by Kush Bansal | Jan 8, 2019 | Opinion & Reviews
In December of 2018, we found a number of exciting things: Christmas, end of school, the new year, and of course…the movies. Now, normally we always have a Star Wars movie but this year two other movies took the cake to be the most anticipated movie. Aquaman and Bumblebee. Here I will write about the positives and flaws of both movies, as well as my opinion on which one you should see.
Bumblebee released on December 21st, 2018. The Transformers movies have had a pretty bad run over the last decade, starting from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to last year’s Transformers: The Last Knight. While most of the Transformers movies made over a billion dollars ,last year’s entry failed to impress. This is where this year’s Bumblebee comes into play. Acting like a soft reboot, it follows a journey between Bumblebee, who was sent from a war-raged planet to seek refuge on Earth, and Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), a teenager who lost her dad recently. As they meet, they become good friends, ultimately realizing what a good friendship can mean in times of hardship. The best part of the movie was easily the setting in the 80s, opting for a more cheesy and more pop culture driven film. The movie also was 3 hours long like the previous movies and the pacing and script were very strong. My only issue was the cheesiness and forced military subplot, like in every Transformers movie. While John Cena was entertaining, he didn’t seem to offer anything to add on to this movie. Regardless, I had an incredibly fun time watching this movie and I’m going to give it an A-. I highly recommend you check this movie out as it is currently playing in theaters.
Aquaman also released on December, 21st, 2018. The DC movies have been OK up to now, and while critics are raving about this movie’s fun tone and action, I personally found it disappointing. The queen of Atlantis is on the run, has a kid with a human, and that kid is Aquaman. Fast forward around 20 years and Atlantis is in danger. Someone from Atlantis comes to Aquaman to try and convince him to save Atlantis once and for all. I did talk to a few of my friends as well as looked up reviews from other people, mostly saying this movie was good. My initial reaction was also okay in that I gave the movie a B-. My issue with the movie was not that it was too cheesy or anything, but rather that it tried to do too many things out of order. The events were poorly handled in that the protagonists do something, realize they need to do something else to win, follow that, and then get sidetracked with something else. In other words, the movie was messy. Granted, there are some positives in that Jason Momoa played Aquaman really well, the music was pretty good (except for that one Africa cover), and the CGI was extremely well done. I am going to give Aquaman a C.
At the end of the day, I would highly recommend checking out Bumblebee as it is my favorite movie for December 2018. Be sure to check out my review next month and as always have a fantastic rest of your day.
by Kush Bansal | Dec 20, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
One debate that has been going on for decades is, is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Left and right have arguments been spat out to the general public with even the main actor joining in. In this case, however, Die Hard is probably the best action Christmas movie. The plot is as follows: John McClane, a New York Cop, visits his wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a Christmas party of the business his wife works for. Unfortunately, the fun is interrupted when a group of terrorists take over the building, as well as everyone in it. McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages but him. This movie is riveting from the very first shot of McClane, when he is afraid of a plane, ultimately setting up his character of being just like everyone else — not a superhero but an ordinary citizen. Die Hard also goes along with the whole hippy stereotype of California. From skinny jeans to tie-dye shirts, this movie addresses it all. This movie is also famous for its action scenes, as it all takes place in one location, making it more suspenseful. This movie is so famous that it created many more copycats that unfortunately weren’t as successful as Die Hard (looking at you, Skyscraper). In the end, I’m going to give this movie an A+. This is the best Christmas-action movie we’re probably ever going to see, and I’m glad. Thank you guys for reading my Christmas reviews this month. It has been very fun writing these articles are sharing it with you guys for the holiday season. As this is the final review, I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday season and as always, have a fantastic day.
by Kush Bansal | Dec 17, 2018 | Opinion & Reviews
Out of all the movies I have reviewed this month, this is my least favorite. Now I said the least FAVORITE. I like the movie but compared to other movies, it just doesn’t stack up. Needless to say, when I watched this movie for the first time this year, I thought it was a fun, enjoyable movie. Unlike other people who are probably going to slander me once this is posted, I didn’t love this movie to the point where I quote it every Christmas. The main reason why is because it simply didn’t pique my interest. Yeah, it’s a comedy and yeah, it was funny, but it still didn’t have that appeal in which Home Alone or Elf had (fun fact: this is the one movie that I have Christmas lights from). The acting and overall story is very good. It goes like this: As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he tries to make sure everything is in line, including the tree and house decorations. However, things go very bad quickly when his cousins come to live with him, not only trashing his house but also his Christmas. All things considered, I had a good time watching and I do recommend it to you (This, along with other Christmas movies that I have reviewed, are currently being played in movie theaters today for a low price. I encourage you guys to check them out as they’re cheap and also give you the full experience audiences had when the movie first came out). Regardless of the fact that I didn’t LOVE it, I am going to give this movie an A-. Thank you guys for reading and stay tuned for the final Christmas review on Thursday for Die Hard. Have a nice, non-snowy day (seriously, it’s like fall outside).
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.
