Few child actors in the history of Hollywood have ever been as rich and famous as Macaulay Culkin. After playing a few unheralded characters early in his career, Culkin broke out and rose to international superstardom following his starring role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, the second biggest box-office hit of 1990. For his reprisal of the role in the sequel two years later, Culkin was paid a staggering $4.5 million at the age of 12.
Culkin disappeared from the limelight for a full decade from 1994 to 2004, eventually reemerging to star in several movies between then and now. With Home Alone sure to play on a continuous loop from now until Christmas, here's how his other films stack up.
Best - Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992) 6.8
Although it cost a little more to make and grossed less than the original, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York still ranks among Culkin's five best movies, according to IMDB. Written by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, the filmmaking pedigree of the first film largely remains intact.
Rather than being left alone in his Chicago abode, the sequel finds Kevin taking the wrong flight to New York while the rest of his family travel to Paris for the holidays. As he holes up at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, the Sticky Bandits Marv and Harry look to avenge their humiliating defeat from the first film.
Worst - See You In The Morning (1989) 5.7/10
Before rising to international prominence as Kevin McCallister, Culkin played Jeff Bridges' son in the romantic drama See You In The Morning.
Written and directed by Alan J. Pakula, Bridges stars as Larry Livingston, a man who divorces his wife and falls for a single mother of two. As Larry tries desperately to ingratiate himself to his new lover's children, who still mourn the death of their father, he struggles to connect with them. With his own two children to care for, Larry does all he can to make the relationship work.
Best - My Girl (1991) 6.9/10
One year after playing the cool, funny, extroverted Kevin McCallister, Culkin played a diametrically opposite character in My Girl. As Thomas J. Sennett in the film, Culkin portrays a sensitive, bespectacled, allergy-ridden sweetheart.
My Girl is the coming-of-age story of Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky), a young girl dealing with changes in her life as adolescence approaches. When Vada's widowed father Harry (Dan Aykroyd) begins to fall for his new coworker Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), the 11-year-old has mixed feelings. Helping her cope is her new friend, Thomas, who literally risks his life to make Vada happy.
Worst - Changeland (2019) 5.7/10
The most recent film Culkin appeared in happened to be Changeland, the 2019 dramedy written and directed by his longtime pal Seth Green. With a tagline boasting that "friendship is a journey," the film centers on two old friends who attempt to rekindle their connection on vacation in Thailand.
Upon learning of his wife's infidelity, Brandon (Green) invites his estranged buddy Dan (Breckin Meyer) to take her place on a pre-arranged trip to Thailand. A series of wacky mishaps ensue as the two men search for the meaning of life.
Best - Uncle Buck (1989) 7.0/10
Without his hysterical, scene-stealing turn in John Hughes' Uncle Buck, chances are very strong Culkin never would have played Kevin McCallister in Home Alone. Hughes not only wrote Home Alone, but the film also starred Uncle Buck himself, John Candy.
When one of their grandparents fall ill, Miles (Culkin) and Maisey Russell (Gabby Hoffman) are babysat by their drunk, gambling, and hilariously irresponsible uncle Buck. Frightened by his methods at first, the kids come to love Buck's warmhearted ways despite his tendency for self-destruction.
Worst - Jerusalemski Sindrom (2004) 5.1/10
One of the first movies Culkin made following his decade-long respite was an adventurous drama called Jerusalemski Sindrom, aka Syndrome Jerusalem. The Middle-Eastern film also featured the likes of Martin Sheen and Charlotte Rampling.
While the film was shown at the 2004 Venice Film Festival in Italy and released theatrically in Croatia, the film never saw a U.S. release. The story concerns the unrequited romance between Bozidar (Bozidar Alic) and Mary (Rachel Binder) as they attempt to use their love to conquer evil (thanks to CM Studios for the image above).
Best - Jacob's Ladder (1990) 7.5/10
Although he's officially uncredited, Culkin plays Gabe, Tim Robbins' deceased son in the highly-acclaimed psychological thriller Jacob's Ladder.
Directed by Adrian Lyne, Culkin only appears in flashbacks as Jacob longs for the memory of a better time in his life. The mysterious conceit of the film plays like one long, terrifying nightmare that Jacob endures while on his deathbed in a medical hospital during the Vietnam War. Stuck in a devilish purgatory, Jacob sees his life flash before his eyes while he fights for survival.
Worst - Sex And Breakfast (2004) 4.8/10
Macaulay Culkin, Eliza Dushku, Kuno Becker, and Alexis Dziena star in Sex and Breakfast, a swinging four-hander about two couples who decide to spice up their stale romances by trading sexual partners.
Written and directed by Miles Brandman, the film revolves around a radical couples therapy treatment that encourages swapping romantic mates. James and Heather (Culkin and Dushku) trade partners with Ellis and Renee (Becker and Dziena), leading to a series of unforeseen consequences.
Best - Home Alone (1990) 7.6/10
To the surprise of no one, Home Alone ranks as the all-time best movie Culkin has starred in thus far, according to IMDB. The $477 million money-maker continues to be one of the most beloved Christmas family films ever made.
Directed by Chris Columbus from the John Hughes script, the film traces the unlikely event of eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is accidentally left behind as his large family rushes to the airport after oversleeping. If living alone wasn't hard enough for a kid, Kevin must quell the robbery attempt of his lavish home by the inept Wet Bandits, Marv (Daniel Stern) and Harry (Joe Pesci).
Worst - Getting Even With Dad (1994) 4.8/10
The worst movie Culkin has made so far belongs to Getting Even With Dad, a PG-rated domestic crime comedy co-starring Ted Danson.
Directed by Howard Deutch, the film centers on Timmy (Culkin), a precocious boy and son of a career thief (Danson) who wants nothing more than to spend more quality time with his father. As such, Timmy uses his father's own sense of conniving trickery to convince his father to be more present. As Timmy's dad tries desperately to hatch a rare coin heist, his son gets in his way at every turn.