Phobia Review - Radhika Apte aces this psychological thriller.

I feel very disappointed with myself for underestimating this brilliant film, and refraining myself from watching it until this noon. Whaaat a film ! 😍👌

Genre - Thriller/Mystery 👽

Runtime - 1 hr 50 mins.

❤ If I ever ever have to talk about a film in Bollywood, which I can proudly say is a psychological thriller beyond ordinary, I will definitely pick 'Phobia'. ❤


📜 Plot :- An Agoraphobic young artist, traumatized by some events, feels claustrophobic and terrorized in her own home.
What happens next ? Will she survive, or succumb to the imagination of her own mind ?

💨 This movie breaks the chain of the stereotypical horror movies that have been served by Bollywood over the years.

💨 Buh Phobia is not everyone's cup of tea. Set in the opening frame itself with this beautiful quote of Franz Kafka: A cage went in search of a bird, Director and Writer Pavan Kripalani, keeps us intrigued throughout. Sometimes, the film as a whole has something so enthralling about it, one can't hold back but applaud the immense effort put into it, turned into sheer eloquence that's come out on screen.
This movie has everything. 😻

Talking about the performances...

➡Radhika Apte. You go, girl !! She has more than lived her part. This film unleashes her true potential as an actres explaining why she always chooses clever roles. This lady puts her heart and soul into the film, and still makes it look effortless. She keeps us reeled in, through her reel character.

The supporting characters in the movie helps in maintaining the equilibrium.

➡Satyadeep Mishra as the friend who wants to be something more.

➡Ankur Vikal as the neighbor with a more than creepy smile, under suspicion for having done something very illegal.

➡Yahaswini Dayama as a friendly, prying girl who keeps showing up even tho she’s not wanted.

➡Nivedita Bhattacharya, as a sister who tries to help at first, buh loses it later on. And

➡A cocky and vain therapist who insists on sending Mehak to an Assylum.

💨 Just as you feel a little relaxed and your subconscious tries to predict certain things, this movie shifts to an altogether different tangent. Be prepared to 'CAT'ch some extremely fine hints that are dropped, so short-lived that if you blink at it, you miss it. (pun intended) 😛
Phobia is a clever film that is revived miraculously from the steepness of an almost hilarious ending. 😶

💨 Overall, it is an amazing edge-of-the-seat thriller, with potential jump scares, compelling story, great performances and a non-invasive background score. 👏💯

💨 Well, you gotta watch this film with alertness and perceptiveness in order to enjoy it. But i insist you watch it. And tell me how do you find it ? ☺

🔯 Heads - up people ! Something eerie and wicked is coming your way. 😈🐾
That will make you think lonnnng after you have left the theatre. 🔯

Ratings - ❤❤❤❤

                  ✍ ♠ Prizmi Tripathi ♠

Sarabjit

In 2016, Bollywood has already witnessed some beautiful biopics like 'Neerja', 'Azhar' and now, 'Sarabjit'. Also to follow in the coming months are 'M.S.Dhoni' and 'Sachin'.

➡Well the story is about a wrongfully convicted farmer, Sarabjit, who was mistaken for being a Indian Terrorist when he crossed the Indo-Pak border under the influence of alcohol. ''Sarabjit'' is the movie depicting all the turmoil Sarabjit and his family underwent in proving that he was innocent.

➡ Director Omung Kumar chooses a tough subject after his first venture, "MaryKom".
The true story of Sarabjit Singh Atwal is a tragedy of gargantuan proportions that is enough to move a rock to tears. Omung somehow manages to narrates it most compellingly.

➡The film boasts off some brilliant scenes I have not witnessed on Indian screen recently. The depressing condition of Sarabjit in the Pakistani prison will haunt you even after the film gets over, the family meet at the prison between Sarabjit and his family is mind-blowing and will move you to tears. The scene outside the hospital where Dalbir screams "Haaaatttttt" at the officials to let her visit her brother is electrifying. U literally Feeeeel it. Also, Darshan kumar has been given one commendable scene wherein he burns down his own effigy, when the people are protesting against his support to Sarabjit.

➡There are certain loopholes in the movie.
Some scenes delineate forced melodrama, an annoying background score and Aishwarya’s screechy dialogue delivery.

➡The art direction is nice along with good cinematography.
Dialogues are punching.
Music is tuneful which generally runs in the background.
Editing could have been crispier and smart. Screenplay is somewhat bemusing.

➡Direction wise, Omung Kumar has certainly improved over his previous film "Mary Kom". He keeps you on your toes till the last scene which is appreciating.

➡The main attraction of the film is performances.

💨 Randeep Hooda (Sarabjit) is an exceptionally good actor, who has proven his prestige in all his previous works. Buh in this movie, he is something else. This guy nails the look and the accent, and keeps us glued right from the beginning. His physical transformation, SFX, makeup everything is remarkable. He is convincing, at times he even makes us forget that he is nothing but an actor playing Sarabjit. He lets nothing overpower him, and might be the major reason for us to sit through this movie.

💨 Richa Chadha (Sukhpreet) isn't given much to play in the movie. Buh in one scene, wherein she confronts Dalbir, she nails it ! No increase in the tone or impactful dialogues, with sheer simplicity she left me in tears without even trying.

💨 Aishwarya. (Dalbir) This lady right here is given most of the spotlight in the film. Even more than the actual protagonist Randeep. She could have used this as an opportunity to get back after her dud 'Jazbaa". Buh she was so over the top at almost all the scenes, her grating dialogue delivery failed her. It one or two emotional scenes, she shines.

💨 Darshan Kumar is the latest bollywood actor who has excelled in adaptation of any kind of roles he has been given. He is far cry from the soft-spoken dotting husband of Mark kom, to the evil brother in NH10. He is gooooood. ☺👍

🔯Sarabjit doesn't include certain controversies related to his original case, surfacing the media back then. Buh that can be excused, because it may be irrelevant to the motive of this movie.🔯

🌼Well, apart from all these, Sarabjit is definately a watch if you wanna know the life story of this brave man. It is a generous attempt. Also, it features Randeep Hooda people. One of our industry's most underrated actor. 🌼

Ratings - ❤ ❤ ❤

♠ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ♠

X-men Apocalypse - Of Drama and CGI 🔯

Okay, this is already the fourth superhero film we have gotten so far this year.

And the movie gave me everything I expected from it, even more. ❤

Action? Check.

Drama? Check.

Funny Moments? As required.

CGI? Nearly Perfect.

PLOT - To start off with, the story is somewhat like 'The Mummy',
As in the awakening of Apocalypse, (Oscar Issac) allegedly the world's first and the most powerful mutant, who ruled the world of ancient Egypt before being trapped under his pyramid for centuries and him wanting to change the world into one that he wanna rule. And Xavier's and his class of super-powerful outcasts has to take on him.

Bryan Singer proves he is still as good as Professor X at handling Marvel's mutants. He did a wonderful job in framing this movie. This man understands superheroes.

➡Oscar Issac as the antagonist Apocalypse is impressive. His command over the tone of his voice was commendable, altho he went squawky at times. This guy right here is dreadful, fearsome and a bad ass. One could actully feel his performance, even under all that makeup.

➡ Enough light was expended on Magneto's story on how he just wants to be accepted for who he is, despite his mutant powers. But it results in a heartbreak and he plays it out so convincingly. Fassbender slayed as always.
He even makes for one of the best visually enthralling scenes while he blows up the world and our minds too, like literally.

➡ Expected nothing less from Jennifer Lawrence, Raven (Mystique). At least these movies actually give spotlight to the female actresses *cough* *Marvel* *cough*. 🐣

➡ James McAvoy (Xavier) still runs a school for the 'Gifted ones'. But his scenes with Bryne (Moira) seems overly familiar.
Nicholas (Beast) does the same thing again, and is at his best.

➡ If you thought they could not top Evan Peter's, (Quicksilver) awesome scene from Days of Future Past, get ready for a treat because his scenes were amazing. He is the highlight of the movie with scenes ramped up 10 times the previous installment. Also, he gets the comic relief. Marvel, you should get a few lessons on how to make a proper Quicksilver from Fox. Ahem ! 🐣

➡ From the new lot, I really liked Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) as the young Jean Grey. Also, she plays a pivotal role of the Tele-Kinetic.Tye Sheridan as Scott (Cyclops) is pushy, more than the stereotype. There is something about Smit-McPhee (NightCrawler) that makes him intriguing and exciting. You also get a glimpse of Jubilee, short enough to forget.

➡ Amongst Apocalypse's 'horsemen',
Shipp (Storm) stands out as the young and fresh Storm with more backstory. Angel (BenHardy) is only for the action scenes. Olivia (Psylocke) is vexatious and loud.

➡ Also, there is a cameo by Wolverine which is beautifully put up with a clean backstory in order to give a homage to this X man.

➡ I have read people ranting about too much of CGI work involved in this movie. People, it is APOCALYPSE. And it's not like you can do actual Apocalyptic level scenes without having any CGI effects. That's just crazy. And the CGI in this movie is beyond awesome. 🙈

🔯 The best thing about this movie is that it ensures that each of the mutant character gets a cogent and dignified background. Still, it doesn't seem shoe-horned. 🔯

Also, Apocalypse, despite it's bleak story, excess of drama over action, does have some moments of humour and wit that went down well with the audience.
I might feel a bit different because of it's whole world at stake thingy. This is the first time X Men has done this, and they have succeeded well. 👊🍃 It definitely is worth our time and money. 😎

Spoiler Alert : The post-credit scene makes way for either Wolverine 3 (🐺) or
(💀💩L  2). Also, watch out for the scene where, 'All Is Revealed'.

Ratings - ❤ ❤ ❤

♠ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ♠

Azhar - A Vague Biopic. 🏏🏆

🚩 Well, I would like to appreciate the fact that biopics like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Mary Kom, Azhar are being made in Bollywood. Since, the industry has tried to stay clear of this genre through most of its existence. Also, the taste of the viewers are changing with the era.

🚩 Basically, Azhar was the scapegoat of a scandal that had involvement of many on the field and off the field. And the court did over-turn the ban but the whole process took so long that it became besides the point. A story untold.
Well, if you are already aware of the reasons why Azhar was proved innocent, this movie has nothing extraordinary to offer to u. "Azhar" is basically a window, displaying this nonchalant cricketer's journey from losing all the respect he has, to gaining it back. Also, some excerpts from his life like his marriage to his first wife Naureen, and the extra-marital affair with Sangita are being focused in this 131 minute long movie. Buh, this movie focuses on everything that made his life controversial, and not much on what made him memorable...
Like, the elegance of his batting, his eccentric fielding, his calm and composed nature, the popped collar. It is a sports film, sans the sport.

🚩 The initial disclaimers are several, filling the entire screen with phrases like, "imaginary film", "any kinda resemblance is mere coincidence", etc. Phew.
Also it went on to claim, that "It isn't a biopic."
What ?
Then why was Azharuddin present for most of the promotional events ?
Playing it safe ? Oh... we get that. 😋😉

🚩 Also, one more major setback of this movie is trying to dissemble the actual identity of the players, events or time by using just the first names making it a spiritless venture. Also it is, Azhar Mohammad and not Mohammad Azharuddin. Duh-ah ! 😓

🚩 After watching the movie, this question is bound to strike even a layperson: if indeed the cricket council (Ssshh ! Dont u dare say BCCI. 😝) had framed Azhar back then, what were its motivations? I wish some light was thrown on this particular thing.

🚩 There are two ways to make a biopic – you either position it like a docu-drama or take the populist route. Director Tony D'Souza opts for the latter, which is a clever move because Azharuddin was always a people's hero.
Away from the spotlight, the rich and the famous often deal with heartburn, heartbreak and humiliation to get to where they are and stay there. Mohammad Azharuddin's success and subsequent fall from grace were as public as it can get. Which is what was required.

🚩 A scene in the latter half of Azhar indicates the potential of Azharuddin's story. That marks one of the nicest scenes in the movie. Now hated by the fans who once adored him, Azhar is running out of platforms to interact with the public and press. He even goes ahead to inaugurate a gym and the so called owner behaves with him in a very unlikable manner, as if he owns his time. That scene is sureshot to make u cringe.

🚩 Music :- 'Oye-Oye' is a blant remake of the hit. The one's that stand out are 'Tu hi na jaane' & 'Bol do'.

🚩 Talking about the performances,
Azhar surely deserves A Watch.

➡Emraan hashmi is at his earnest best. He is one actor, who is famous for his kissing, than his awesome acting skills. He nails the walk and the charisma of the introvert cricketer, more important, gives the cricketer a certain vulnerability that is hard to resist even when all else around him in the film fails. The popped collar, the tabeez, his onfield mannerisms are adapted exactly as Azharuddin. Emraan gave his best to uplift an almost dead written script. His hard-work is worth watching.

➡Nargis's performance as Sangeeta (Again, Not Bijlani ) relies entirely on her hotness to tide over her awkward dialogue delivery and inability to handle serious emotions.

➡Prachi Desai too has played more or less the same character through her short career: a simple, innocent, pretty young thing. There's more to her character and her performance in this film though. Her Naureen is controlled, her heartbreak believable.

➡It also has Gautam Gulati (of bigboss fame) with his OTT acting. Buh that's okay coz mahn, he is hawt ! 🔥

➡In a small role as Azhar's Naanujaan, Kulbhushan Kharbanda is a loveable presence as always.

➡Lara Bhupathi and Kunal Roy Kapur play lawyers in courtroom scenes that are set in a mediocre manner. None of the courtroom scenes match the nearly perfect ones from JollyLLB. Some good moments between the Judge and Kunal saves the dreary writing of those scenes. The lack of content in most of their arguments, the fakeness of the set and Dutta's excessive makeup is a big flaw.

🚩 Azhar was presumably made because it had such a controversial figure at its centre, arising out of the fixing-matches-for-money controversy itself, which had such a deep-seated impact on the game. It isn't so well-executed, buh it surely deserves a watch.

🏁 Ratings - ❤❤❤
An extra heart for Emraan's dedication and hardwork. 💐

                          ♠ - PRIZMI TRIPATHI - ♠

Baaghi - Movie Review 🐯

Baaghi is Tiger Shroff's ode to Karate Kid and raid 2 rolled into one with some Kickass tribute to The 36th chamber of Shaolin.
I never had high expectations from Baaghi after its trailers mainly cos i was wary of the director Sabbir khan who was behind duds like Kambhakt Ishq. I have to take my words back coz he has literally stunned me.
Scratch the attractive surface though, and you get a dated, cliched storyline that compartmentalises hero, heroine, villains and comedians in the way Hindi films of the 1970s and 1980s did. Buh that's Ohkay, coz the action choreography is striking, the locations are exquisite, the camerawork polished, the art design impressive, the cast well dressed.
Sabbir has given Tiger shroff all the great moments that one expects from a star of his calibre. He has the karate kid moment with real life grandmaster Shifu Shaurya Bhardwaj (the guru) in Kalaripayattu. He has Iko Uwais moment in raid in the pre climax fight.
BUT THE BEST OF ALL is the climax fight. I was BLOWN. The one on one of Tiger with Sudheer Raghav (excellent and evenly matched villain to tiger Shroff). I was overwhelmed. I am yet to see this type of masterly direction from great filmmakers let alone Sabbir.
.
Performances-

▶Tiger Shroff is awe- inspiring in action scenes and a total bad ass in the second half.  Loved it . He is sincere and earnest in romantic portions though goes OTT in scenes before interval. He gets the bulk of the film's fights and has clearly worked hard to learn Kalari. Many points to him for that and what he has achieved with his body.
▶ Shraddha's acting in the early scenes though, is over-cutesified. Time to cross over into the adult world, girl. You are too good to waste yourself playing and replaying a child-like innocent who is an appendage to the hero.

▶Sunil Grover spices up the comic quotient with his own style.

▶Raghav, the nemesis is supremely talented and a fitting match to tiger.

▶But the greatest has to be Shifu Shaurya Bhardwaj. He is the Katappa of Baaghi. The man who choked me in the climax fight.

❤ This proves that tiger isn't a One-Hit Wonder. ❤

Rating : ❤❤❤ (bigtime guilty pleasure)

            ♠↔ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ↔♠
#Moviereview #Baaghi #TigerShroff

Civil War : Movie Review

(WARNING : MILD SPOILERS AHEAD )

Well well well, this is the best Marvel movie so far. (Yes i am saying that.) The storyline of Captain America: The Civil War is brilliantly put together, and even though 70% of the plot was revealed thanks to several trailers, it stays true to d essence of comics but adds the much needed, typical MCU formula, that can be best described as the heart of Marvel movies.

➡And this heart is present in every scene of Captain America: Civil War – a combination of breath-taking visuals, with edgy action choreography, gorgeous CGI, gritty acting performances and a dash of humor amid the seriousness to lighten the serious proceedings. We have seen this formula several times before – in Hulk bashing the 'Puny God', in Star Lord's dance-off to save the universe, in Tony Stark's best dialogues, in Ant-Man's every dialogue. Yet it works every single time and Civil War is no different.

➡It gives you all the angst and horror of the comics without the all-pervading darkness. Take the much-touted airport fight sequence between Team Iron and Team Cap, this is one insane scene that will leave your tongues wagging and dribble dropping on the floor. I mean it !
➡The studio has managed to adapt the fantastical world of comics while inserting a sense of realism, striking a balance between both formats. (Hawkeye actully runs out of arrows once. Much realistic, eh ? )
➡These squeaky clean guys fight hard and dirty with their friends. Watching Hawkeye and Black Widow punch each other, seeing Tony and Steve at loggerheads or Vision against Scarlet Witch War Machine getting injured (all of it seen in the trailers) will hit long-term Marvel fans hard. These people are friends, they share houses and secrets. They can't be aiming to mutiliate each other. No! Ffs No!!
➡Yet, this grim sequence is diversified with a liberal dose of liveliness that in no way takes away the gravity of the battle. In fact, Spiderman and Ant-Man's comic timing is the perfect foil needed to the Iron man/ War Machine vs Captain America/ Winter Soldier battle.

➡Everyone are known to us beforehand, so no particular review on their performances.
Buh for the 2 new entrants...

➡King T'Challa's legacy as as Black Panther, is a treat for the eyes. This is one tough guy. Chadwick Boseman, who plays Black Panther, is great. I’m very excited to see what him and Creeddirector Ryan Coogler do with the standalone film.

➡Also, Props to Tom Holland's Spiderman here, for being the perfect, young, sassy, quirky incarnation of Peter Parker straight from the comics and for that Star Wars reference. 😂

➡Another important factor that works immensely well for the MCU are the direct callbacks and Easter Eggs from the comics. These references, not overt enough to alienate non-readers, are a delight to loyal comic book geeks.
.
➡One and only let down is the Villain of the movie played by... Ahhaa..I am not sayin it XD
Buh anyways, who needs a villain when you got Steve and Tony? Both protagonists. Both antagonists. And drawing other power-people to their cause in surprising ways. The clashes go far beyond the set-up squabbles of Avengers Assemble. Here you get
Ant-Man v Spider-Man, 
Hawkeye v Black Widow, 
The Winter Soldier v Black Panther 
and (well, duh)
Captain America v Iron Man,
all rolled into one. And that is what you call the ultimate Marvel superhero event.

➡Too often, the snappy writing and slick action in these films is undermined by flimsy big bads and formulaic final acts. Buh Civil war is just the opposite.
Millar, Russo brothers and perfect CGI makes Civil war, the best in Marvel history.

➡As fun as Marvel movies are, they never cease to make us emotional. Our jaws drop at the battle sequences, we giggle at Tony Stark's quips, and, yes, we may even shed a tear at the inevitable emotional conclusion. This was certainly the case for Captain America: Civil War. The best Marvel Movie so far. (Yes, i said that Again) ❤

➡ *There is a mid as well as a post credits scene. Watch out for the same* ⬅

Ratings : ❤❤❤❤❤

                      ♠↔ Prizmi Tripathi ↔♠