Last night I had a great conversation with my friend Criss about the first two installments of the Home Alone franchise. I mentioned the negative reviews I had recently read; the majority of the critics really hated the sequel. Criss and I couldn't disagree more with them. In fact I decided last night that Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is my favorite out of the four.
Home Alone is a classic and definitely one of my favorites growing up and I even wanted to be Macaulay Culkin at one point. However, upon reading these reviews that criticized the sequel for using the same formula as the original, I examined the two closely and made a few realizations. Chris Columbus and John Hughes may have used the same formula but it certainly works. I would probably think differently if they used it again to be lazy but I feel like they delivered a much better message than the first one. In a way they cleaned up what they got wrong in the first one and made a much better movie.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York focuses on one thing that the original didn't really emphasize and that's friendship. The story and symbolism of the turtle doves in the sequel has always had an effect on me, but the scene where Kevin befriends the pigeon lady has a lot more meaning to me today than it did when I was a kid.
The way the creators portray the friendship doesn't reveal that the pigeon lady is homeless. You automatically know as an adult but if you're a child watching this movie, it's probably the last thing on your mind. When Kevin takes her around the city, she never mentions anything about being homeless and I think it's great.
Today when I watch the conclusion of Kevin's second adventure, I recognize something more than what I have in the past. When Kevin, pigeon lady's only friend in the world, presents her with a turtle dove, he's showing the audience that we can be friends with anybody. We should all love each other no matter what. Easier said than done right? Well, that's John Hughes for you.
ROTTEN TOMATOES RATING: 24%
Well, since absolutely no respectable critics had anything good to say about this film, I will leave you with something 10 times better. Last year my friends Slydick and Mikey created the ultimate original Home Alone drinking game. Slydick actually completed this game over the span of three and a half hours, no joke! Since it's Christmas Eve I figured nothing else would be more appropriate than this...
HOME ALONE DRINKING GAME
10. Beer bong a Steel Reserve when Marv is screaming with the tarantula on his face
9. Chug your entire beer every time a Tommy Gun is being fired
8. Take a drink every time Coca-Cola gets a product placement
7. Take a shot of Jim Beam when Kevin's groceries fall through the plastic bags
6. Take a drink every time a life sized Michael Jordan cardboard cut out is on screen
5. Take a drink every time Kevin is picked on by his family
4. Take a drink every time Marv or Harry get hurt
3. Waterfall when Kevin says "Buzz's girlfriend. Eckk!"
2. Take a drink every time Kevin is noticeably scared
1. When Mrs. McCallister yells KEVIN chug an entire Four Loco
- Colby.
Thats great!
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