There is a bit of irony in the theme for the BEC this week as all of these movies have home in the title but the inspiration of this theme comes from Spiderman being far from his home. Home can mean a multitude of different things to different people so movies have long utilized the concept of “home” as a powerful, emotional journey. Check out the top 10 movies that utilize home best below.
When people discuss sequels that change very little from their predecessor, use the same tired jokes, have the same general plot, and are far inferior versions of the movie that we loved so dearly, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is usually one of their examples. I take issue with this, however. Let’s review: Change very little from the predecessor? You could say that. Same tired jokes? Same, maybe, but tired? Not at all. Same plot? ABSOLUTELY. Inferior version? NO WAY, NO HOW. Home Alone 2 is the rare sequel that does almost nothing new with the story but it still works. The only notable difference here is the location is, as the title suggests, the Big Apple. And the older person that Kevin is frightened by until he befriends them is now a woman instead of a man. Beyond that? Nothing new. Regardless, Home Alone 2 is just as funny as the first. Sure, a lot of the humor is slapstick-based – Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern falling, getting hit, being electrocuted, or being taught a lesson in other painful ways . But we know that. That’s why we liked the first movie. They double down on it in the sequel and it’s still enjoyable. Not to mention that Macaulay Culkin leads the movie with more charm than any other child star, and most adults, ever have. Home Alone 2 is a Christmas classic and one of the best sequels ever. (Logan Van Winkle)
What do you get when you have a mild-mannered man trying to start a new family with his wife and her kids when their biological father decides to drop by for a surprise visit? Did I mention this surprise father is a jacked badass? Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are two men in a no-holds-barred battle trying to one up one another in the quest for their kid’s affection. There are hijinks, property damage, and jokes from some of our favorite comedic actors. If your current line up of Christmas movies is getting a bit heavy with the emotional punches, give this a view in between those for a laugh. (Chantal Ashford)
The Conjuring Universe has become one of the most interesting things to happen to the horror genre in a long time. James Wan created this interlocking world of demonic presences that has scared the hell out of audience and the box office alike. Annabelle Comes Home feels unique in the fact that it is the third entry of its own Annabelle franchise but crosses over with the original characters of The Conjuring. Ed and Lorraine Warren are one of my favorite on-screen couples as the chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga is off the charts. They make this film feel more special than just its haunted house premise. McKenna Grace also brings the goods as their shy and endearing daughter who shows great strength in the face of a rogue’s gallery of demons such as Annabelle, The Ferry Man, and The Bride. This is not the strongest of the franchise but who is will say no to a small army of demons coming straight to the Warren’s doorstep? Not me! (Shane Conto)
A Prairie Home Companion is a film steeped in reverence and nostalgia, a palpable longing and reminiscence of times gone by. Which is why it is so fitting, almost unfortunately so, that it was the great Robert Altman’s final film, having been released only four months before he passed away due to complications from Leukemia. It is a film bursting with love and admiration for the days of radio, exploring every aspect of its making with passion and delight. The camera pans and whirls across the stage and between tight corners into backstage areas as if from the perspective of a wide-eyed child taking it all in for the very first time. Yet the characters, reflecting the reverse side of Altman’s intuition, represent the nature of the industry which is always changing, the old guard who realize their time is up but are still clinging on to the past. What balances the two sides is the mesmerizing musical numbers scattered throughout the film, which maintain the wide-eyed spectacle in their gaze but have a considerable amount of depth and wistfulness in their words. A Prairie Home Companion was not meant to be Robert Altman’s last film; in fact, he had two films in pre-production before he suddenly passed away in 2006. On its own terms, it is a beautiful, passionate, sentimental warm hug of a movie, featuring stunning performances and some spectacular music numbers; the passing of Altman only makes it all the more powerful. (Devan Meyer)
I saw this on a peculiar night as my buddy and I were in an IMAX viewing of this and we were the only ones there! Being in a theater that large with no one else is odd. I really enjoy the mood this film is able to evoke and the feeling of wonderment is always there. This movie also sets up rules for its universe that make sense and they stick to them. You get to see some very familiar faces giving odd performances and the suspense builds throughout. I always enjoy these movies that are just a bit odd. (Blake Hodges)
The young and mischievous Kevin is accidentally left by himself at home during a Holiday Vacation where he must defend his home from two burglars. What really makes this film work as well as it does is the charismatic performance by Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister. His line delivery, facial expressions and overall presence is electric and you can’t wait to see what he will say and do next. As a kid that grew up in the 90’s I found Kevin to be profoundly interesting and he was highly relatable at that time due to us being around the same age. Culkin is able to take the great material and take it to a whole new level. It also helps that the two worked together on a previous project entitled Uncle Buck and it comes off that Culkin is having a great time with this performance. The sheer amount of delightful and impactful physical comedy is what makes people revisit this film. Home Alone to this day is one of my favorite films to watch around the Holidays or just toss on for any given occasion alike. (Joseph Vargas)
From the poster, it could look like your typical family movie about a girl who loves her geese, “how cute.” When you watch it you realize that it’s actually a far more moving story about a daughter who, after losing her mother in a car crash, feels lost and is sent to live with her estranged father. While there she comes across some geese eggs and begins to take care of them until they are full-grown and have to learn to fly north. With great performances from Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin, this film excellently maneuvers the struggles of feeling alone, taking care of your child and providing for them. Going to any length, even if it takes you places you’d never imagined in hope that they will find what it means to be truly home. (Evan Lucken)
Every once in a while a film comes along that has so many elements blended together, that it makes it hard for me to classify it in a specific genre. I’d like to say this falls in the crime/drama, mixed with a bit of a quirky comedy type movie. The world can be a great place for most, but when a depressed woman Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) has had enough after her home has been broken into, she chooses to track down the theives with the help of her neighbor (Elijah Wood). The interactions between these two is honestly what makes the movie for me. This the first film for Director (Macon Blair), and I think he does a great job capturing how awkward and frustrating the average day is for most people. I think (Elijah Wood) ends up stealing almost every scene he’s in. I’d best describe him as a ‘Suburban Dwight Schrute’. It’s a good watch to find on Netflix if you have a good hour and a half to spare. (Alex Henderson)
What makes a place your home? Is it simply the building you live in, where you grew up, or where you have made the most memories in your life? 99 Homes argues that a home most certainly isn’t simply the place you live, but rather “where your heart is.” When Dennis, his mother, and his son are evicted from their family home, he must do what he can to get it back. This harrowing film looks into the lengths to which one man will go to put his family in the best possible situation. All Dennis wants to do is get his family their home back, but there are ethical dilemmas that pop up around every corner. Perhaps it is possible to go too far at certain points. The film also goes a long way towards commenting on class and the American economy. Anchored by a menacing and intimidating performance from Michael Shannon and a desperate Andrew Garfield, this movie will make you think about what you value and why by the time it’s all over. (Robert Bouffard)
Spider-Man: Homecoming showcases home better than any Marvel, or perhaps any, comic book movie before it; moreover, the home in question is New York. New York isn’t just a setting for the film but is a character in its own right. Every location in the film, minus Washington D.C, is a facet of New York that was either not shown or briefly shown in the previous Spider-Man films. For example, the Raimi/Webb series of Spider-Man films spent little time in Parker’s High School. Homecoming dedicates significant time to illustrating Peter’s daily life in school including what his social life is, who his friends are, and scholastic activities he engages in. The film spends much of its runtime showing Spider-Man navigating New York on foot in contrast to web-swinging. It is this aspect of Spider-Man: Homecoming that best illustrates the “home” sentiment of the film. Showing Peter and, more importantly, Spider-Man interacting with New Yorkers and trying to earn their acceptance as a new superhero allows the viewer to “tour” the city with a view that most films can’t convey. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, New York isn’t just a bunch of big buildings existing solely for web-swinging purposes; in fact, it represents a home that Peter Parker has known his entire teenage life but is now able to see that home with a completely new perspectives thanks to his acquisition of powers and role as New York’s protector. (Dylon Turner)
Also See:
Sweet Home Alabama, Home on the Range, Home for the Holidays, Home Fries, Stealing Home, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, The Way Home, Home (2015), Home Again