On Rotten Tomatoes, "Home Alone" holds an approval rating of 65% based on 54 reviews, with an average rating of 5.65/10. The site's critical consensus reads: ""Home Alone"s uneven but frequently funny premise stretched unreasonably thin is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin's cute performance and strong supporting stars." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. "Variety" magazine praised the film for its cast. Jeanne Cooper of "The Washington Post" praised the film for its comedic approach.
Critical response
Home Alone
Home Alone | Critical response
Rotten Tomatoes rated 5.65/10, Metacritic gave average score of 63 out of 100 and audiences gave "A" grade on an A+ to F scale. The site's critical consensus reads: ""Home Alone"s uneven but frequently funny premise stretched unreasonably thin is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin's cute performance and strong supporting stars." "Variety" magazine praised the film for its cast. Jeanne Cooper of "The Washington Post" praised the film for its comedic approach Owen Gleiberman of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine gave the film a "D" grade, criticizing the film for its "sadistic festival of adult-bashing".
where does kevins family go in home alone
user
Paris, France
assistant
who are the characters in the film?
user
Kevin, Harry Lyme and Marvin "Marv" Merchants, Peter, Kate, Buzz, Jeff, Megan, Linnie
assistant
was the film accused of copying?
user
Yes, accused for copying 1989 French film "3615 code Père Noël"
assistant
how many sequels does the english film have?
user
Five
assistant
does the first character mentioned above appear in all of them?
user
No, only first two
assistant
who played that role?
user
Macaulay Culkin
assistant
did he write any book?
user
Yes, novel titled "Junior"
assistant
did he also dabble in music?
user
Yes, had a New York-based, pizza-themed comedy rock band "The Pizza Underground"
assistant
what happens with his character in the sequel?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
what was critic's opinion about the original movie?
user
Most of the live-action attempts to duplicate animation have failed, because when flesh-and-blood figures hit the pavement, we can almost hear the bones crunch, and it isn't funny." Kenneth Turan, reviewing for the "Los Angeles Times", claims "Whatever was unforced and funny in the first film has become exaggerated here, whatever was slightly sentimental has been laid on with a trowel. The result, with some exceptions, plays like an over-elaborate parody of the first film, reminding us why we enjoyed it without being able to duplicate its appeal." Dave Kehr of the "Chicago Tribune" wrote the sequel "plays like a coarsened, self-parodying version of the original, in which the fantasy elements have become grubbier and more materialistic, the sentimentality more treacly and aggressive, and the slapstick violence—already astonishingly intense in the first film—even more graphic and sadistic." He further criticized the violence by invoking that "Rather than laughs, it provokes gasps of sympathy and amazement, even among the children in the audience.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Critical response
But no, it is not a drag, and it is not a rip-off. Look on it as a twice-told fairy tale." He praised Hughes and Chris Columbus and felt "the details of the situations are developed vividly and originally. And they are presented with an energy and a conviction that sequels usually lack."
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Critical response
Clint Morris at Moviehole wrote "From the unappealing cheapish opening titles to the murky production values, it's immediately obvious "Home Alone 4" isn't playing in the same park as its beloved predecessor... sad", and gave it a rating of 1/5. Joly Herman of Common Sense Media gave it 1/5 and described it as "Recycled gags with none of the original's charm." Jerry Roberts of Armchair Media gave the film 1 out of 4 stars.
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House | Critical response
"Home Alone 3" holds an approval rating of 29% at Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The critical consensus reads: "Macaulay Culkin's precocious charisma is sorely missed in this hollow sequel, which doubles down on the broad comedy while lacking all the hallmarks that made the original a classic." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film a positive review of 3 out of 4 stars, and said that he found it to be "fresh, very funny, and better than the first two."
Home Alone 3 | Critical response
The pleasures here are entirely cruel, with an unhealthy concentration on the suffering of the victims, on the thudding impact of various objects against their heads, on their howls of agony." Janet Maslin for "The New York Times" acknowledged that ""Home Alone 2" may be lazily conceived, but it is staged with a sense of occasion and a lot of holiday cheer. The return of Mr. Culkin in this role is irresistible, even if this utterly natural comic actor has been given little new to do. Mr. Pesci and Mr. Stern bring great gusto to their characters' stupidity, to the point where they are far funnier just walking and talking than they are being hurt." Reviewing for "Time", Richard Schickel noted ""Home Alone 2" precisely follows the formula that made its predecessor the biggest grossing comedy in human history.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Critical response
Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 33% based on 54 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "A change of venue – and more sentimentality and violence – can't obscure the fact that "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is a less inspired facsimile of its predecessor." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale. Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film two out of four stars and stated that "cartoon violence is only funny in cartoons.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Critical response
Hal Hinson, also of "The Washington Post", praised Columbus' direction and Culkin's performance. Although Caryn James of "The New York Times" complained that the film's first half is "flat and unsurprising as its cute little premise suggests", she praised the second half for its slapstick humor. She also praised the dialogue between Kevin and Marley, as well as the film's final scenes. Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film a out of a 4-star rating and 2 thumbs down. He compared the elaborate booby-traps in the film to Rube Goldberg machines, writing "they're the kinds of traps that any 8-year-old could devise, if he had a budget of tens of thousands of dollars and the assistance of a crew of movie special effects people" and criticized the plot as "so implausible that it makes it hard for [him] to really care about the plight of the kid [Kevin]".
Home Alone | Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, "Home Alone" holds an approval rating of 65% based on 54 reviews, with an average rating of 5.65/10. The site's critical consensus reads: ""Home Alone"s uneven but frequently funny premise stretched unreasonably thin is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin's cute performance and strong supporting stars." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. "Variety" magazine praised the film for its cast. Jeanne Cooper of "The Washington Post" praised the film for its comedic approach.
Home Alone | Critical response
The reviews to the film were rarely all negative, blaming the script and lack of comedy. The film had a poor opening. Many people saw it as a crude remake of the blockbuster Home alone, while lacking the humor and emotional depth of Home Alone.
Dum Kaata | Critical reception
I'll say though... he's off to a mighty good start with the dual blasters he wears on his belt. Sure, they're almost the size of his thighs, but hey... he's still just a kid."
R2 Come Home and Lethal Trackdown | Critical response
The jokes announce themselves with heavy footsteps, and almost none of them land, stranding a talented cast with terrible material that they’re straining to sell." Richard Roeper of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film 1 out of 4 stars, saying: "After enduring last week’s lousy and lazy "A Bad Moms Christmas", I would have bet it would be many a year before we’d see another holiday comedy more sour and cynical and profoundly unfunny. I sit corrected." Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, writing, "I found the sequel better than the original—the writing sharper, the jokes fresher and smarter, the comic interaction between the lead characters consistently engaging.
Daddy's Home 2 | Critical response
They’re going to get this kid."
Home Alone | Sequels
Ehrlich said it might be enough to satisfy fans but called it a "failure when compared to the remarkable artistry of "Into the Spider-Verse" or the raw pathos of Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man 2"."
Spider-Man: Far From Home | Critical response
Siskel gave this film a mixed review and accused Sonnenfeld of caring more about how the film looks than how the jokes play. Ebert thought that unusually for a sequel, it was better than the first film and he enjoyed the various subplots and recommended the film.
Addams Family Values | Critical response
The movie features some of the same characters who were in the first two films, but with a new cast and a storyline that does not fall into the same continuity. On November 25, 2012, a fifth film, "," premiered during ABC Family's Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas programming event. Similarly to the third film, it does not focus on the McCallister family. Chris Columbus later revealed that there had been discussions on a sequel starring Kevin's son: "This was talked about maybe 10 years ago I don’t know, we were just having fun with it and we said, 'What if Kevin is an adult and he has a kid?' But it was still Pesci and Stern Pesci and Stern are still obsessed with this kid.
Home Alone | Sequels
"Home Alone" spawned a successful film franchise that started with the 1992 sequel "", which is the only "Home Alone" sequel to have most of the original cast reprising their roles.
Home Alone | Introduction
Kids will probably enjoy the goofy Boovs, the rainbows of colors and the music. Call me a traditionalist, but I still say the world was a better place before those darn Boovs invaded."
Home (2015 film) | Critical response
A second sequel, "Home Alone 3", with a new cast followed in 1997. Two additional television movie sequels, "" and "", would follow in 2002 and 2012, respectively.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Sequels
In the United States and Canada, it grossed more than "The Bodyguard" and ranked second.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Box office
The film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Remake or Sequel, losing to "".
Home Alone 3 | Accolades
I mentioned this to my incredulous wife, who said, 'So you’re saying it's the "Godfather, Part 2" of the "Daddy’s Home" series'."
Daddy's Home 2 | Critical response
The film was followed by a commercially successful sequel in 1992, "", which brought back most of the first film's cast. Culkin was paid $4.5 million to appear in the sequel, compared to $110,000 for the original. The film within a film, "Angels with Filthy Souls", had a sequel in "Home Alone 2", "Angels with Even Filthier Souls". Both "Angels" meta-films featured character actor Ralph Foody as stereotypical 1930s mobster Johnny. A third film, "Home Alone 3", was released in 1997; it has entirely different actors and characters as well as a different storyline, with Hughes writing the screenplay. A fourth made-for-TV film followed in 2002: "Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House".
Home Alone | Sequels
We almost wish there was a way to retroactively add some of these elements to the original character." In 2016, James Charisma of "Playboy" ranked the film #9 on a list of "15 Sequels That Are Way Better Than The Originals". Conversely, J. Hoberman, of "The Village Voice", thought the first half of the film was "talky bordering on tiresome", with the film often stopping to showcase Raimi's idea of humor. Charles Taylor believed, "The script's miscalculation of Peter's decision feeds into the pedestrian quality of Raimi's direction and into Maguire's weightlessness... [Maguire] simply does not suggest a heroic presence", and suggested that "Dunst appears to be chafing against strictures she cannot articulate."
Spider-Man 2 | Critical response
Roger Ebert, who gave the original film a mixed review, described the sequel as "terrific entertainment", despite noting substantial credibility problems with the plot. Jay Boyar of the "Orlando Sentinel" dubbed the film as being as disappointing a sequel as "Another 48 Hrs." and "RoboCop 2", and said, Whatever small pleasure there is to be found in this loud dud is due mostly to the residual good feelings from the first film... As played by Bruce Willis, McClane is still an engaging character, even if he is much less amusingly drawn this time. Willis is in there trying, but the qualities that helped to make his character sympathetic in the first film are missing.
Die Hard 2 | Critical response
"Suddenly I'm a commodity", he said. "If "Home Alone" hadn't come out my name wouldn't be on "Career Opportunities" four times." "The movie kind of tanked", said Whaley. He added:
Career Opportunities (film) | Critical response
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 53% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 5.62/10. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average rating of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco | Critical response
Culkin was paid $4.5 million to appear in the sequel, compared to $110,000 for the original. The production budget was $28 million. Principal photography took place from December 9, 1991 to May 1, 1992; the film was shot in Winnetka, Illinois, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Evanston, Illinois, and New York City.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Production
Set one year after the events of the first film, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) loses track of his family at the airport to which he mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City while the rest of the McCallisters fly to Florida. Now alone in one of the largest cities in the world, Kevin cons his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel and begins his usual antics, but when he discovers that the burglars he previously encountered are on the loose again he stops them from robbing an elderly man's toy store before Christmas.
Home Alone (franchise) | "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 21% based on reviews from 14 critics.
House Party 2 | Critical response
However, he praised Culkin's performance. Owen Gleiberman of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine gave the film a "D" grade, criticizing the film for its "sadistic festival of adult-bashing". Gleiberman said that "[John] Hughes is pulling our strings as though he'd never learn to do anything else". Peter Bradshaw of "The Guardian" gave the film 3 out of a 5-star rating and praised Culkin's "vivid screen presence, almost incandescent with confidence". However, he criticised his acting, calling it "a bit broad and mannered". Ali Barclay of the "BBC" wrote "Culkin walks a fine line between annoyance and endearment throughout the film." He also called "Home Alone" "a film which manages to capture some of the best qualities of Christmas".
Home Alone | Critical response
However it criticized Negulesco's direction by saying that he "[had] just missed again".
Three Came Home | Critical reception
Club" wrote that the sequel "up[s] the ludicrous quotient" from the original, "double-timing the convoluted plotting and embracing implausibility as an aesthetic...[I]f [director Jon M.] Chu doesn't seem comfortable with the swooping, lens-flare-speckled flashiness that director Louis Leterrier brought to the first film, he seems even less interested than his predecessor in creating the impression of a recognizably real world — which is a good thing, at least for a movie about a superstar heist crew called the Horsemen that involves twins, multiple secret identities, and a global corporate surveillance plot that can only be foiled through the use of stage magic."
Now You See Me 2 | Critical response
He calls Bosworth's performance the film's "greatest surprise", and Franco's performance as its "biggest disappointment". Foundas calls the film "surprisingly joyless" and "less than the sum of its parts."
Homefront (film) | Critical response
The film was followed by a made-for-television sequel, "", in 2002.
Home Alone 3 | Introduction
To use a "Home Alone" analogy (proven to be the most effective of all analogy types), it’s like how in the first Home Alone, Kevin had no choice but to protect his house, but in "", he went out of his way to lure the robbers into a house of traps. The premise is shoehorned into working rather than organically feeling like the right thing to do." Matar wrote how Hickey being prevented from spending time with his grandson "doesn’t quite work because the problems between Hank and Buzz feel vague and undefined." In the first installment, Matar wrote, the character traits (like Britta's liberalism) of each member shone through.
Advanced Advanced Dungeons &amp; Dragons | Critical reception
She stated that production will not begin, until everyone involved feels like they've reached that point.
Home Alone (franchise) | Related film
He and Gene Siskel later gave it "Two Thumbs Down". Many critics criticized the casting of Culkin because of his comedic image from "Home Alone". Hal Hinson of "The Washington Post" stated that "the mere presence of the adorable boy star...seems to throw the whole film out of whack, making the picture play more like an inadvertent comedy than a thriller." Janet Maslin in "The New York Times" wrote that the end sequence at the cliff "is one of its few suspenseful and original moments" and "is quite literally gripping." Paul Willinstein of "The Morning Call" described the film as ""Home Alone" meets "Misery" meets "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.""
The Good Son (film) | Critical reception
In the beginning of the novelization, a prologue, which ends up being Marv's nightmare in prison, he and Harry sneak away from the cops and return to Kevin's house to seek revenge on Kevin. Kevin bolts into the garage with Marv and Harry in hot pursuit. Harry and Marv end up triggering extra traps that Kevin had set up in the garage. Kevin watches as Marv ends up triggering a trap where a running lawnmower falls on his head (this was a trap featured in "Home Alone 3").
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Novelization
Desson Howe, for "The Washington Post", wrote that "at best, the movie comes across as a competently assembled job, a wistful tribute to its former self. At worst, it's wordy, confusing and – here's an ugly word – boring".
The Two Jakes | Critical response
There's no old neighborhood, no vulgar showdowns with his family (he apologizes to his mother for his "attitude"!) and no Brooklyn eccentricity." In 2006, "Entertainment Weekly" dubbed "Staying Alive" the "Worst Sequel Ever." Many critics were unanimous in agreeing that the film did not contain the grittiness and realism that "Saturday Night Fever" possessed.
Staying Alive (1983 film) | Critical response
"Home Alone 2" was novelized by Todd Strasser and published by Scholastic in 1992 to coincide with the film. The "point" version, which have the same storyline, was also novelized by A.L. Singer. It has an ISBN of 0-590-45717-9. An audiobook version was also released read by Tim Curry (who played the concierge in the film). As in the novelization of the first film, the McCallisters live in Oak Park, Illinois and the crooks are named as Harry Lime and Marv Merchants. The novel also takes place one year after the events of the first film, but the ages of Kevin and his siblings are given as being two years older than the first film.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Novelization
Other criticisms included the film's perceived lack of pacing. "Entertainment Weekly" named it as one of "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made".
The Matrix Reloaded | Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 9% based on reviews from 11 critics. Ryan Pollard at "Starburst" wrote: "House II doesn't quite have anything similar to the strong performance of the original's Bill Katt anchoring the picture, but it still has plenty to make it a worthwhile follow-up that's definitely worth watching."
House II: The Second Story | Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 6% based on 72 reviews and an average rating of 3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Unfunny and unoriginal. In other words, a perfect piece of evidence for opponents of pointless movie sequels." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 34 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale. Brian Lowry of "Variety" called the film "So episodic and flat it should be a letdown even to those amused by the original." Keith Uhlich of "Slant Magazine" gave the film 1⁄2 out of 4 stars.
Big Momma's House 2 | Critical response
The fourth installment was directed by Rod Daniel and premiered as a television film on ABC on November 3, 2002. This film returns to the original's main character, Kevin (played by Mike Weinberg), and one of the two Wet Bandits, Marv (played by French Stewart). Kevin's parents have separated, and he lives with his mother. He decides to go spend Christmas with his father and his rich girlfriend, Natalie, but finds himself having to deal with his old nemesis Marv, and his new sidekick wife Vera (played by Missi Pyle) who replaces Harry. It was released to Region 1 DVD on October 20, 2003.
Home Alone (franchise) | "Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House" (2002)
A trailer used to advertise the film featured Connelly on a riding horse. "That wasn't something I felt all that comfortable about", Connelly said later. "Rolling Stone" later wondered if the filmmakers "perhaps realizing they had a complete dog of a movie on their hands, attempted to hard-sell the dubious teen flick as some sort of cleavage fanatic's wet dream." Hughes said the film was "a disappointment" because "I didn't have my usual creative controls." Hughes later claimed the film was "cheap and vulgar" and that his suggestions were ignored. He says he tried to take his name off the film but Universal refused in the wake of the success of "Home Alone".
Career Opportunities (film) | Critical response
Olsen also felt that changing the trinket Mari holds in the original film to a keepsake from her deceased brother turns the family into "heroic characters" who appear to be "defending their entitlement to a rustic second home and vintage motorboat, not their right to exist".
The Last House on the Left (2009 film) | Critical response
Rob Hunter of Film School Rejects found that both the first film and the sequel were guilty of "found footage issues that sink most others using the format;" but whereas the original "succeeds anyway thanks to strong chemistry between the friends and some terrifically creepy sequences," the second film "lacks the scares to make them forgivable." However, "Dread Central"s Matt Boiselle gave the film four out of five stars, writing: "The cinematography is much more streamlined this go-round, and it's nothing but a fun time to be had, that is until the real chills come rolling in, and it's a wait worth holding out for." M.
The Houses October Built 2 | Reception
One review of the third film sarcastically comments, "Believe it or not, the Big Momma's House series rigidly follows the classic Hollywood trilogy structure". By the third film, the series was derided for its unnecessary rehashing of the cross-dressing gimmick.
Big Momma's House | Critical response
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – Original Score is a 1992 soundtrack composed by John Williams, who also scored the first installment in the franchise. While the soundtrack is mostly a repeat of the first film's material, there are a few new prominent themes such as "Christmas Star" and "Plaza Hotel and Duncan's Toy Store". Ultimately, the soundtrack fell out of print.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Score
Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 13% of 98 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 3.63/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Dull and unfunny, this inexplicable sequel offers little more than the spectacle of digitally rendered talking animals with celebrity voices." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 30 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale, down from the first film's "B+". Joe Leydon of "Variety" called it "a faster, funnier follow-up" to the original film.
Cats &amp; Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore | Critical response
"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" was awarded Worst Sequel of 1992 by "Electronic Gaming Monthly". They also awarded it Worst Movie-to-Game of 1996.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (video game) | Reception
Peter Bradshaw of "The Guardian" termed the sequel as "weirdly irresistible" and gave it three out of five stars. He described his reaction to the first film as "a combination of hives and bubonic plague," but concedes that this time, the relentlessness and greater self-aware comedy made him smile. He concludes: "More enjoyable than I thought. But please. Enough now." Mark Kermode of "The Observer" gave the film five stars and commented, "This slick sequel delivers sharp one-liners, joyously contrived plot twists and an emotional punch that left our critic reeling." Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" awarded the film two and a half stars out of five, noting the absence of Streep for the majority of the film hindered his enjoyment, and saying, "her absence is deeply felt since the three-time Oscar winner sang and danced her heart out as Donna Sheridan".
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Critical response
"Which Way Home" has an approval rating of 100% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 8 reviews, and an average rating of 7.79/10.
Which Way Home | Critical response
Allmovie wrote, "when Day's philandering hubby Basil Radford comes home, the laughs start rolling in."
Room for Two | Critical reception
Roger Ebert was impressed by how Singer was able to handle so many characters in one film, but felt "the storyline did not live up to its potential". In addition, Ebert wrote that the film's closing was perfect for a future installment, giving "X2" three out of four stars. Kenneth Turan of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote that it was rare for a sequel to be better than its predecessor. Turan observed that the film carried emotional themes that are present in the world today and commented that "the acting was better than usual [for a superhero film]". Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" wrote that Hugh Jackman heavily improved his performance, concluding ""X2" is a summer firecracker.
X2 (film) | Critical response
In reality, he was left home by mistake. His family is en route to France for a holiday trip. While his parents realize their mistake and scramble to get back to the United States, Harry and Marv, a pair of thieves known as the "Wet Bandits", attempt to burgle the house and Kevin must foil them with a collection of homemade booby traps. They get arrested at the end of the film. The film became the highest-grossing film of 1990, grossing $476,684,675 worldwide. Despite a lukewarm reception from critics, it was popular with audiences. It was also nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Score for John Williams and Best Original Song for "Somewhere in My Memory", but lost to Dances with Wolves and Dick Tracy respectively.
Home Alone (franchise) | "Home Alone" (1990)
... Look at "Alone in the Dark II" more as a reboot than a sequel and it plays OK." YouTube critic Jim Sterling reviewed the film along with Conrad Zimmerman on his podcast, remarking that the film was terrible enough that it was hard to believe there could be worse films and noting the film was poor enough that his opinion may even end up on the article itself, although sarcastically so.
Alone in the Dark II (film) | Release and reception
Club" gave the film a "C" grade, saying, "Morano's film wants to examine the emotional consequences of immersing oneself in trauma, but Makowsky's script merely paws at the edges of the idea rather than diving into the knottiness of it."
I Think We're Alone Now (film) | Critical response
It's a pretty strange feeling to find yourself doing the same scene, so many years apart, for the second time in your career.
Time After Time (1979 film) | Critical response
The film follows Kevin McCallister as he accidentally boards the wrong flight to New York City and finds himself confronted by the same two burglars. "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" was released on November 20, 1992 to mixed reviews but strong box office results, grossing $359 million worldwide. Janet Maslin for "The New York Times" wrote that ""Home Alone 2" may be lazily conceived, but it is staged with a sense of occasion and a lot of holiday cheer. The return of Mr. Culkin in this role is irresistible, even if this utterly natural comic actor has been given little new to do.
Chris Columbus (filmmaker) | 1991–2000: Comedies and romances
Shashwat Pant of "Onlinekhabar" wrote, "Overall, the movie is disappointing. It felt like watching another sequel of Chakka Panja mainly because most of the members of the cast were same and everything was presented in a similar way." Anand Nepal of "Xnepali" wrote, "The movie is very entertaining, the actors have done a great job. The technical aspect of the movie is also very good."
Shatru Gate | Critical response
"TV Guide" called the film, "one of the weaker series entries."
Old Mother Riley at Home | Critical reception
John DeFore ("The Hollywood Reporter") wrote that the film's characters were mostly unsympathetic and that more humor would have improved the film. Stephen Whitty of "The Newark Star-Ledger", in a review for "The Portland Oregonian", gave the film a C+ rating, agreeing it was unoriginal and uninventive, comparing it to "The Purge" and "The Last House on the Left". Scott Bowles of "USA Today" gave "You're Next" a negative review, describing it as repetitive and stating that it did not have a purpose.
You're Next | Critical response
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the "Home Alone" series and the sequel to the 1990 film "Home Alone". The film stars Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Tim Curry, Brenda Fricker and Catherine O'Hara. The film follows Kevin (Culkin), a 10-year-old boy, who once again must fend off two burglars, Harry and Marv (Pesci and Stern), after he is mistakenly separated from his family on their Christmas vacation. Filming for "Home Alone 2" took place from December 1991 to May 1992 in Chicago and New York City, including at the Rockefeller Center and the original World Trade Center.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Introduction
No, on second thought, I suppose not. Certainly not with David Niven looking so uncomfortable you wish, for his sake, he were in another movie, or even unemployed. Anywhere except under those pigeons." It is one of only four films Ebert walked out on (the others being "Caligula", "Jonathan Livingston Seagull", and "Tru Loved).
The Statue (1971 film) | Critical response
... Robertson and McGrath enjoy a feisty comic rapport. And the film showcases Shebib's greatest storytelling talent – a tender honesty that brings characters alive." He finds some scenes not convincing, "including the feel-good ending." Brian Johnson said that the "sequel does not recapture the magic" of the original, adding "How could it?", but, speaking of lead McGrath, admired how "the wry, wistful resignation of his performance—intercut with glimpses of the young Pete, dumb and wild with the wind in his hair—speaks volumes." Norman Wilner, giving the film the equivalent of 1 star out of 5, branded the film "a wheezy, flat and unnecessary follow-up that tries in the clumsiest way imaginable to slap a happy ending on the first film's downbeat story." He thought Kathleen Robertson brought "some energy", but that "Shebib's script is only interested in her symbolic function", concluding: "it's all such a waste." In a 2018 review, Shaun Lang disagrees that the sequel does not do justice to the original film: "Don Shebib and company are more than up to the task," and the film "superbly meshes an older generation with a new one." Assigning the film a 7.5/10, he says McGrath is in fine form, and "Kathleen Robertson commands her screen time well as McGrath's new onscreen partner", conceding "it may veer dangerously close to cookie cutter TV-movie territory at times".
Down the Road Again | Critical response
Although the film doesn't match up to the first, Collin concludes "it's worthwhile on its own terms." Peter Bradshaw of "the Guardian" rated the film four stars out of five, saying it has "the same punchy energy, the same defiant pessimism" as the first film. Ann Hornaday of "The Washington Post" called the film "respectable exercise in fan service".
T2 Trainspotting | Critical response
Abrams does not think the film even succeeded on its own merits, and says "There's not only nothing new here, there's nothing convincing either".
Bumblebee (film) | Critical response
Generally, the movie was praised for its visuals but received criticism regarding the attitude of the narration and the contradiction between its message and the sponsors' legacy. Jeannette Catsoulis of "The New York Times" criticizes the film's narration and Glenn Close, narrator in the English version, both regarding content and style: "We've heard it all before, if not in the schoolmarmish tones of Glenn Close, whose patronizing narration […] makes the film feel almost as long as the life of its subject." Furthermore, she denounces the film's accusations towards the modern "lifestyle that 'destroys the essential to produce the superfluous'—an accusation that the film's bankrollers, led by the corporation behind luxury brands like Balenciaga and Gucci, are probably familiar with…" Jean-Michel Frodon, a French movie critic, expressed the opinion that ""Home" had many viewers but didn't have much echo" because Arthus-Bertrand's personality, activities and his innovative no-cost concept have captured more attention than the movie itself.
Home (2009 film) | Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 123 reviews, and an average rating of 3.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A formulaic comedy that's unlikely to spread much yuletide merriment, "Daddy's Home 2" can only muster a few stray yuks from its talented cast." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 30 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. Alonso Duralde of "TheWrap" was critical of what he described as the film's sloppiness and laziness, saying, "Director Sean Anders and his co-writer John Morris execute what are supposed to be the laughs with blunt force.
Daddy's Home 2 | Critical response
It runs 81 minutes which seem like 181."
Way Back Home (1931 film) | Critical reception
Maybe his intentions weren't to make us laugh or get chills down our spine - it's a parody, after all. Perhaps he just wanted to make a statement about the inherent evil of domesticity. If so, it could have been done many other ways.""
The Refrigerator (film) | Critical reception
The McCallister family is preparing to spend Christmas in Miami, and gathers at Peter and Kate's Chicago home. Their youngest son, Kevin, sees Florida as contradictory to Christmas, due to its lack of Christmas trees. Later, at a school pageant, Kevin's brother, Buzz, pulls a prank against him, and Kevin retaliates, ruining the pageant. Buzz apologizes, but Kevin berates his family before storming to the attic, wishing to have his own vacation alone. The family accidentally oversleeps again and they rush to make their flight. At the airport, Kevin loses sight of his family and inadvertently boards a flight to New York City.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Plot
The film was released on November 20, 1992, and grossed over $173 million in revenue in the United States and $359 million worldwide against a budget of $28 million. A sequel featuring a new cast of characters, "Home Alone 3", followed in 1997.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Introduction
In the "Alone in the Dark" DVD commentary, he responds to criticism that his adaptations make significant changes to the plot and style of the source material: "Fans are always totally flipping out and I understand that the fan of a video game has his own agenda in his head and has his ideas about what is a good movie and what is a bad movie." Referring to "House of the Dead", Boll said: "I think I made a perfect "House of the Dead" movie, because it really shows how the game is. It's a lot of fun, it's over-the-top action." Boll is especially critical of his Internet detractors.
Uwe Boll | Response to criticism
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 27% based on 150 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The site's consensus reads: "The one joke premise is stretched a bit thin in this messy sequel, but a few laughs can be had here and there." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 37 out of 100, based on reviews from 34 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B. Roger Ebert gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, and wrote "If the first film seemed to flow naturally from the premise, this one seems to slink uneasily onto the screen, aware that it feels exactly like a facile, superficial recycling job." The film won the award for Worst Sequel at the 2002 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.
Analyze That | Critical reception
He noted that the film follows the model of "Scary Movie" but lacked the comic finesse of Anna Faris.
Not Another Teen Movie | Critical response
In a series where House has virtually phoned in his diagnoses, here he is with his sleeves rolled up amputating a woman's leg. And still he can't save her. And Hugh Laurie had sheer desperation in his eyes throughout those scenes which actually connected with me as a viewer."
Help Me (House) | Critical response
Hunter has a lovely scene with her disgruntled sister, but there's no time for that relationship to develop, what with a romantic interest yet to explore." In his review for "Rolling Stone" magazine, Peter Travers had problems with the screenplay: "It's a shame that W.D. Richter's un-Disney-ish script often slides into shrill stereotypes and sitcom silliness."
Home for the Holidays (1995 film) | Critical response
The sequel received mixed reviews. According to Ken Tucker: According to Rick Kogan:
Return to Lonesome Dove | Reception
He decides to get high, and as the paranoia side-effects set in, he believes he hears a break-in. As he discovers thieves have broken into his home, fully stoned and fueled by the weed, he tries to 'defend his castle'. By August 2018, Frizzell stated that the script was being tweaked in order to enhance the emotional Christmas-side of the story, with the goal being to have "Stoned Alone" feel as much like the original "Home Alone" films as possible, noting how important it was as a fan of the films and Chris Columbus it was to get the story right.
Home Alone (franchise) | Related film
"Tears Don't Fall" drew the most response, thus a sequel was released entitled "Tears Don't Fall (Part 2)".
Tears Don't Fall | Critical reception
Nonetheless, he complimented Tommy Lee Jones' "deadpan" portrayal, saying "Whenever Herek doesn't know what to do -- and that's frequently -- he cuts to Jones, radiating world-weariness with the aplomb of Fred Astaire, and it's always funny."
Man of the House (2005 film) | Critical response
"Home Alone 3" was pitched at the same time as "", and both films were meant to be produced simultaneously; however, those plans fell through. The idea for a third "Home Alone" movie was revived in the mid-1990s; early drafts called for Macaulay Culkin to return as a teenage Kevin McCallister, however, by 1994, Culkin was no longer acting. As a result, the idea was reworked, centering on a new cast of characters. It was filmed in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, with the airport scenes in the beginning of the film being shot at two different concourses at O'Hare International Airport.
Home Alone 3 | Production
While admitting the film looked cheaply made, and featured poor audio and dubbing; Alan commended the film's gore effects, decent acting, disturbing atmosphere and tone, writing, "While it may not neighbor to the caliber of Last House On the Left, it is truly a house worth at least visiting at least once".
Last House on Dead End Street | Critical response
Vincent Canby of "The New York Times" did not care for the film although he praised its intelligence and some of the actors: Roger Ebert of "The Chicago Sun-Times" did not care for the film and gave it 2 out of 4 stars:
Going Home (1971 film) | Critical reception
The first piece, "Bricks," is slow in starting, and the second, "Home," is emotionally flat and can't mask the amateurishness of the leads. "The City" has its awkward and rough edges, but there's a purity here, a goodness of intention and a commitment to justice.
The City (1998 film) | Critical response
Ray Conlogue of "The Globe and Mail" criticized Beaudin's decision to depict Claude's murder as the very first scene in the movie, writing that it robbed the movie of "the precious ambiguity of our feelings about Yves. Instead of letting him lead us - along with the police interrogator - slowly, carefully, with almost virginal reticence, into the interior world that dictated Claude's death, we are slapped in the face with it." He ultimately concluded that the film's success or failure "depends on whether you can persuade yourself that Dubois, self-styled 'transgressor of our fears' and gainsayer of God, succeeds in his project.
Being at Home with Claude | Critical response
He said the film "develops such a clean, uncluttered line from beginning to end that we're drawn through it (and into it) effortlessly. The experience is not so much like watching a movie, as like ... well, like spying on your neighbors. Hitchcock traps us right from the first ... And because Hitchcock makes us accomplices in Stewart's voyeurism, we're along for the ride. When an enraged man comes bursting through the door to kill Stewart, we can't detach ourselves, because we looked too, and so we share the guilt and in a way we deserve what's coming to him."
Rear Window | Critical reaction
On a scale of one to 10, I wouldn't say that "Face the Music" goes to 11, but it's a most excellent sequel." Writing for "The Hollywood Reporter", John DeFore called the film "an uneven but likable return" and said: "Dean Parisot's "Bill & Ted Face the Music" is almost exactly as good as its two big-screen predecessors — make of that statement what you will — while cleaning up some, but not all, of the things that might make an old fan of those films cringe today."
Bill &amp; Ted Face the Music | Critical response
"Home Alone 2" opened to $31.1 million from 2,222 theaters, averaging $14,008 per site. While it started off better than "Home Alone", grossing $100 million in 24 days compared to 33 days for the original, the final box office gross was lower with $173.6 million in the United States and Canada and a worldwide total of $359 million, compared to $476 million for the first film. The film was released in the United Kingdom on December 11, 1992, and topped the country's box office that weekend. The film is the third highest-grossing film released in 1992 behind "The Bodyguard" and "Aladdin".
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Box office
Hunter still holds together "Home for the Holidays" with a sympathetic performance." In his review for the "Boston Globe", Jay Carr praised the film for being "filled with juicy performances that expand resourcefully beyond what we think are going to be their boundaries, the film carries us beyond our expectations. That's what makes it so pleasurable." "USA Today" gave the film three out of four stars and wrote, ""Home" has the usual hellish ritual. They come, they eat, they argue, they leave. It's the stuffing in-between that makes it special." However, in her review for "The Washington Post", Rita Kempley criticized some of the performances: "Downey brings a lot of energy to the role, but his antics can be both tedious and distracting.
Home for the Holidays (1995 film) | Critical response
Kevin Thomas of "The Los Angeles Times" called it a satisfying sequel, and wrote "This is one "return" that's surely welcome."
Universal Soldier: The Return | Critical response
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+-F scale. It also won the award for Worst Sequel at the 1998 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer | Critical response
For Keaton's character, Ebert called him "unrecognizable behind pounds of makeup" and stated that "his scenes don't seem to fit with the other action".
Beetlejuice | Critical response
The film has an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on nine reviews with an average rating of 7.75/10.
Coming Home Again | Reception
"Home Alone" is a coming-of-age story about an 8-year-old boy named Kevin McCallister. He is the youngest of five children who is frequently tormented by his older brothers and sisters. After events transpire between him and his family, he wishes he had no family when his mother is punishing him for what he feels are unjustified reasons. She warns him to be careful what he wishes for and he ignores it. He wakes up the next day to discover he is the only one left in the house. He thinks his wish came true and that he is finally alone without his obnoxious family.
Home Alone (franchise) | "Home Alone" (1990)
Roger Ebert called it a disappointment, saying he reviewed "GhostbustersII" in a public screening and heard no laughter during the entire film. Several reviewers criticized the film for too closely emulating the structure and story elements of its predecessor. Gene Siskel called it a poor copy that offered nothing new, as though they "were filming the first draft of a script". Richard Schickel was critical of the glut of sequels in 1989 in his review. He said that "GhostbustersII" offered only slight variations over the original without further developing the characters, and had a "shamelessly" similar ending. "Time Out" echoed sentiments that the film largely retraced the events of its predecessor, and the addition of an infant came across as a convenience.
Ghostbusters II | Critical response
The sequel was not as successful as the first film. Kevin Thomas of the "Los Angeles Times" commented that "'FX2' is more elaborate [than the original], especially in its gadgetry, and at times more improbable than the original, but it’s just as much fun, largely because Brian Dennehy’s veteran Irish cop now gets equal screen time with Brown." Stephen Holden of "The New York Times" opined that "as long as it is fixated on gadgetry, 'FX2' is reasonably entertaining. But when the movie focuses on plot and character, it turns quite dotty in an amiable way. The story is as far-fetched as it is tortuous and deals with police corruption, the theft of some priceless gold coins, relations between the Mafia and the Vatican, and a boy's computer software.
F/X2 | Critical reception