Cheaper by the Dozen/Home Alone (1990) (Side-by-Side Packaging)

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN: College sweethearts Tom (Steve Martin) and Kate (Bonnie Hunt) both dreamed of having a huge family and fulfilling careers. But after they had a few kids, Kate gave up her career as a sportswriter, Tom abandoned his hope of becoming the coach of their alma mater's football team, and they moved their brood from the city to the country. Now, after twelve children and a happy life in rural Illinois, Tom has been offered the chance to live his dream and coach the Stallions. No sooner does the family pack up and move to Chicago to pursue Tom's dream job then Kate's ship comes in as well; a publisher has picked up her manuscript based on her experiences raising twelve children. Of course, there's a hitch. Kate has to go to New York for a few days, leaving Tom as the primary care giver for his clan. Can Tom hold it together with his kids--who didn't want to move in the first place--pulling him one way and the university pulling him the other? Shawn Levy directs this likable update of the 1950 film of the same title which was based on a true story.

HOME ALONE: Eight year old Kevin MacAllister (MaCaulay Culkin) gets lost in the shuffle as his large, upper-middle class suburban family rushes to make a plane that will ferry them off to their Christmas vacation in France; Kevin, having been banished to an attic room as punishment, is subsequently forgotten. At first this is a dream come true, as for the first time in his young life he has no one to answer to but himself, and he takes full advantage of his newfound freedom, eating junk food and watching late-night horror flicks. But when the bumbling Wet Bandits Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) target his house for a robbery, Kevin must step up to defend his home; he sets a maze of booby traps so elaborate that only an eight year old imagination could concoct them. Ultimately, Kevin learns the importance of family during the holidays in a touching reunion with his clan that is highlighted by the film's amazing original score, which was nominated for an Academy Award.