, little-Bre did not love it as much as adult-Bre does.
Unlike Laura's previous review in 2021 stating that she felt like she, too, could be like Kevin "kicking burglar butt and being a fully independent human," I was not in the same mindset.
As a young child I was petrified to be in the same situation as Kevin. I knew I wouldn't be able to take on two grown adults at age eight.
There were many holes I poked into Kevin's bravery that would not be the case at my house: My house is in the middle of nowhere where no shovel-wielding neighbors would come to my rescue; I could barely be in the same room as a spider let alone grab a tarantula to get a burglar to let go of my leg; I didn't DARE break my mother's glass ornaments; I didn't have easy access to full paint cans. And the list could go on and on.
Being left home alone for Christmas was a very real fear for me for a while. Thankfully, not many people come out my way and we never take big trips for the holidays, so those fears were forgotten eventually.
As an adult, I love getting to see Kevin be so independent. It's hilarious to watch two bumbling burglars struggle to best a young child in such creative ways. The matchbox cars at the bottom of stairs make me laugh every time.
If you've never watched this Christmas classic I would definitely recommend it. It has so much charm packed into a relatively simple story.
"Home Alone" is rated PG and can be watched on Disney+.
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Breanna Hanely is a staff writer for The Express.