Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes. The film follows Kevin McCallister, who is accidentally separated from his family at the airport and ends up alone in New York while the rest of the McCallisters fly to Miami. What begins as a child’s fantasy of total freedom soon turns into another battle for survival when Kevin runs into Harry and Marv again, this time in Manhattan. The film repeats much of the first movie’s formula, but its charm comes from placing Kevin in a bigger, more glamorous world of hotels, toy stores, skating rinks and city landmarks, giving the sequel a grander and more overtly festive atmosphere.
Although the film is strongly identified with New York City, it was actually shot across New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The New York material includes many of the locations that define the film’s identity, such as the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and Wollman Rink, as well as the World Trade Center and other Manhattan exteriors. At the same time, a substantial part of the production was done in Illinois, continuing the John Hughes habit of using Chicago-area locations wherever possible. Even some of the film’s most famous “New York” moments were created partly elsewhere, including Duncan’s Toy Chest, which was inspired by FAO Schwarz but filmed using Chicago locations. The result is a film that feels unmistakably New York on screen, yet is really a careful blend of real Manhattan landmarks, Midwestern stand-ins and studio work.
Empire Diner
Empire Diner appears in both film and television, including Manhattan, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Men in Black II, Law & Order, and many more.
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