Home Alone

(Chris Columbus, US 1990, 103 min., DCP)

When his suffocating brood forgets to pack him along for a Christmas abroad, young Kevin McCallister believes his holiday wish has come true when he wakes up to an empty house. John Hughes’s production gives “Buellerian” heart to the story of a boy whose exploration of independence leads him to the gift of family. The movie’s half-billion dollar success is largely due to its slapstick showdown of bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) versus Rube Goldberg–esque booby traps. “Keep the change, ya dirty rat.”