Coming home, staying home: 'Apollo 13' and 'Home Alone' among 25 films picked for national registry

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Macaulay Culkin attends a ceremony honoring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Houston, we have a problem: Where's Kevin?

Perhaps the ultimate coming-home movie, ā€œApollo 13,ā€ and the ultimate staying-home one, ā€œHome Alone,ā€ are both being honored this year, selected for preservation in the National Film Registry They're part of an annual group of 25 that this year spans more than 90 years of filmmaking.

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The 2023 collection includes the sci-fi sequel ā€œTerminator 2: Judgment Day,ā€ the Disney animated classic ā€œLady and the Tramp,ā€ and the searing, Oscar-winning drama ā€œ12 Years a Slave.ā€ Just in time for the holidays, ā€œThe Nightmare Before Christmasā€ is included.

The oldest film is from 1921: ā€œA Movie Trip Through Filmland,ā€ a very early look at the impact of movies. The newest are both from 2013: ā€œ12 Years a Slaveā€ and the Oscar-winning documentary ā€œ20 Feet From Stardom,ā€ about backup singers.

The registry is housed at the Library of Congress, which since 1988 has selected movies for preservation based on their cultural and historic importance. The current picks bring the registry to 875 films ā€” some, but not all, among the 2 million items in the libraryā€™s collection. Turner Classic Movies will host a TV special on Thursday, screening a selection of this yearā€™s movies.

A look at some of the films entering the registry

ā€The Wedding Banquetā€ (1993): Ang Leeā€™s romantic comedy about a gay man from Taiwan trying to hide his orientation from his family, featuring an over-the-top wedding banquet.

ā€Bamboozledā€ (2000): Spike Leeā€™s stinging satire about race in entertainment, with Damon Wayans as a program executive at a cable network.

ā€Maya Lin: A Strong, Clear Visionā€ (1994): Freida Lee Mockā€™s Oscar-winning documentary about the artist who created two famous memorials.

ā€œApollo 13ā€ (1995): Ron Howardā€™s impeccably told chronicle of the near-tragedy involving U.S astronauts trying to get back to Earth, featuring Tom Hanks and the famous (and slightly altered) quote: ā€œHouston, we have a problem.ā€

ā€œDesperately Seeking Susanā€ (1985): Susan Seidelmanā€™s uniquely New York saga featuring Rosanna Arquette and none other than Madonna as the elusive Susan.

ā€œMatewanā€ (1987): John Saylesā€™ tale of efforts in 1920 to unionize a company town in West Virginia.

ā€œHome Aloneā€ (1990): Chris Columbusā€™ holiday classic about, let's face it, deeply questionable parenting that made wide-eyed Macaulay Culkin ā€” aka Kevin ā€” a star.

ā€œAlambristaā€ (1977): Robert M. Youngā€™s story of a Mexican migrant laborer in the United States.

ā€œFameā€ (1980): A story of students seeking fame at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, and known for Irene Caraā€™s version of the title song.

ā€œLady and the Trampā€ (1955): The classic Disney canine love story, featuring surely the most famous spaghetti kiss in animated film.

The Full List

ā€œA Movie Trip Through Filmlandā€ (1921); ā€œDinner at Eightā€ (1933); ā€œBohulano Family Film Collectionā€ (1950s-1970s); ā€œHelen Keller: In Her Storyā€ (1954); ā€œLady and the Trampā€ (1955); ā€œEdge of the City: (1957); ā€œWeā€™re Aliveā€ (1974); ā€œCruisinā€™ J-Townā€ (1975); ā€œAlambristaā€ (1977); ā€œPassing Throughā€ (1977); ā€œFameā€ (1980); ā€œDesperately Seeking Susanā€ (1985); ā€œThe Lighted Fieldā€ (1987); ā€œMatewanā€ (1987); ā€œHome Aloneā€ (1990); ā€œQueen of Diamondsā€ (1991); ā€œTerminator 2: Judgment Dayā€ (1991); ā€œThe Nightmare Before Christmasā€ (1993); ā€œThe Wedding Banquetā€ (1993); ā€œMaya Lin: A Strong Clear Visionā€ (1994); ā€œApollo 13ā€ (1995); ā€œBamboozledā€ (2000); ā€œLove & Basketballā€ (2000); ā€œ12 Years a Slaveā€ (2013); ā€œ20 Feet From Stardomā€ (2013).


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