By Tom McWatters
The holidays (more specifically, Christmas) are a special time of year for a lot of people. Gift giving, beautiful lights, and delicious cookies are just a few reasons as to why, in case you actually needed convincing. One of my favorite aspects of Christmas, though, are the movies. They fill you with a comforting, warm feeling that helps give you a little beacon of optimism for the New Year ahead. The unofficial slogan, if you will, is “Peace on Earth and Good Will to Man.” That does not apply to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in the Home Alone movies, though. They receive neither peace nor good will from little Kevin McCallister. One of my favorite Christmas movies has to be the sequel to Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
To me, it doesn’t get the recognition it truly deserves, so here are some reasons to prove why it just might top the first one.
To me, it doesn’t get the recognition it truly deserves, so here are some reasons to prove why it just might top the first one.
1. The Film Uses The Same (but Different) Formula Perfectly
In order for a sequel to work it has to be a continuation of the original story while simultaneously be its own original new story Like with most sequels, HA2 plays it pretty close to the first one (same director, composer, and writer), while at the same time it’s in a new setting. Kevin is in a new situation and there are new ancillary characters with the main characters still in the movie.
2. The Stakes Are higher
The first movie is a Christmas classic. It had heart, Stooges-like humor, and an original plot, with 8 year old left home alone and force to grow up by fending for himself. In HA2, he’s not at home anymore. No locks, no house phone, no neighbors; he’s on the streets of NYC by himself. He made it through the whole movie without getting abducted, raped, OR murdered. Critically, though, the crooks were simply seeking lucrative robberies; now they're out for Kevin's blood.
3. It Was Shot In The City During Christmas
There are few places on Earth as beautiful and damn near magical than Manhattan at Christmas time. I strongly advise people that if you’re in the north east and are able, to make a day trip out of it and visit. Some of the best Christmas movies have used this setting to their advantage like Elf and Miracle on 34th St. (1947). HA2 dedicated an entire montage to this fact, complete with a heartbreaking shot of the Twin Towers.
4. The Soundtrack
Love it or hate it, Christmas music can have a profound and lasting effect on us all. The Home Alone films have utilized Christmas music perfectly, but I always loved the music in HA2. It has the perfect mix of classic and more traditional songs like "Jingle Bell Rock" and the Johnny Mathis version of "It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas," along with refreshingly new and catchy Christmas songs by Darlene Love and Tom Petty, not to mention yet another incredible John Williams score.
5. Tim Curry
Enough said. He’s in this film and if you’re a Tim Curry fan you’ll probably stop reading this list now and browse the other content on Joe’s fantastic blog.
6. The slapstick Was More Brutal
Harder hits make for harder laughs. HA2 took the traps from the first movie and made them much more painful. You could view this as Kevin punishing the Wet Bandits for not learning their lesson the first time. This, in turn, made it so much funnier. Daniel Stern getting electrocuted is still one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a John Hughes movie.
7. The Pigeon Lady
I will admit that one of the sequel's detriments is its lack of heart compared to the first. Home Alone had the heart-wrenching subplot of "Old Man Marley." In HA2, we just have Susan Boyle as a homeless lady. This character felt kinda forced and there was seemingly nothing there, but if you rewatch it and see her as Susan Boyle, it gives her a lot more character. She was staying in the attic of a concert hall. Coincidence? You be the judge.
8. Kevin Fakes A Hotel Shooting
In order to get away from the authorities after committing credit card fraud at The Plaza Hotel, Kevin uses a scene from the gangster movie he was watching to fool the concierge into thinking there’s a maniac with an automatic weapon in the room who isn’t taking hostages. Watching this scene today and imagining him trying to pull a stunt like this in current day New York is stunning. Not only would he become a felon on the no-fly list, but he'd be lucky to get out of the situation alive.
9. Textbook Definition of Good Karma
Not since It’s a Wonderful Life has there been a more clear and beautiful example of good karma. When Kevin visits "Duncan's Toy Chest," he unknowingly meets the owner, E.F. Duncan, who rings him up. After telling Kevin he donates a large portion of what he makes to a children’s hospital, the boy not only gives him $20, but eventually ends up saving every last donation from the Wet Bandits.
In return, Mr. Duncan gives him and his family a literal truck load of gifts.
In return, Mr. Duncan gives him and his family a literal truck load of gifts.
10. It's Just Might Be The Greatest
When it comes sequels, HA2 is pretty good but, as far as sequels to a Christmas movie, it might be the best Christmas sequel ever made. It’s definitely a somewhat niche genre of film, but can anyone name a better one? The only one that can come close is Die Hard 2 but that’s debatable as to whether or not it’s actually a Christmas movie, and I’m not getting into that.
In conclusion...
One of the few downsides of Christmas movies is that you really only watch them at a certain time of year or else you look like a crazy person. Halloween also has its own genre of movies, but slasher and horror films can be watched year round, even if they're more fun to watch on Halloween.
There's something positive about the limited viewing window, though: watching a movie only once a year helps keep you from watching it too much, preserving its intangible holiday appeal. You can have a whole year go by so that, when you watch it again, it still feels fresh and remains something to look forward to. I know I’m probably in the minority, but Home Alone 2 is one of my favorite Christmas movies, so after reading my list, why not watch it again and maybe you’ll see why it means so much to me.
There's something positive about the limited viewing window, though: watching a movie only once a year helps keep you from watching it too much, preserving its intangible holiday appeal. You can have a whole year go by so that, when you watch it again, it still feels fresh and remains something to look forward to. I know I’m probably in the minority, but Home Alone 2 is one of my favorite Christmas movies, so after reading my list, why not watch it again and maybe you’ll see why it means so much to me.
Tom McWatters is an avid enthusiast of motion pictures, good music, and stand up comedy. He wrote for his college newspaper "The Tower" at Kean University, where he graduated with a BA in Communication. Tom enjoys writing as a hobby and if he can make someone laugh or introduce a new perspective, that's enough for him.
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