by Kush Bansal | Dec 13, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
This may sound stupid, but after I watched Home Alone I was scared to be in my house without my parents. Granted, that was when I was 6 years old, but something about Home Alone has resonated with me for the last 8 years. From the hilarious and violent scenes of Kevin torturing the house bandits to the simple fear of being left behind, this is my favorite Christmas movie (though I do also love Elf and A Christmas Story) but Home Alone simply has the norms of Christmas that relate directly to me. Now, this is a review, and if you haven’t seen Home Alone then this review is for you. For the rest of us reading, let’s simply look back to our favorite moments from this movie. The plot of this movie is when Kevin McCallister and his family are going to Paris; however, the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin. As a result, he awakens to an empty house. Kevin becomes excited as his wish came true, well, until he realizes that two con men plan to rob him that very night. This movie is a blast because it not only introduces iconic lines and jokes but also teaches the important lesson of appreciating your family, making this movie a fit for all ages. In the end, I’m going to give Home Alone an A. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next review on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Monday. As always, have a wonderful day.
by Kush Bansal | Dec 10, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
T’was October 30th, 2004…a revolution in motion capture film came upon us. Yes, it was very weird that a Christmas movie was released during Halloween, but this movie is possibly the most mouth-dropping movie ever. Starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis (director of Forrest Gump), The Polar Express is about a kid taking the train to the North Pole, and while it may seem straightforward, the main character grows as a person by learning about the true meaning of Christmas. I remember seeing this movie on Christmas 2006 (when I was 2) and being entertained from start to finish. While it only scored a mediocre 56% and didn’t make too much in the bank (310.6 million dollars from a 150 million dollar budget), I believe that it was the most mesmerizing Christmas movie ever made. Before I gorge into the visual spectacles of this film, I do believe that this movie suffered from a poor message being conveyed. While this movie was rated G, the message was way too dreamy and fantasy-like for kids. You could argue that it’s a kids movie; however, look at movies such as Toy Story and how it teaches the value of friendship. Other than that, The Polar Express is amazing. The acting from Tom Hanks is one of his best as he perfectly embodies someone who would represent the message of Christmas. The visual effects and sound design are also fantastic because of how they perfectly balance the plot as well as how beautiful everything looks. From every shot of the train to even the facial expressions, it all looks amazing. In the end, I give The Polar Express an A-. Stayed tuned to the Saber Slate for my next review for Home Alone, and as always, have an amazing day.
by Kush Bansal | Dec 6, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
Can you remember the first Christmas movie you ever watched? You may have watched the Charlie Brown specials or the Grinch, but the one movie everyone seems to remember is none other than A Christmas Story. While movies such as Elf are all classic movies to watch on Christmas Eve night, A Christmas Story was the first in its genre to present itself to the modern audience. Your grandparents may have listened to Frank Sinatra’s Christmas album, your parents might’ve watched It’s A Wonderful Life, but you indulged in that classic known as A Christmas Story. Its plot is so simple: taking place at around the 40s, this movie follows Ralphie, a young neighborhood boy who wants one thing for Christmas, a BB gun. But of course, Ralphie’s mom declines, saying that famous line: “You’ll shoot your eye out”. The entire runtime of 1 hour 34 minutes carries the plot of Ralphie’s wild adventures. From eating soap to getting someone’s tongue stuck to a pole, this movie is a classic. Bob Clark, who was an infamous director in the 80s, simply recognized and familiarized with the interests of kids, going as far as filming a montage of how kids got special offers in the mail, which you have to see the movie to understand 😉 . In the end, I’m going to give this movie an A+. Stay tuned for my next review for Polar Express, and of course, have a fantastic day!
by Kush Bansal | Dec 3, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
The classic. Will Ferrel running around as an elf in New York City – what a genius plot! In 2003, this movie on Day 1 was a masterpiece. Elf is categorized as the “must” of the holiday season, along with How The Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Story (review coming shortly). The movie starts when Santa comes to a house and Buddy (as a baby) climbs into Santa’s sack of toys. Now, this isn’t obvious until later on when it turns out to the other elves that Buddy is a human, being much taller than everyone else. As a result, he goes on a journey back to New York City to find his real parents.
Everyone should definitely watch this movie because it delivers humor, emotion, and some of the most iconic scenes in movie history. The direction of this movie is excellent because it allows for a healthy mix of character development, humor, and the overall spirit of Christmas. I believe this is Will Ferrel’s best movie because just from the performances you can see how much fun Ferrel had while filming, overall adding the extra longevity of Buddy. This is a fantastic movie and I highly, highly recommend you to check it out. I’m going to rate it an A+.
Stay tuned to more movie reviews this December, with the next one being A Christmas Story on Thursday. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a fantastic day.
by Kush Bansal | Nov 22, 2018 | Writing & Art
It’s a nice September afternoon, you’re sipping apple juice, watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S on Netflix, and procrastinating the first weeks of school, when your parents race downstairs. “WE’RE HOSTING THANKSGIVING!” Your parents laugh and cheer while you fall back into a void, like how Chris Washington fell into one. Multiple weeks pass and you forget about it — even November passes on and you hardly notice…
WEEKEND BEFORE THANKSGIVING:
You dread as you walk into Costco, your parents rushing around to pick up the Turkey, plates, utensils and that one crappy DVD for your cousins. You rush home, no biggie.
WEDNESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING:
You come home from school to see your parents freaking out, vacuuming, moving tables, making food, and even watching that deadbeat, Disney sequel-DVD. You rush in helping along with your siblings (if you have any) because you know that if you don’t then your body is just as dead as that turkey your family will eat. At 10 o’clock, you set your alarm to 7 am, 8 am, and 8:30 am…you can never be too safe.
THANKSGIVING AT 11:00 am:
You wake up on time, got everything ready on time, and for once, you’re not going to fail. As the doorbell rings, your anxiety raises beat by beat by beat. A tear falls from your eye as your cousins sprint towards you, like a lamb to a slaughter…”What in the blue Jesus did I just do?”…you question yourself that as you topple into Black Friday…another whole can of worms…oh no.
That’s just something quick I came up in time for Thanksgiving. I also want to let you guys know that in December, there will be a Christmas movie review marathon, where every Monday and Thursday a movie review will be posted until Winter Break. Movies include Elf, The Polar Express, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Die Hard, A Christmas Story, and Home Alone. Be sure to check that out and of course, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
