New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Is Home Alone a Top 5 Christmas Movie? ft. Kylie Kelce | New Heights Film Club

December 19, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The Kelces and Kylie Kelce reviewed the 1990 film *Home Alone* as part of the *New Heights Film Club*, noting its enduring classic status despite plot absurdities like the lack of immediate contact with authorities. 
  • Jason Kelce identified himself as Kevin McCallister in the sibling dynamic, while Travis Kelce suggested he would thrive most in a *Home Alone* scenario. 
  • The consensus placed *Home Alone* near the top tier of Christmas movies, with one host ranking it just outside the top five, ultimately giving the film a PFF grade of 94.6. 

Segments

Home Alone Initial Reactions
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(00:00:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The New Heights Film Club episode features Kylie Kelce reviewing the 1990 Christmas classic Home Alone.
  • Summary: The episode officially kicks off the New Heights Film Club segment dedicated to reviewing Home Alone. The hosts confirm the film’s release year was 1990, which surprised some of them. The segment also briefly touches on the sequel, Home Alone 2, which was released in 1992.
Children’s Reaction to Movie
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(00:02:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Kylie Kelce’s children have seen Home Alone, with Ellie calling it ‘Home Alone’ and being particularly scared by the scene involving the zipline and the ‘slipping silver’.
  • Summary: Kylie’s daughter, Ellie, referred to the movie as ‘Home Alone’ and asked about the zipline scene, confusingly calling it ’that rope.’ Travis Kelce admitted that as a child, he also wanted the ability to zip line out of his window.
Film Quality and Nostalgia
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(00:03:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The film’s score is considered fantastic, and the movie holds up well because its dated elements now contribute to its status as a period-specific, nostalgic piece.
  • Summary: The opening music and score of Home Alone are praised for being magical and instantly setting a Christmas mood. While some elements are dated, the movie’s nostalgic setting allows it to age gracefully. A dated element noted is the implication that children cannot trust cops but can trust the creepy neighbor with the shovel.
Childhood Runaway Scenarios
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(00:04:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Both Jason and Travis Kelce admitted to having run away from home as children, though Jason only made it a short distance.
  • Summary: The hosts discussed wishing for their families to disappear, leading to a tangent about running away from home. Travis packed a bag with chips and toys before hiding in the bushes, while Jason simply walked out the door until he realized he didn’t know where to go.
Kevin vs. Buzz Archetypes
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(00:06:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Travis identified himself as Kevin due to the younger sibling dynamic, while Jason’s planning skills, exemplified by Kevin’s Rube Goldberg traps, suggest he fits the Kevin role.
  • Summary: Travis believes the older siblings naturally pick on the younger ones, leading him to identify as Kevin. Jason’s detailed planning of the booby traps, likened to an offensive coordinator’s map, suggests he embodies Kevin’s strategic brilliance.
Home Alone Plot Recap
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(00:11:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The plot centers on the McCallisters leaving Kevin behind while flying to France, forcing him to defend his home against the burglars known as the Wet Bandits (Harry and Marv).
  • Summary: The family rushes to the airport after a power outage causes alarm clocks to fail, forgetting Kevin asleep in the attic. Kevin initially enjoys being alone until he realizes the danger posed by the Wet Bandits casing the neighborhood. Kevin successfully defends the house using elaborate Rube Goldberg-style booby traps before the neighbor saves him.
Parental Failures Critique
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(00:16:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The parents’ failure to immediately contact numerous relatives or authorities upon realizing Kevin was missing is deemed the most unbelievable aspect of the plot.
  • Summary: Jason argues that in the 1990s, it should have been easy to call extended family or local contacts to check on Kevin instead of waiting days for flights. The father, Peter McCallister, is singled out for being particularly disinterested in pursuing the issue quickly.
Favorite Movie Scenes
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(00:21:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts favored the opening chaos of the large family gathering and Kevin’s meticulous planning and execution of the booby traps.
  • Summary: Travis enjoyed the relatable chaos of the large family Christmas morning, including arguments over pizza and paper plates. Jason appreciated the mayhem and the highly orchestrated execution of Kevin’s defensive traps. Travis’s favorite action scene was when Kevin stole the toothbrush and fled from the police, immediately feeling guilty afterward.
Macaulay Culkin’s Performance
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(00:24:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Macaulay Culkin’s acting is considered perfect for the role, possessing a dry sense of humor while maintaining a childlike appearance.
  • Summary: The cast, especially Macaulay Culkin, is highly praised, noting his ability to converse with adults as if he were one. This demeanor is compared to Patrick Bacon, who exhibited similar bargaining skills with coaches from a very young age.
Christmas Movie Ranking Debate
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(00:30:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts debated whether Home Alone ranks in their personal top five Christmas movies, with some preferring Home Alone 2 or Elf.
  • Summary: One host stated they would place Home Alone in the number five slot of their top Christmas movies, listing Grinch, Home Alone 2, and Elf as potentially ranking higher. The movie scored highly on ‘Christmasness’ (98/100) and ‘Acting’ (100/100) but lower on ‘Plot’ (70/100 due to holes).