Oh, how times have changed.
We all know the iconic scene: The look on Kevin McCallister's face while Buzz barfs up his pizza. Quite frankly, that moment says it all. So when Kevin bullrushes his brother and spills milk all over the family's passports, it's only natural for everyone to gang up on poor, little Kev. The entirety of his extended family looks on in disdain while Uncle Frank spews that fateful line we have all come to know and love: "Look what you did, you little jerk."
Of course, we're talking about the 1990 holiday keepsake Home Alone. If you grew up anytime around the debut of this film, you know its importance to our generation around the holidays.
It's the silver tuna.
With the holidays upon us, I thought we'd take a look at the revel and cheer that is this wondrous tale of hope, grandeur, and values.
At its core, the story is essentially about a boy who figures out the meaning of family during the holidays, but let's be honest, there's much more here than just a simple lesson to be learned. It's a story that shows the polarizing differences of life in the 90's and, now, life in the 2010's. What do I mean? Well think of this:
It seems to me, at the beginning of the film, most of Kevin's family are genuinely annoyed with him. So much so that we are told repeatedly how much of a little slime ball Kevin really is. Sure, I know it's a plot device used by the directors, but, unlike other plot devices in movies, this one seems absurdly believable. Hell, even the freakin' cops don't care that a kid is home alone...even with a pair of common criminals on the loose in a wealthy Chicago suburb.
And even after Kevin took out the Wet Bandits at the end of the movie? The cops decide that it's okay if he spends yet another night by himself in his strangely huge house. This is an 8 year old kid we're talking about, right? Still, the 90's state of mind seems to think: "Hey, I guess I can live with that." The 2015 mind just thinks: "Aw hell no!"
Then again, the kid would probably have a cell phone and just call his way out of the problem.
Game. Set. Match.
Still, if this post simply wasn't enough for you, here's something else to think about:
This is Macaulay Culkin in 1990.
Wait for it...
And this is him now.
Sorry for shattering your hopes and dreams, America. Your holiday sweetheart went downhill a bit.
Luckily, baby Macaulay Culkin will forever be preserved in VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray systems across the world.
And that's just how we like it.
Stay tuned for more lovely writing gems like this and some hefty news & info about The City of Shadow & Dust. More to come soon!