The ‘Home Alone‘ Take That Leaves Us And Gene Siskel Dumbfounded

Siskel & Ebert was the most popular movie review show of its era. It featured famed movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert sprinkling their own half hour television show with movie clips and verbal reviews of newly released films. The show ran for 25 years (monthly for its first three years) and under the name Siskel & Ebert from 1986-99.

Home Alone, one of the most successful movies from the 1990’s spawned multiple sequels, all of which showcase the same format of a kid being left alone who then ends up resorting to trickery to fight bad guys who are essentially trying to break into the home.

Of course, Macaulay Culkin was the kid star playing the lead role in the first two films, and can probably easily make a Home Alone movie today at 40+ years old that would be a truly hilarious parody of the films. However, that movie will likely will never happen. Culkin playing the same role as a grown-up whose kid has left home alone might have a better chance at happening.

Either way, Home Alone is a money-making franchise of six films, with the most recent being the 2021 Disney Plus feature Home Sweet Home Alone. Siskel and Ebert found themselves reviewing a film in the franchise three different times in the 1990’s.

Recently, X user JFrankensteiner posted a video of Roger Elbert’s review of Home Alone 3 in 1997, and it’s worth watching if only for for the reaction of Gene Siskel, whose facial expressions say as much as his verbal responses.

Siskel wrapped up his review of Home Alone 3 by saying, “I feel for every family that’s gonna be suckered into seeing Home Alone 3.”

Siskel was then floored by Ebert’s review, especially considering that Ebert even said he believed that Home Alone 3 was better than the first two, adding, “This is the one where they finally got it right.”

Two things about Ebert’s review don’t make much sense, however, and Siskel calls him out both times. First, Ebert claims that part of the reason why he likes it better than the first two is that it’s not as violent as the second one, to which Siskel replies by pointing out it’s more violent than the first one.

Then, Ebert claims that the reason why part 3 is the best one is because “Little kids love the idea that they can somehow effect the outcome, that they can have power over grownups.”

Ebert ignores that the first movie accomplishes this, and that idea is simply copied in the sequels, something Siskel basically reminds Ebert of.

Certainly, at this point, the first two films are considered iconic by many, party because they are the ones that feature the franchise’s original star, Macaulay Culkin.

It makes one wonder what Ebert would’ve thought of Home Sweet Home Alone, the sixth movie in the never-ending franchise.

Surely he would have praised it (though it actually was a good film), but Siskel would remind him that the entire premise of the series was perfected with the first two, and that sometimes the third time isn’t the charm — let alone the sixth.

Siskel & Ebert was the most popular movie review show of its era. It featured famed movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert sprinkling their own half hour television show with movie clips and verbal reviews of newly released films. The show ran for 25 years (monthly for its first three years) and under the name Siskel & Ebert from 1986-99.

Home Alone, one of the most successful movies from the 1990’s spawned multiple sequels, all of which showcase the same format of a kid being left alone who then ends up resorting to trickery to fight bad guys who are essentially trying to break into the home.

Of course, Macaulay Culkin was the kid star playing the lead role in the first two films, and can probably easily make a Home Alone movie today at 40+ years old that would be a truly hilarious parody of the films. However, that movie will likely will never happen. Culkin playing the same role as a grown-up whose kid has left home alone might have a better chance at happening.

Either way, Home Alone is a money-making franchise of six films, with the most recent being the 2021 Disney Plus feature Home Sweet Home Alone. Siskel and Ebert found themselves reviewing a film in the franchise three different times in the 1990’s.

Recently, X user JFrankensteiner posted a video of Roger Elbert’s review of Home Alone 3 in 1997, and it’s worth watching if only for for the reaction of Gene Siskel, whose facial expressions say as much as his verbal responses.

Siskel wrapped up his review of Home Alone 3 by saying, “I feel for every family that’s gonna be suckered into seeing Home Alone 3.”

Siskel was then floored by Ebert’s review, especially considering that Ebert even said he believed that Home Alone 3 was better than the first two, adding, “This is the one where they finally got it right.”

Two things about Ebert’s review don’t make much sense, however, and Siskel calls him out both times. First, Ebert claims that part of the reason why he likes it better than the first two is that it’s not as violent as the second one, to which Siskel replies by pointing out it’s more violent than the first one.

Then, Ebert claims that the reason why part 3 is the best one is because “Little kids love the idea that they can somehow effect the outcome, that they can have power over grownups.”

Ebert ignores that the first movie accomplishes this, and that idea is simply copied in the sequels, something Siskel basically reminds Ebert of.

Certainly, at this point, the first two films are considered iconic by many, party because they are the ones that feature the franchise’s original star, Macaulay Culkin.

It makes one wonder what Ebert would’ve thought of Home Sweet Home Alone, the sixth movie in the never-ending franchise.

Surely he would have praised it (though it actually was a good film), but Siskel would remind him that the entire premise of the series was perfected with the first two, and that sometimes the third time isn’t the charm — let alone the sixth.