CineTV Contest: Classic Rascals or Modern Romance?

Ho, Ho, Ho... lol, hello beautiful people.
I write this article with a grin on my face, I just can’t help it. Christmas is such a happy time of year. It’s when we collectively decide to forget our worries, go along with the jolly, and, of course, binge-watch every holiday movie under the sun (at least, we try, lol)

This Christmas, my siblings and I had an all-night moviethon. Picture this: cozy blankets, non-alcoholic wine, and a lineup of both classic and new holiday films. It was bliss.

So to answer the question; “what is your favorite holiday movie" is a dilemma. Honestly, how am I supposed to choose between the timeless classics and newer releases of the whimsical, sparkly, rom-com? Well, I tried, and here’s what I came up with: my heart belongs to Home Alone (1990).

Before you roll your eyes, hear me out. Yes, it’s the most predictable answer, but there’s a reason Home Alone is a Christmas staple. It’s everything a holiday movie should be: funny, heartwarming, and just the right amount of chaotic, did I mention funny? Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old left behind by his family, is a whole mood. He’s resourceful, sarcastic, and somehow manages to outwit two full-grown burglars. It’s like watching David vs. Goliath, but with more booby traps and fewer slingshots, lol.

What really gets me, though, is the focus on family. Sure, Kevin’s family should get an award for best in negligence (how do you forget your kid in a whole other country?), but the heart of the movie is how both Kevin and his family longed to be re-united. It’s messy, imperfect, and oh-so-relatable. This minute, we miss our family and the next, we can’t wait to be away from them. But we still love one another, tell me what is more relatable?

Now, compare that to Meet Me Next Christmas, one of the newer holiday movies we watched this year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute. It’s the kind of movie where the storyline feels like it was sprinkled with fairy dust. The whole plot revolves around the magical coincidence of two strangers falling in love during the holidays. There’s snow, glittering lights, and enough romantic tension to fuel a thousand love songs by the beautiful Pentatonix, oh how I love pentatonix!

But here’s the thing, as much as I love it, it can’t take the crown for ‘my favourite”. Maybe I’m a little bitter because love hasn’t exactly come knocking at my door yet. Or maybe I just don’t buy into the whole fantasy. I mean, where’s the chaos? The sarcasm? The family drama? The wild shenanigans of a kid fending off burglars with paint cans? I’ll take rom-coms but not as a Christmas special.
screenshot of a scene from meet me next Christmas

Christmas, for me, isn’t about romance and fairy tales. It’s about the messy, hilarious, and heartwarming moments we share with the people we call family. That’s what makes Home Alone so special, it reminds us that even when family drives us up the wall (or accidentally leaves us behind), they’re still the people we want to come home to.

So, while Meet Me Next Christmas is great for a dreamy romantic fairytale vibe; I mean, who wouldn’t want Pentatonix singing to them as their one true love confesses? However, Home Alone (1990) will always be my go-to. Maybe one day, when love does find me, I’ll appreciate the romantic cuteness of movies like Meet Me Next Christmas. But until then, I’ll stick with the laughs, the mischief, and the reminder that family, flawed and chaotic as they may be, is what truly makes Christmas magical.

Thank you for reading! 🥰
All images used in this article are mine

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