3. Home Alone (1990)
There are few Christmas movies as iconic as the Home Alone movies (at least, the first two). Macaulay Culkin’s role as Kevin McCallister in the 1990 original is still the actor’s best-known credit over three decades on, and the film has become a Christmas staple. That said, much like all the other Christmas movies on this list, it really isn’t suitable for kids.
Home Alone follows eight-year-old Kevin when he’s left home alone for the holidays. After realizing that his house is being targeted by thieves, Kevin rigs the entire home with makeshift traps, leading to a hilariously unforgettable series of misfortunes for the antagonists. However, it also teaches children many potentially harmful lessons.
First, it sends the message that eight-year-olds can be entirely self-sufficient. It skims over the horrific way Kevn is treated by his family. It asserts that a child can evade truly evil people using a little ingenuity. It also shows Kevin engaging in multiple dangerous acts, playing with electricity, razors, hot irons, and more. It’s essentially a guidebook for everything kids shouldn’t do, and it’s somehow presented as a family-friendly film.