Although many may choose to argue in the opposite direction, I will now tell you why Home Alone is easily the darkest movie on this list. A list that is accentuated by dead people so far, mind you.
Home Alone is a movie about a sadistic (yet genius) kid who sets various brutal traps around his house to keep two old creepy guys from breaking in and robbing him while he is home alone during Christmas. Keep in mind, after a few of these traps, the “Wet Bandits” make it clear that they intend to harm Kevin if they get into the house.
So, in essence, whether you all know it or not, Home Alone is basically like the movie Straw Dogs. Just with far less rape.
Why does it appeal to both kids and adults then? Perhaps you should re-read this whole entry if you don’t know the answer to that. I could say much more about this one, but some lacklustre sequels really sucked some of the wind out of this movies’ sail. I would love to see a sequel when Kevin is in his twenties and a serial killer, though.
I better go write that, right now.