Episode 132 - HOME ALONE / HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK

The first two Home Alone movies didn't just give us ideas for inflicting pain and suffering upon hapless burglars. They affirmed the importance of familial bonds, turned Macaulay Culkin into a prepubescent celebrity icon, and sold kids a dream of heroic self-sufficiency via jury-rigged deathtraps and handheld voice changers. More than just a slapstick romp, Home Alone has blossomed into an essential holiday tradition.

Join us for a yuletide double feature as we thoroughly unpack the McAllister mythos, from its homespun John Hughes-ian roots to its emergence as an unstoppable--and unchanging--comedic force. Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals! (And a happy new year!)

Home Alone (1990)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written and produced by John Hughes
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Roberts Blossom, and John Candy

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written and produced by John Hughes
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Tim Curry, Dana Ivey, Rob Schneider, Eddie Bracken, and Brenda Fricker

Episode 66 - BEETLEJUICE

Beetlejuice is an example of collaborative filmmaking at its finest, combining a wonderfully weird script, startling visual realizations of director Tim Burton's macabre vision, and virtuosic comedy from the likes of Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton. It's a shambling story that feels made up on the fly, but to fans--much like the outpouring of appreciation for the movie's perverse title character--the blemishes simply contribute to a greater overall charm.

Brian Rudloff returns to help us unfurl our freak flags as we examine a movie that looms large in early nightmares and latter-day nostalgia alike.

Beetlejuice (1988)
Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Michael Bender, Richard Hashimoto, and Larry Wilson
Written by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren
Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder, Glenn Shadix, Sylvia Sidney, and Michael Keaton