Few movies are more fun to watch than Chris Columbus and John Hughes’ original Home Alone movies. The first, which starred a young Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, became a smashing success, made on a modest budget of $18 million and earning more than $470 million at the box office worldwide.
While Home Alone 2 managed to capture most of what was so beloved about the original, helped by the return of Culkin, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern, the franchise’s subsequent sequels have mostly failed to replicate that same magical formula. Still, there’s fun to be had with every installment, and your kids will most likely have a grand old time—so if you’re looking for a festive holiday movie marathon, look no further. Home Alone has got you covered.
Home Alone (1990)
There’s something so joyful about watching a young boy trick some bumbling burglars into slipping on ice, burning themselves, and stepping on broken Christmas ornaments. Macaulay Culkin’s mischievous performance as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone steals the show, but this movie would be nothing without Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, who play their villainous roles to perfection. I just have one question—did Kevin ever get to eat his macaroni and cheese?
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
As all sequels must, Home Alone 2 had to be bigger and bolder than its predecessor. In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Kevin’s parents manage to remember to bring him to the airport but forget to watch him while he’s there. Of course, Kevin gets on the wrong plane and ends up in Manhattan all by himself—but as we know, he’s no slouch. Kevin manages to check into one of the fanciest hotels in the city, but his freedom is cut short when he runs into two old enemies.
Home Alone 3 (1997)
When eight-year-old Alex Pruitt (Alex D. Linz) is left home alone with chickenpox, he’s in for the battle of his life against a gang of spies who hid a dangerous computer chip inside a toy car. Alex notices the spies breaking into his neighbor’s house and sets out to defend his community—with plenty of booby traps and tricks, of course.
Home Alone 4 (2002)
So, Home Alone 4 is a bit of a strange one—technically, it’s a direct sequel to Home Alone 2, except every former cast member was replaced. In this story, Kevin McCallister (Mike Weinberg) tries to deal with his parents’ divorce while also working to finally put his arch-enemies in jail once and for all. He’s got a lot to juggle, but thankfully, he’s got some high-tech gear to help him.
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012)
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist takes us back to basics: a kid needs to protect his home from a bunch of evil burglars, and he’s got just as much creativity as Kevin McCallister. This time, though, our protagonist, Finn Baxter (Christian Martyn), has some help from his sister Alexis (Jodelle Ferland) as they rig up an elaborate set of traps to protect their new home.
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
When 10-year-old Max (Archie Yates) is accidentally left home alone for the holidays while his family is in Japan (where have we heard that before?), he’s forced to defend his house from a couple of amateur thieves who believe Max stole a priceless heirloom from them. What ensues is a familiar yet less funny tale, as the thieves this time around really aren’t such bad guys—not in the way Marv and Harry were, anyway. But wait! You’ll recognize a few McCallister family members in this movie, too.
All Home Alone movies are available to watch on Disney+.
(featured image: 20th Century Studios)
