1. Macaulay Culkin. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
I don't really care if you agree with me (though I think you should, and it's always nice) but this is, hands down, my favorite performance by a child actor of all time (potentially even my favorite film performance... though don't hold me to that). So this isn't a dramatic film, and he hardly gives a dramatic performance in it, but I've always considered comedy roles to arguably be more difficult than dramatic ones. Everyone can cry and whine and feel sorry for themselves, but it takes someone with real talent to consistently make you laugh, and Macaulay Culkin has such great comedic timing that Robin Williams (my personal favorite actor of all time... see Awakenings if you don't believe me) is even jealous. Macaulay Culkin, and this film in particular represents my childhood (no, I wasn't once left in New York City... I wish) but in a way, his giddy, kid on "Christmas Morning" outlook for this entire film (and the original) represents everything great about being a curious, mischievous child. If you are unconvinced, here are my personal two favorite scenes in the film to make you remember what a stunning performance Culkin gives in this part. Number 1, simply for comedy reasons and arguably not that much difficult acting involved... the way Kevin throws the bricks down from his uncles house onto the "Sticky Bandits" heads. Genius yet so simple. I laugh out loud every single time a brick is thrown so carelessly and effortlessly, and every single time I watch this movie (twice every year... especially before Christmas). Watch it now if you can't remember. Number 2, a simple yet hilariously timed and delivered set of lines as he's trying to book himself into a room in a luxury New York hotel: "I'm traveling with my dad. He's at a meeting. I hate meetings. Plus I'm not allowed to go in. I can only sit in the lobby. That's boring. So he dropped me off here. He gave me his credit card and told me to give this to whoever was welcoming people in so I won't get into mischief... And ma'am, sometimes I do get into mischief... We all do!" (ok, so you probably have to see it to find it funny. But boy, does he make it funny) And if you are still unconvinced, any scene he shares with his mother is just heartbreaking. Oh Kevin MaCallister... never change (unfortunately he changed A LOT... but on the plus side he dated Mila Kunis for almost 10 years! So good for him). What do you think? Am I way off the mark? Did you expect to see maybe Jodie Foster, Anna Paquin, Tatum O' Neil or Abagail Breslin (close, but in the end they were cut... maybe in a top 10). I'd love to hear your individual top 7 lists... Please, educate me (no joke). I know I probably missed some great performances... Sound off in the comments section...