By Owen Pierotti, ’27

Staff Writer

Christmas movies seem to take over our televisions this time of year. It’s hard to flip through the channels without finding at least one to watch at any given point in the day. Two popular hits are Home Alone and Elf. Released in 1990, Home Alone stars Macaulay Culkin as a boy left behind when his family takes a holiday vacation; he is forced to defend his home from bungling burglars and learns that he misses his family despite their squabbles. It’s rated 7.7 out of 10 on IMDB.com. Elf debuted in 2003, and tells the story of Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf, who finds out he’s a human among elves and journeys from the North Pole to find his real dad and his place in the world. Elf is rated 7.1 out of 10 on IMDB.com. 

Among HHS students, opinion is split on which of these movies is the best. 

“I love both but they’re very different vibes,” said Maddie Curtis, a junior. “I prefer Elf because it’s funny all the way through and you can watch it with everyone, even little kids. With Home Alone, the best part is the ending.”

While Maddie said this, her friend sat beside her shaking her head and scrunching up her face, proof of how controversial this debate can get! In fact, two other students would only give their opinion if they remained anonymous.

“I prefer Elf because it’s funny,” said one.

“Home Alone is funny,” said another. “I get to watch people fall down and it’s not too Christmasy.”

In my opinion, both movies are very different. Elf is about helping Santa and finding your place, while Home Alone is about being lost on Christmas. Sure, Buddy and Kevin are both abandoned in a way, but they are very different characters. If I had to choose one over the other, I’d pick Home Alone because it has always felt like home to me whenever I have watched it! 

What’s your favorite Christmas movie? 

Featured image: https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1367384/home-alone-elf-christmas-movies-films-watch-2020-love-actually-noelle-disney-plus