Catherine O’Hara, wife, mother, actress, comedian and screenwriter, unfortunately passed away on Jan. 30 at the age of 71. During her 50-year long career, she appeared in over 100 pieces of television and film. Starting with sketch and improv comedy, O’Hara worked her way to fame, winning multiple awards for her excellent work. In honor of O’Hara, I will be ranking my top three favorite movies starring the late actress.
In third place we have “Home Alone.” This 1990 Christmas classic has a run time of one hour and 43 minutes. It stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy left home alone when his family travelled to France for the holiday. Kevin has to fend for himself, and fend off intruders Harry and Marv, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
In parallel, concerned mother Kate McCallister, played by O’Hara, is trying to get home to her son. Meanwhile at home, Kevin was setting traps to outsmart the thieves who were after him.
“Home Alone” has been one of my favorite Christmas movies since I was a child. Every Christmas my brother and I fought over whether that or “The Muppet Christmas Carol” would play in the background while opening presents. I was always drawn to this film as I felt like I could relate to Kevin. As the youngest of my siblings, it can feel as though your family is sometimes ganging up on you and always underestimating you. Kevin proved his resilience by hurdling every obstacle in his path. He displayed strong problem solving skills, independent and critical thinking skills, and proved to his family he was anything but “les incompeténts.”
While “Home Alone” was rated only 66% by Rotten Tomatoes, I would rank this film as an eight out of 10. I appreciate the unique story, unexpected resilience displayed by Kevin, the devotion to her child portrayed by Kate and the nostalgia it carries.
In second place we have “Beetlejuice.” This 1988 film has a run time of one hour and 32 minutes. It stars Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, a spirit hired to drive away a family living in the home of Adam and Barbara Maitland. The Maitlands, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, died in a car accident. They continued to inhabit their home as ghosts when Charles Deetz, played by Jeffery Jones, his wife Delia, played by O’Hara, and his daughter Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, moved in.
“Beetlejuice” has always been one of my favorite movies since it was introduced to me in middle school. It is a classic film. With a musical adaptation and a sequel made 36 years later, “Beetlejuice” has had a massive impact on gothic horror comedy. I loved the story, and the chaos portrayed by Keaton is obnoxiously hilarious, and the morosity portrayed by Ryder can be related to by every moody 13-year-old.
Rotten Tomatoes has rated this film 83%, which I think is the perfect rating. It combines grief, malice and comedy in the perfect blend, making for a perfectly balanced tone and message. Although, the lack of urgency when saying “beetlejuice” three times will always irk me every time I rewatch this film.
In first place we have one of my all time favorite movies, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Yet another Christmas classic, this film was released in 1993 and has a run time of one hour and 13 minutes. Unlike the other films on this list, O’Hara does not appear in this film physically. Instead, she is the voice of Sally, a creation of Dr. Finkelstein who is rebellious and head strong. Sally is the love interest of the main character, Jack Skellington, voiced by Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman.
This movie tells the story of Skellington looking for something more, as he is unfulfilled as the Pumpkin King of Halloween. He attempts to take over for Santa Claus as the Christmas King. Sally attempts to act as Skellington’s voice of reason, although he doesn’t listen to her. In the end, Skellington and Sally end up together. I love this film as it tells a story of finding meaning and fulfillment where you are.
Rotten Tomatoes rates this movie 93%, which is fair, but I truly believe this film deserves a 100%. This has been a favorite of mine since I was a child and will always be of high importance to me.
“I thought we had time. I wanted more,” Culkin said in a heartfelt message to his Instagram following O’Hara’s passing. I feel it perfectly encompasses how those who adored her and her work feel about this loss. O’Hara was a beautiful and incredibly talented individual, her acting has been a staple in some of my favorite films and series since childhood. Despite her unfortunate passing, O’Hara will live on with her family both on and off screen and in her iconic roles for generations to come.
