HOLLYWOOD—Christmas is less than a week away and with that headline, many people are getting into the Christmas spirit watching some of their favorite, feel good holiday movies. For many that means turning to Hallmark or Lifetime where you will see hundreds of Christmas movies with the same plotline, same ending, and just different people in similar roles.
However, for me, I’m not one of those people, when it comes to Christmas classics; there are two movies that propel to the top of my list. The first being “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Now I know what you’re thinking, why not “Home Alone?” The original is on my list, I can watch it anytime it comes on TV because it reminds me of my childhood and that movie is a classic, no matter how many times I watch it.
However, there is something about the sequel with Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) being alone in New York City that delivers hilarity that I just cannot get enough of. I just happened to watch the movie this past weekend and I laughed so hard it was not even funny. I mean the antics this kid gets into and how he outwits a bunch of adults just boggles my mind. I mean seeing how credit cards were processed back in the day with the sliding device? Oh, technology has so evolved. Seeing how easy it is to get lost or to be rushing thru the airport to catch a flight when security check was nothing like it is today.
However, I think the genius of this sequel is the hijinks Kevin utilizes to outwit those who wish him harm. I mean outwitting, Rob Schneider, Dana Ivey and Tim Curry is just classic. That scene in the shower, laugh out loud funny every single time. The same with that scene involving a movie, a tommy gun and a ton of jokes. I didn’t chat about Kevin outwitting, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern who find themselves in the clutches of the kid who sent them to prison in the first flick. This is hands down a movie everyone can watch with their family and just have a good ole time.
Now, I have to talk about another Christmas classic in my opinion, and it’s been debatable for years, but at the top of my list is the action-film “Die Hard.” Plenty of people will say it is not a Christmas movie and I say, “Why not?” It takes place on Christmas Eve. It is indeed a heist movie, and I can see the argument that the chaos transpires in Los Angeles, where it doesn’t give the Xmas spirit until the ending when it begins to snow.
This movie is a deviation from the typical Xmas movie and gives you something you least expect. This film has a plot that is solid, a hero in Bruce Willis that you root for and a villain in the late, great, Alan Rickman that is fantastic. In addition, we get to see our hero dismantling the terrorists one by one in his quest to save a group of office employees who includes his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia).
This is an action movie people, plenty of gunfire, plenty of stunts, plenty of explosions, crazy stunts, a wicked ending and a classic line that should have been used only in the first flick if I’m being honest in “Yippee Ki Yay M***.” I just love the way John McClane initially utters that line to Hans in a scene that works with little to no effort and the use of it again in the climax, just perfection. I am not lying anytime “Die Hard” is on TV I can watch that movie over and over again and never get bored.
To be honest I watch “Die Hard” each year, while wrapping Christmas presents. It is a tradition for me, and I never get bored. It is hands down one of my top five flicks not just for Christmas but of all time people. So I know plenty of people have those flicks on their list, but if “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” and “Die Hard” are not on your list you need to add them.
