Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 - Double the fun, Double the emotions.

Guardians of the Galaxy ($140mn) is the second-highest opening of the year, behind Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” ($175 mn), and marks a solid official start to the summer movie season.

Genre :- Fantasy/Sci-fi/Adventure/Comedy

Runtime:- 2 hrs 15 mins.

Cast: - Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Chris Sullivan (XII) Cameo by Sylvester Stallone.

Director: - James Gunn

Plot – The Guardians' troop continue the adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos with a view to keeping their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage with a mysterious outer space army chasing to kill them.

Direction and Screenplay:-

After a quick flashback prolog, we find the Guardians in an off-the-wall opening credits scene, battling a space monster while Baby Groot dances to "Blue Sky" in the background. Meanwhile Raccoon ticks off the members of a powerful race consisting of Gold-colored aliens, and they find themselves on the run, along with some foe turned friends. And things go haywire from here. To be more specific, the script does. There is not much power or innovation involved in the script. It's the same "Save yourself, Save the world" shit. But there are many reasons as to why this basic ship doesn't sink. 

Directed and written by the writer of sleeper hits 'Slither' and 'Dawn of the Dead,' this one is fresh as far as the characters are concerned, who continue to interact in an effortless manner supporting the story’s narrative involving the notion that family always comes first (too many similarities to Diesel's FnF Franchise).

The first was well-made and profoundly clever in its use of nostalgia as part of its storytelling rather than just appearances, but the sequel has a more perfect magic - emotional honesty. This is a real roller coaster of emotions right from the word go.

The intergalactic battle sequences, lots of quirky humor with adorable antics of Baby Groot are scene-stealers, along with an extraordinary lot of CGI except the ending.

Editing and Cinematography:-

▶ Editing by Fred Raskin and Craig Wood is fine but some of the scenes feel pitch-forked and immaterial to the aura of the scenes.

▶ The Shangri-La esque cinematography by Henry Braham of a larger-than-life planet bursting with colors, bubbles, lush vegetation, and waterfalls appear more animated than dimensional but that's a good thing considering the comicbook accuracy. Also, ACES used for the color space works wonders for the most part of the film. But heaven knows why they chose to distribute the reel with such a big blunder towards the end. 

Music :-

Can a mixtape save the galaxy? If you're James Gunn, perhaps. After Gunn's film Guardians of the Galaxy exceeded all box office expectations, the soundtrack comprised of 70's and 80's era tunes that the film's protagonist Peter Quill kept handy in his Walkman, also made a major impact. 

Thus giving way to the Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which is the type of Spotify playlist I'd want to dive into — a healthy dose of rock education punctuated with a few familiar favorites like "Wham Bang-Shang-A-Lang" and "The Chain" to hold my attention.

The Highs -

▶ Remember that scene at the end of GOG? The part where Baby Groot dances whenever Drax isn’t looking and freezes whenever the big guy turns around? Well if you found that adorable, you're in to spend all your "Awws" for the day, every time the little man's on screen.

▶ Most of the scene-stealers are devoted to a wise-cracking Raccoon (Rocket) and a miniature tree trunk creature (Baby Groot) recalling Ally McBeal’s Dancing Baby.

▶Gunn manages to make this installment pleasantly weird by including pop-culture references to “Pac-Man” and Julie Andrew's “Mary Poppins.” Plus there are a couple of Stan Lee cameos (continued straight from Civil War), along with “Awesome Mixtape #2.” (One of the tapes that Meredith left for her son Peter before her death). Also, it marks the return of 'Howard the Duck.'

▶Nothing this summer will top the eyeball-popping cartoony of Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Yondu (Michael Rooker) careening through jump gates. 

▶ After all the unwanted CGI and sequences, James redeems himself with that twisted sense of humor and running gags. Involving around a debate over what kind of animal Rocket is, Drax and Mantis' conversations, Rocket and Quill's banter on who is better and much more. 
▶ I like the way all the characters are all a beguiling mix of imperfections; there is no such thing as black and white. Even when it comes to who is the enemy. Battle scenes are elevated into an entertainingly choreographed ballet set to music: violence is refreshingly played down. Music is a tool for humor.

▶ You see tons of weapons in the deadly arcade, but none can compete with the small, shining eyes of Baby Groot, a creation whose immaculately crafted adorableness could level cities and sink small-to-medium continents. No, seriously guys, get your tissues along. 💓

Marvel/Disney

The Lows -

▶The original “Guardians” was the coolest – and most surprising – movie of the summer of 2014. This second installment essentially kicks off this summer’s season – and let’s just say the ball is short of the end zone. It’s a letdown, especially at a strained 136 minutes. Not much distinguishes the two movies. 

▶Gunn fires a lot at us all in unnecessary 3-D, of course with too many colors and CGI to distract us from the plot. A la "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

▶ The plot and subplots are too tangled to keep straight. I mean, nowadays, you don’t meet a hero without daddy issues. Come on Marvel, the father-and-son drama has been done time and again.

▶ Also, Marvel uses a new roster of boring villains. And to make things worse, lots of them are just a set up for the inevitable MCU phase 4.

Performances :-

▶ Chris Pratt is reliably charismatic as Quill aka Star-Lord, but he is majorly coasting on his appeal in this installment, plodding through beats that you can see coming from the stratosphere. On the other hand, Pratt gets to play to more serious and heartfelt moments that deepen the character.

▶ Zoe Saldana as Gamora seems like she is stuck between a hard place and a rock, in both her not-quite-romance with Quill and her combative relationship with her sister Nebula.

▶ Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), the star of the movie, the clone of the late co-Guardian, Groot is exploring his bombastic environment with all the wonder and innocence that childhood can confer. Brought to stunning animated life, his range of facial expressions, and general affability is far more eloquent than words. He is also gifted with the largest character arc, as his innocence is trampled, but not his spirit or his slow-wittedness.

▶ Dave Bautista as Drax, the brawny literalist, gets a better showcase, positioned as an observer of the other characters, offering filterless and often inadvertently insulting thoughts to whoever he’s with, and playing especially well off Ego’s naive servant Mantis (Pom Klementieff).




▶ Only the character Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) with his patented snarky smart-ass and that sassy smirk can, ahem, have the spheres or chutzpah to bring low the antagonist (Taser Face), who is about to kill him by pointing out that his choice of name is inordinately silly.

▶ Quill’s long-lost father, Ego, is played by Kurt Russell, with a full serving of mac and cheese (a metaphor for sweet and salty) and a gorgeous wavy Hasselhoff  (Quill's idol) like flow.

▶ Michael Rooker, as Yondu, with his whistle-controlled Arrow, gives his best as the bright blue, extremely dangerous, disgraced Ravager who is an unexpected figure of emotional significance. Just as you feel it's getting drowsy, Yondu's arrival gives the film the jolt of momentum and genuine feeling it had been missing; Although he isn't cute as Groot and possesses a habit of joking about eating children, he is the real MVP by the climax.

▶ Karen Gillan, as Nebula (the avatar-like sister of Gamora), has got not much to prove her acting chops but enough to acknowledge her existence.

▶ Elizabeth Debicki, as Princess Ayesha, of the Sovereign, a snooty civilization of overdressed and overgroomed golden narcissists does fine with the deadpan expression and delivery.

▶ Sean Gunn, (brother of James Gunn) a side-kick to Yondu has been offered a significant role in GOG2 and he slayed it as the observant, loyal, lean and vulnerable lad.

▶ Cameo by Sylvester Stallone is as pointless as the "ay" in "Okay."

⏩ Watch o Not? Definitely. I know it's been a few days already (Yes yes, I am sorry). I earnestly request you guys to watch it in the hall for it's an effects laden spectacle propped up by its out-of-this-world (literally) ensemble. It will give you your money's worth. It's chock full of wild characters, action, comedy, music and locations. What brings it all together is color - eye-candy design, ear-candy dialogue, soul-candy emotion. 

⏩ Verdict: It's more like the first but with more humor kicks and honest sentiments. If you were a fan of the first (I was) you’ll dig this one too, but your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for redundancy and your willingness to succumb to Chris Pratt’s hotness, Rocket's sardonic humor and well, BABBYYYY GROOOOOOT! ❤ With stunning visuals and incredible chemistry from the ensemble cast, it's just as amazing and as fun as the Vol. 1.

PS - Stick around for the handful of credit scenes (Count - Five).

Ratings: 3.2/5

Review: Logan - A Pitch-Perfect Sendoff That'll Tug At Your Heartstrings.

For years, comic book fans have demanded that this genre be taken seriously. Well, Logan is very serious, and people should know going in, that this isn’t like any of the other X-Men movies we’ve seen so far. If you thought Deadpool deserved a best film nomination, then Logan is about to get a lifetime achievement.

2017 has started with a bang in terms of Action movies, with John Wick 2 and Logan. Consider me hyped!

⏩ Genre :- Superhero Fiction/ Action Adventure.

⏩ Run-time :- 2 hrs 18 mins.

⏩ Cast :- Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant, Boyd Holbrook, Elizabeth Rodriguez and
Richard E. Grant.

⏩ Director :- James Mangold.

⏩ Plot –

The story is set in the near future, 2029, mutants are thinning out. They've either died or been hunted down. After losing everything/body, all that is left for Logan now, is a dusty hideout in Mexico where he and Caliban (Stephen Merchant) take care of and keep Charles Xavier, now in his 90s and suffering from dementia and memory loss. Logan tries to keep a low profile, but violence finds him all the same. A young mutant Laura comes into his life. A chain of unfortunate events make him go on a mission to save Laura from the antagonist who wants to seize her away. But considering the fact that he has grown all old, will he succeed? What price will he have to pay to save Laura? Well, you got to watch it to know it.

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :-

The film checks off all the elements the genre requires: Big action setpieces, chases, supervillains and fan shout-outs (An old “X-Men” comic book plays a cameo in the plot. No kidding!). But the makers have toned down the volume to give it a feeling that it takes place in the real world.
What I find most admirable about what James Mangold along with the screenplay by Michael Green, and Scott Frank have done is that everyone managed to steer away from sentimentality to find something more raw and heartfelt. When the action setpieces occur, they are directed for maximum raw and emotional effect instead of rowdy, fist-pumping moments. It is amazing how Mangold has shot the action scenes, with a minimum of shaky camerawork and a maximum of intensity. While the violence is abundant, it is never unjustified. He has refrained from shooting the action with mindless objective or mere thrills. The violence is as graphic and fully exposed as you can imagine it to be. (I am glad this has not been given a PG-13 rating). Which opens the window for the fans to see Wolverine at his full potential - lethal when angry. The writing is solid for a superhero film, it really digs deep into these beloved characters, how vulnerable they are, how they long for a world where people would just leave them be. The plot is blatant, it is the detailing that makes it great.

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :-

Editing by Michael McCusker and Dirk Westervelt is crisp. Even at 138 minutes, the movie doesn't seem dull or long. None of the elements seem irrelevant or out of sync.

John Matheison has been roped in as the director of photography, and he handled the frames with finesse, blending in accurate color palletes depending on the mood of the movie. He has managed to cast a spell on the oh-so-simple locations and made them extra-ordinary.

⏩ Music :-

The background score by Marco Beltrami is subdued and low-key. It is perfect. It’s grave, serious and sometimes pensive, but never over the top, which fits in with the overall tone of this grim, surprisingly downbeat movie.

⏩ The Highs -

▶ The movie feels like a breath of fresh air since it comes across as natural and simple, treating the characters with such care and embarking on an emotional and satisfying conclusion to Jackman's Wolverine.

▶ Logan is unlike the typical comic-book movies' script. There is no saving the world from the doomsday, no bad guys intending to destroy the human race and take over, no giant beams of light/bomb/machines which should be stopped before they explode. The stakes are low but critical, which is a plus point. There is an old man, living with another old man and together they just plan on saving their own ass as well as a little ninja-mutant's. Pretty straightforward, eh?

▶ You truly feel for Xavier and Logan in a way that you never did in the previous X-Men movies, not only because they're now in their twilight years but there's also that father-son type of relationship that's tough love and endearing.

▶ This movie has everything, yes there is gore and f-bombs, but also a story. James Mangold has taken elements of the acclaimed "Old Man Logan", and had created a masterpiece. I'm not going to spoil anything here, but suffice it to say that Logan is now THE definitive comic book movie, in my mind, unseating Zack Snyder's Watchmen.

▶ Mangold maintains the balance by allowing threads moments of genuine humour – from casual shoplifting and runaway horses, tantrums of a little kid, to an ordinary old man who refuses to take his pills.

▶ Action and CGI. The action sequences are precisely choreographed. The CGI and VFX are top-notch, so are the performances of Dafne and Jackman.

▶ This is true Wolverine unleashed. He is not short on head stabbing, limb severing, blood spurting mayhem, allowing fans to finally see Wolverine work his claws in combat right through to the end of each grisly death, without the camera cutting away. However, it’s the staging of the action scenes that’s arguably more impressive than the graphic depictions.

⏩ The Lows -

▶ 17 years of wait has paved way, and we got the best Wolverine movie. The only thing that flawed here, is the ending. If only they would've ended it in any better way as a last farewell to the fans and his signature role.

▶ The sequence before the big end, seems a little stretched, approximately 10 minutes. But hey! this is the last time we are going to see Jackman in his signature role. And after setting a legacy - Six movies and 2 cameos, you can't just restrict the actor from getting a protracted farewell. So chill. (She is confusing us by passing such statements.
Is she praising or criticizing it? Damn.) Go figure by watching it yourself. *Chuckles*

⏩ Performances :-

▶ Hugh Jackman used Logan as an opportunity to do, basically, everything he’s ever wanted, with this character. And trust me, he has never been better as Logan. This is the culmination of everything he’s built with this role up until now. He is a miserable and weak old man, but Jackman does it with such precision and attachment, that if he gets hurt, we get hurt. If he's mad, we're mad. If he is sad, we are sad. It is a true testament to Jackman as an actor to make his audience feel this connected to a character, who is completely unrelateable. (Technically). While many of us are very sad to see Jackman retire, if we look at the brighter side - He couldn't have picked a better or more satisfying film to end his 17 year cinematic legacy with.

▶ This is the best Patrick Stewart's ever been as Charles Xavier. He gives the character - poignancy, dignity, humor and much needed vulnerability. Also, the relationship that Prof Xavier and Logan share, both as reel and real characters will make you smile an cry because of their Dad-Son like portrayal. They are terrific together.

▶ Dafne Keen, in her very first film role, carries all the weight of being a mutant, seemingly effortlessly. The girl is so good with her moves, she could give Ninja Hattori a run for his money. With very few lines, she depicts ferocity with her body language and eyes. There's something magnetic about her that you can't take your eyes off. Also, the gradual manifestation of a bittersweet father-daughter relationship between Laura and Logan, will fill you with awe. Dafne saying "DADDY" broke my heart, ripped me apart.

▶ Stephen Merchant as Caliban is amazing. He plays an albino mutant who fries in direct sunlight like a vampire. Although he doesn't have much screen time, he makes sure to amaze us with his striking and glaring eyes and perfect delivery, everytime he is in the frame. Also, his performance is times better than what the way he performed in the Lip-Sync Battle, people. So, Yayy! 

▶ Boyd Holbrook brings a not so sinister, but fine performance to this installment and continues to build a very impressive resume. He is someone who'd make you go, "I hate you, like I love you."

▶ Elizabeth Rodriguez as Gabriela, gives a super fine performance.

▶ Richard E. Grant as Dr. Zander Rice, is the head of the project Transigen, whose father was killed by Logan during his appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse, does proper justice to the conniving character he is playing.

⏩ Watch o Not ? Defi-effin-lately! What? You think only Logan is allowed to use F-bombs? Haha. I recommend you all, to go and pay for your ticket to see this instead of watching a cam version online. It's a movie that slaps you in the first half and holds you while you cry in the last.

⏩ Verdict : To all the naysayers who complain about superhero movies being the same - all colorful rainbows and sunshine; Logan is tragic yet refreshing. And that isn't a bad thing. Heavens no. It is a perfect farewell to the actor, cast and crew and a beautiful love-letter for all the fans. I would rate this movie as the second best movie ever in its genre with almost no negatives. So go people, do yourself a favor and watch LOGAN, ONE LAST TIME!

PS - Don't forget to get tissues alongwith you. And yes. I am saying that especially to all you men out there. This large and physically imposing gentleman sitting next to me was crying. I'll be shocked if you don't shed a tear.

PPS - Young children should not be allowed anywhere near this movie, no matter how many X-Men action figures/comic-books they own.

Lastly,
This is how you make an R Rated movie,
This is how you make a serious super hero movie.
THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE A GREAT MOVIE. PERIOD.

 Ratings - 4.8/5

Logan proves that sometimes, comic-book movies work best when they keep it simple and small-scale, keeping all the jazz at bay.

Shivaay – Shivaay, We Needed More Of Shiva-ay! 👀

I couldn't resist myself watching this movie first day after watching the amazing trailers which has astounded audience worldwide. And, I wasn't disappointed. 🙈

⏩ Genre :- Action/Drama

⏩ Runtime :- 2 hrs 52 mins.

⏩ Cast :- Ajay Devgn, Abigail Eames, Sayyeshaa Saigal, Erika Kaar, Vir Das, Girish Kamad, Saurabh Shukla.

⏩ Director :- Ajay Devgn

⏩ Plot :- Shivaay is a Himalayan mountaineer and guide who is innocent but is capable of transforming into a mean destroyer when he needs to protect his daughter.

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- Directed by Ajay Devgn, the direction is not the best part of this film. The frame is quite shaky in few action sequences. But cut him some slack people, Shivaay is only his second directorial venture—the first being 'U Me Aur Hum.' (2008). As far as the screenplay is concerned, it may seem like 'Taken' and 'Rocky Handsome' in some aspects, but  co written by Sandeep Srivastava and Robin Bhatt, Shivaay has a deeper emotional connect, distinct execution and an amazing visual appeal. 

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- 2 HRS AND 52 MINS!! It could've easily been toned down by 15-20 minutes by editing the "love blossoming" scenes between Shivaay and Olga. The cinematography by Aseem Bajaj is exceptionally good. The usage of electrifying blue, grey and white colors in the frame adds to the tranquility and refreshment factor. The breathtaking views of the Himalayan mountains and the cobbled streets of Bulgaria are so well shot and used to maintain the balance of the film. 

⏩ Music :- Music is the one of the best things of Shivaay. The music is extremely powerful and perfectly blends into the narrative.  'Darkhast' and 'Raatein' are soulful and hummable. But the title track 'Bolo har har' is mind-blowing and has the power to produce intoxication into one's being. It takes you to the level of extreme exhilaration. 

⏩ The Highs :-

▶ The story isn't something you haven't seen before; however, the execution and performance by the protagonist is thrilling.

Ajay's character depicts two phases that's parallel to that of Lord Shiva – The server of mankind and the destroyer of evil.

The character savoured with mythological tattoos of the Trishul, Naag and Chandra. –Also, few close-up shots of his eyes. (Remember the Third eye?)

▶ In a world where all the attention is given to the mother-child relationship, it's good to see a film reminds us that a loving and a responsible father too can mean the whole world to his child. Sweet. 

▶ The movie is 172 mins long since the makers take time to set up the plot, but the adrenaline-pumping action picks up from the word go (after 40-45 mins into the movie). Also, if you are an action enthusiast, you would love every bit of it. 

The second half is more entertaining and the background score and chase sequences keep you engaged and refrain yourself from yawning. 

▶ The music blends in so perfectly, you would even fail to recognize whether a song/music is going on in the background or not.

▶ Shivaay’s USP is its cutting edge VFX, which makes the film a reality. 

⏩ The Lows :-

▶The love making scenes between Ajay and Erika (who is just in the starting 30 mins of the movie) are awkward and you feel no chemistry.

 

▶ There are a few scenes wherein actors like Girish Karnad and Saurabh Shukla mouth dialogues that have no or least connection with the central theme. Sighs.

▶ It would've been better had they shown much reference to Lord Shiva's antiques by adding more flavour to Shivaay's character.

Instead what we see is a travel guide/mountaineer (whatever you'd like to call him) jumping from cliffs, constantly smoking a chillum – extremely self-consciously at that, looking meaningfully at the audience as though telling them : Stop me if you can. 

Even the Censor Board couldn't stop him from getting away with weed; since he was sanctioned by Shiva himself with the chants of 'Bolo Har Har' playing in the background. Smart. 

⏩ Performances :-

▶ While his last film 'Dhrishyam' was the psychological thriller, Shivaay marks the return of Ajay Devgn in his action mode. 

Ajay gives a stellar performance in the role that is totally tailor made for him. And as usual, does his signature 'emoting with eyes' thing perfectly. Also, the on screen relationship that he shares with the child actress Abigail Eames is extremely natural and flawless.

▶ Erika Kaar as Shivaay's love interest is beautiful but goes OTT with her accent. Dear makers, we would've been okay with her speaking English as we know she is not an Indian. Her hindi seems too forced.

▶ Abigail Eames as Gaura, who plays Shivaay's vocally impaired daughter is sweet and charms us with her acting skills.

▶ Sayyeshaa Saigal as a diplomat, does fine for her Bollywood debut. (She is already a renowned name in Tollywood.) 

▶ Vir Das has been roped in as an "Ethical Hacker" for the sake of comic relief and he proves his mettle once again through his perfect timing and killer expressions.

▶ Girish Kamad as the diplomat's father does an impressive job in whatever little role he's been given. (Although his character seems unnecessary.)

▶Saurabh Shukla as the chairman of Indian Ambassy in Bulgaria has a screentime of merely 5 minutes with dialogues somewhat like :

"Shakkal se firangi ho, par dil se ekdum Hindustani. Ghoos kaha deni hai sab jaanti ho." *sighs*

⏩ Watch or Not? Definitely. Shivaay deserves a watch for it's visual appeal, perfect soundtrack and powerpacked performance by Ajay and the cute kid.

⏩ Personal Note – It's indeed disturbing to learn about the paid propaganda unleashed by a lobby to demean a groundbreaking film like Shivaay! Don't go by the critics this time, you know who is funding them. No offense. *winks*

⏩ Verdict – With crisper editing and less melodrama, Shivaay could’ve been the best of the year. But it sure as hell, is worth all your money and time. So grab a popcorn and enjoy the visual canvas that Shivaay is. ❤

⏩ Ratings :- 3.5/5

🙏 Har Har Mahadev. 🙏

Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year. 💁

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back - Literally. Don't!! 🙅

⏩ Genre :- Action/Crime

⏩ Runtime :- 1hr 58 mins (2 minutes to 2hrs, really?)

⏩ Cast :- Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, Danika Yarosh, Patrick Heusinger, Holt McCallany.

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back is an adaptation from a book, 'Never go back' by Lee Child.

⏩ Plot :-Reacher after helping in the arrest of a crooked Southern Sheriff heads to D.C. to try to land a date with a (apparently pretty) military officer he has assisted, but never met. Upon his arrival, he learns that she has been arrested for corruption, or something. So, Jack begins 'investigating' the corruption case, the Reacher way. He gets framed too, has to escape from jail with his intended girl friend, elude the bad guys, and get to know his alleged 'daughter', all in short order. That's a lot for a guy who usually talks less than Jason Bourne. *Winks*

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- As far as the direction is concerned, 'Blood Diamond' director Edward Zwick does his best to fill the gap Christopher McQuarrie left but fails to do so in most of the action scenes. The movie would have been a lot better with McQuarrie on board. Edward Zwick (Director) alongwith Marshall Herskovitz and Richard Wenk has given the screenplay for this film. The story was weak and incoherent at times. You will be left with silly questions like :-

How did they get here?

How did they get out?

How did they not see them?

And many more...

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- The cinematography by Oliver Wood is strictly average with warm undertones of maizey hue for the day and midnight blue for the night. Some low light shot are so poorly shot you can hardly figure out the people in the frame. Although the editing by Billy Weber is good, it seems confused as to which scenes to chop off and which to keep, thus leaving us with unexplained scenarios.

⏩ Music :- Henry Jackman's music is okayish and does nothing in the first half, but amps up it's mettle by the second half.

⏩ The Highs :-

▶Unlike the first one from this franchise, this one is a fast paced thriller. It's always throwing something at you, both good and bad, necessary and unnecessary. And believe it or not, it'll keep you on the edge.

▶ Tom Cruise again as Reacher pours his typical charm potion into the character and entertains you.

▶Certain action scenes are well choreographed and so Cruise does not have to fight every five minutes and is running around the whole flick, but they are well-dosed and then brilliantly calculated.

▶ The thrilling climax is worth the wait.

⏩ The Lows :-

▶The villain was intimidating at times but lacked motive. There were plenty of things that were left unexplained at the end. So, the villainy factor was not at all enough.

▶This is another of those movies in which the tough bad guy is always trying to tell the tough good guy how much alike they are so the good guy can say something to the effect that they're nothing alike as he puts a spike through the bad guy's neck or pushes him off a skyscraper. Lack of originality.

▶ Some of the romantic exchanges between Jack and Susan is rather funny. You'd even believe if I told you they were siblings. *Chuckles*

▶ The fact that after a brutal fist fight, the actors, especially Tom Cruise, present a face without any trace of the fighting. That's bullshit, isn't it? Even the director of soft movies could have put some make up on Cruise's face to simulate the harm, the result of the ferocity of the fight. But no, Cruise's face is as smooth as a baby's butt.

⏩ Performances :-

▶Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is still very impressive for a 54 year old, but you can see it. You can see that he is not even giving us the full frontal of his chest anymore. You can see how his running chase sequences are being edited out. But still, he is the saving grace of the movie. With his charming one liners to his cute looks and intensity while performing stunts or action sequences, he saves the film from falling flat.

▶Cobie Smulders (best remembered as Robin from 'How I Met Your Mother')  as Susan Turner is the highlight of the film. She absolutely stole the show and will definitely leave you speechless with her kickass moves. Literally, this lady kicks ass!
Though it's fair to say her character is massively underwritten, else you would've been more hooked to your seats.

▶ Danika Yarosh as Samantha, a miscast, is quite annoying.

▶ Patrick Heusinger is good as the antagonist  "The Hunter," who won't stop till Reacher is dead. And he does this by means of words and effective action. What pulls us back, is that the character doesn’t have a backstory or even a name (His name is never revealed in the movie; not even in the end credits.), only a black leather jacket and some well-maintained scruff.

▶Aldis Hodge as Espin, the military police commander, is excellent and leaves us wanting for more.

⏩ Watch or Not ? Uhmm... Not so worth on the big screen.

⏩ Verdict :- The film is a good sequel, yet doesn't quite live up to the thrill-ride of its predecessor, 'Jack Reacher'. I feel that this film followed a bad trend that is rising in action movie sequels, where the main character is attempted to be given a much deeper persona, while also trying to be the same person from the first film. Yet it comes out in a very odd, strange blend of who we knew from the first film, It was troubling to have to accept this new introduction to the Reacher, when we have already been identified with him from the first film.

If you come to watch this movie expecting deep mystery or mind-blowing action sequences or superb dialogues, you will be disappointed.
But if you come to just getting entertained for two hours, you will have REACHED your goal. (Sorry. Couldn't resist the pun.)

⏩ Ratings :- 2.5/5

Banjo - Movie Review. Definitely not bad!

▶ Genre :- Musical Drama / Action 

▶ Runtime :- 2 hours 20 mins

▶ Cast :- Riteish Deshmukh (Tarraat), Dharmesh Yelande (Grease), Aditya Kumar (Paper),  (Vaajya), Nargis Fakhri (Chris), Luke Kenny (Mike).

▶ Plot :- Banjo is the regular underdog drama, in the music sphere wherein four young slum dwellers do odd jobs during the day and play impressive banjo at night. Their music falls on the ears of a DJ in New York (through her friend Mike, here in India) and she wishes to collaborate with them to get into a musical competition. She lands in Mumbai with a hope to find them and what follows, is a lot of predictable twists and turns. 

▶ Direction :- Ravi Jadhav is a filmmaker whom we adore, for making Marathi films like 'Balak Palak' (2012) and 'Natarang' (2010), 'Time Pass', to name a few.

(Also 'Balgandharva', but i haven't seen it yet) He has a unique style of storytelling and that's what piqued our curiosity about this movie. And yes, he holds the direction department with much expertise. The life in the Worli slums has been beautifully showcased by Jadhav. Also, the festive Ganpati spirit is captured very well.

Unfortunately, his incursion into Bollywood with a musical drama doesn't hold up to our expectation.

▶ Script :- Jadhav fails to portray a fresh story even though the subject had so much potential. In its opening credits, the film mentions that it is a dedication to the street musicians all over, however, it completely loses its track after 20 minutes of screentime. Banjo begins on a promising note, but falls prey to the constraints of commercial cinema and plays safe by introducing stereotypical elements like a hero (a part time extortionist, here) with a golden heart, villains (a rival band, here) considering a sudden change of heart, some political / illegal land extraction shit and a love story (with emotions overflowing just from one side). *Sighs*

▶ Editing and Cinematography :- →Devendra Murdeshwar's editing is okay-ish. There were many unnecessary scenes that could've easily been edited out. Like, the rival band beating up one of the members of our band at the railway station, not once but twice.

→Manoj Lobo, as the cinematographer, does a brilliant job. His camera slides over the grit-laden streets and the agonised yet happening lives of the slum dwellers; and does the trick for  the people who can’t face harsh realities with bare eyes.

▶ Music :- The music by Vishal-Shekhar is the best thing of this film. It hits all the right notes and has got all the grooves that'll leave us foot-tapping in the theatre. Except for ‘Pee Paa Ke’, which is completely irrelevant to ths context. Also, the picturization and feel of the songs are commendable. The background score is not too harsh and blends in perfectly.

▶ The Highs :- 

➡ Have we ever glanced at the lads who passionately pound their drums in Ganpati processions, navratri pandals or desi marriages for that matter. Probably not. But this musical piece by Jadhav will make sure we stop and stare for a while, the next time we find any of them bands playing on the streets. We definitely will.

➡ The film touches upon interesting themes like the power of performing from one's heart over performing for one's supper and their desperation to gain respect in the eyes of the people.

But these beautiful ideas aren't formulate well, in the movie.

➡ The comic relief is better than expected. Although most of them were unleashed in the trailer, the gimmicks and the chemistry between the four men is a treat to watch.

➡ Dharmesh Yelande comes out as an excellent performer. He didn't quite get his space to dance here, but he managed to garner all the eye balls through his acting. 

➡ The music score set up by Vishal-Shekhar puts life in this movie and partly becomes the reason we stay glued to our seats till the very end. 

▶ The Lows :-

➡ Banjo would've been more intriguing had the movie concentrated more on the life of Tarrat (Riteish), and Banjo.

➡ The second half keeps dragging for no apparent reason. It would've been better without the repeated conversations and forced conflicts post interval. At one point in the movie, we get a Déjà vu of the 'ABCD' and 'Step up' franchise. 

➡ They have also introduced multiple characters and many of them are completely irrelevant. For example, Chris' friend’s uncle played by Anand Ingle and the real estate owner Pamnani. 

➡ Nargis Fakhri. Why? Why did you cast a model and not an actress as the leading lady? And now that you have, it's wrong on our part to expect any acting form her. So, we are genuinely sorry. *places hand on heart*

➡ There are some serious loopholes in logic in various scenes. One of them is when the band performs at a club and during the song, we can see all four members dancing. 

*Eyes wide open* 

Dude? It was a LIVE band show, right? 

➡ Performances :- 

▶ Riteish Deshmukh plays the lead singer and banjo player Tarraat, who is otherwise a drunkard and an extortionist. Right from the body language to the cockiness, Riteish blows life into the character and proves his mettle as an actor.

▶ Dharmesh Yelande, as Grease, is a surprise package. He nails it as the mechanic and the band's drummer. Also, he has a great screen presence.

 

▶ Aditya Kumar, as Paper, works as a newspaper boy when he isn't playing with the band. His only dream is to own a water tanker. And Aditya does justice to his character.

▶ Raja Menon, as Vaajya, plays shehnai with his father at marriages during the day, and is in awe of fearless Tarraat for the rest of the day.  

- The characters of Paper and Vaajya have a realistic touch through which we learn about the simple dreams that the men from the slums are nursing. Sweet. 

▶ Luke Kenny as Mikey not only looks impressive but also pulls off a decent role. His Marathi speaking dialogues are real fun to hear.

▶ Mahesh Shetty (TV Actor) has a negative role in the film. He does a fine job as far as the acting is concerned. But yes, we find a tinge of over acting in the emotional scenes but those can be overlooked considering the fact that he is from daily soaps. *chuckles*

▶  Nargis Fakhri or a "pair of lips" as she is fondly called, leaves a bad taste in our mouths right from her very first dialogue. It is painful to watch her speak Hindi. No doubt her way of emoting things has improved since Azhar. But you literally cringe when she showers her anger on her boss by using Hindi cuss words. Geez! Stop right there, lady. 

▶ The actor who plays Corporator Patil in the film is also worth a mention.

▶ Veteran actor Late Janardan Parab (Deceased : April 02, 2016) played the character of Riteish's adopted dad. But he wasn't given enough screen time.

▶ Master Ishaan Khopkar is cute as the chaiwalla, who always takes a dig at the band members.

▶ Verdict :-

"Banjo" is an ambitious film that excels in music and drama but fails because of poor writing and shoddy editing. You may watch it if you got nothing else to do, this weekend.

▶ Ratings :-  2.5/5

🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ❤🙏

Akira Review - Yeh Sinha Sabko Khaamosh Kar Degi. ❤

Genre :- Drama / Action
Runtime :- 2 hrs 28 mins
Cast :- Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sen Sharma, Atul Kulkarni, Amit Sadh.

Whoever has denounced Sonakshi Sinha for her style quotient and acting spirit earlier, Akira is a tight slap on their face.

Plot :- A quartet of Cops finds a huge amount of money at an accident site and they decide to keep it with themselves. Basically, Chor hain saale. And in a bid to cover up this crime, they go on committing crimes one after another. And this innocent soul from Jodhpur gets trapped into their vicious circle of crime. Will the Cops plead guilty? Will Akira serve for their crimes? Watch, to find out.

Direction :- A. R. Murugadoss, the director, has left no stone unturned to make this one, a thorough entertainer.
The first 30 mins of the movie has been beautifully shot and directed. Too much efforts have been taken into perfecting the action scenes that the technicalities in the high voltage scenes fall flat. I mean, you don't get emotionally involved with Akira's character because the workings of her mind, her motivations and her feelings, remain a mystery.

Editing and Cinematography -
The Editing is fast-paced. Thanks to the editor Sreekar Prasad's crisp editing skills. The cinematography is lit and the grungy effects in some intense scenes adds to the wow factor.

Music -
Just one song has been featured in the movie, that too in the background.
'Kehkasha tu meri', composed by Vishal-Shekhar.
Personally for me, a no song film is always a preference. It helps in maintaining the intensity of the plot.

The Highs :-
▶The first half is actually good and gripping. The plot is perfectly set before the interval, you crave for the second half. The story by Santha Kumar is engaging that makes Akira an out and out edge-of-the-seat thriller. The best part of the film is that it is probably one of the few films that isn’t bound to a male protagonist.

▶ Watch out for Sonakshi.
She has dropped her typical "Just there because - Well... Our hero needs a heroine and also we have to add some romantic numbers"
image
(See - Rowdy R, Dabangg, Action J, etc.
Wait! All her previous films. *chuckles*)
and donned the character of a fiery lady who kicks ass, literally.
And yes, this lady isn't afraid of 'thappad' or 'pyaar' but she is afraid that she might accidentally kill you if you mess with her.
A round of applause for her, you guys.

▶ The direction is good. Scenes are well - lit, perfectly captured, sound effects are bang on. And why wouldn't it be? Its Murugadoss after all.

▶ Though the film is a Hindi remake of a Tamil film 'Mouna Guru', 'Akira' stands out in several aspects.

▶ Kashyap as the antagonist is one of the best things in the movie.

▶ The social cards like acid-attack, empowering women to learn self-defense techniques, differently abled and abled co-education has been laid down and it works in favor of the film.

▶ The background music is well constructed. Also,

▶ Full points to the filmmaker for trying something new. Its best aspect lies in the blazing fast set pieces and allow you no time to stop and think. The story takes many turns, and their unexpected nature is what keeps you invested in the film.

Some Lows :-

▶The second half is a lil disappointing. The director spent too much time in getting the action right, that he got most of the emotions wrong.

▶THIS IS NOT A WOMEN CENTRIC FILM!!
It's as if Sonakshi has stepped onto Sunny Deols shoes from Ghayal. She is Kapoor, Kumar and Khan roled in one. That's it.

▶ There are so many things that happen in Akira, things that look grave, demand all your attention but are forgotten conveniently. Ghajni mode on? Eh?
- A women dies in an apartment and there is no serious follow up.

- An important man with 8 'khokas' of cash dies in an accident. Forget importance. This guy has some crazy stash of cash. And nobody gives a fuck about in-depth investigation. Why?

- And why was Konkana Sen Sharma’s character pregnant? What is the connection, bro? Fukat ka distraction.
Or wait. Inspired by Kahaani? Just to make her look competent. Smart. *Smirks*

▶ Some scenes are too ludicrous, their idea of clever scenes begin with lines like,
“Main Jodhpur chod ke kahi nahi jaungi.” Cut to Sonakshi slipping into Jodhpuri chappals.
Because Jodhpur… Jodhpuri !
Get it ?
*Slow claps*

▶ And jabtak there will be no bullets left in my gun at crucial moments, tabtak bollywood ka feel kaha se ayega?
Like really!? That's so 1980's, mahn. Move on! *Eye-rolls*

▶ And there’s really a sense of ridiculousness that occurs towards the end, when Sonakshi's character compares herself to Jesus Christ.
Daughter India replacing Mother India.
Kuch bhi karoge kya? Tch. Tch.

Performances -
➡ Sonakshi is excellent as Akira, the human version of Supergirl. She nails the character and makes it believable. This is her finest performance so far.
Her much slender figure since Dabangg adds to her visual appeal. Plus, this lady got some moves mahn!
And it is always sexier to see a woman bashing up goons, standing against the corrupt system, kicking some serious ass. Isn't it?

➡ Kashyap’s relaxed, wicked delivery hits all the right notes and his original vocation comes in handy as well. There is this scene where he directs a sub inspector in filing an FIR report, it seems similar to a director demanding redrafts of a problematic climax in the script. His introduction scenes remind us of his own film, 'Dev D'. Plus, he has got some of the wittiest and smartest dialogues in the movie and he delivers it with his husky charm.

➡ Konkona Sen doesn't have a big role to play, but she does full justice to the role offered to her with her usual style of acting.

➡ Amit Sadh has a very ordinary role. So ordinary, you can't decide whether he is Akira's love interest or 'Just a friend'.

➡ A noteworthy performance from the other cast is that of Lokesh Vijay Gupte, who brilliantly portrays the corrupt cop in ACP Rane’s gang.

➡ Also the mentally challenged women playing Sonakshi's friend does a great job.

➡ You also get to see Ankita Bhargava, (Ladies! Yeh hai mohabbatein? She is Raman's real-life wife) and she makes you cringe everytime she is on screen.

Last word - It is an entertainer, no doubt. But the technical as well as logical aspect falls flat in some sequences. For the overall masses, this is watchable. It has all the South-Indian tadka to it, it keeps you intrigued till the very end. Plus, it has Sonakshi in a brand new avatar.
Make some time and watch it this weekend, before Bappa comes your way.

Ratings -
Critical - 2.8/5
Entertainer - 3/5

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi everyone.❤
🙏 Ganpati Bappa Morya! 🙏

❤ 🙏PRIZMI TRIPATHI🙏 ❤

A Flying Jatt - Review. Move Over Krish, A Flying Jatt Is Here. 💁

Genre :- Fantasy / Action / Adventure

Runtime :- 2 hours 35 mins

Cast :- Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones, Amrita Singh, K. K. Menon, Gaurav Pandey.

Director :- Remo D'souza

Plot :- The film revolves around a young Jatt boy (Tiger) who breaks out of his rut to save a piece of land from being taken over by a power hungry industrialist, Malhotra (K.K). And in the course, he has to fight an evil Raka, hired by Malhotra.

Well, as we all know that Bollywood's engagement with superhero flicks has not been healthy. Therefore, Remo
resorts to comic relief as an escape and hence we have a superhero who has Acrophobia, buys sabzi from the market, stops at red signals,
tries on funny costumes on his mother’s insistence and who is not flaunting his powers.
He is Bad Ass, Lame Ass and Great Abs!
Ahem. Does that ring any bells?

While, the concept of this spoof over superheroes works well, his preaching on Environment doesn't.

The Highs -
▶ Tiger doesn't seem to have impressed us with his acting yet, but this man certainly has an innate charm about him that makes us wanna watch him more.

▶ It's no news that we Indians, or Bollywood for that matter has always been "inspired" by Hollywood. But doing that with finesse, is what i found applaudable. I don't see any point in thrashing the movie because of its rip-offs on brilliant Hollywood Superheroes. We are trying hard to get there, aren't we?
If u can't acknowledge and encourage, better keep shut.
There are some popular and easy to recognize 'inspirations' like the action sequence where our Jatt does a 'QuickSilver' (Xmen), flies like 'SuperMan' (DawnOfJustice), Goofs like 'DeadPool', Runs like 'The Flash', and heals like 'Wolverine'.
He also takes help from 'Spiderman' for a cue on his love life. (The hidden identity and first kiss thing.)
Also, the antagonist Raka seems to be a fan of 'Magneto' (Apocalypse).
*Phews*
A special mention to the 'QuickSilver' scene, that has been beautifully depicted.

▶ Some scenes are downright hilarious such as Tiger dancing to Sunny Leone’s 'Baby Doll' and most of the scenes involving Tiger, Gaurav Pandey and Amrita Singh (Bebe).

▶ We are also given a glimpse of history of the Sikh bravery. Remo also manages to push in the ‘don’t make jokes on Sardars’ message in this one.
Bravo! *Claps*

▶ It is a funny superhero drama that has ample of light moments. Its Kid-friendly nature seems to be the most saleable point!

▶ Dialogues by Akash Kaushik and Madhur Sharma are good. Especially in the last half an hour.

The Lows :-
▶The first half is funny and fast-paced, but the second half is in your face preachy and also religiously over-dosed, which kind of dampens the spirit of the movie.

▶The songs are a call for a 'Loo-Break'.

▶ The movie crams TOO many social messages and you will see our superhero asking people to wear seat belts and not talk on the phone while driving, among many other things.

▶ Our villain Raka feeds on pollution, and the only way to combat it is stop polluting our environment. But he is killed by a religious instrument! If he was anyway going to be defeated in this manner, why go through all this pollution angle and social messages? Huhn?

▶ Also, the climax is out of the world. Literally! And it's superbly illogical.
Since when did the moon start having a gravitational pull? *Scoffs*

Direction :- Honestly, when this film was announced, I did feel that it seemed like an overly ambitious project for Remo who is primarily a choreographer and his only two directions were completely based on ' 'Dance' ofcourse. But his attempt at a superhero drama with a message is not bad but its writing is not upto the mark.

Editing and Cinematography :- Editing could've been crispier. Cinematography is better than expected apart from a rain-fight sequence where it seems completely shoddy.

Music :- The songs seem slapped on and have no relation to the plot whatsoever. 'Beat pe Booty' is good and is indeed a treat for sore eyes. 'Toota jo kabhi taara' which is a love song, is directed pretty well. All in all, the music is average. Strictly average!
The background score is quite irritating every time Raka is on-screen.

Performances :
➡ Tiger is agile and excellent in his presence, but a poor dialogue delivery surely come in the way. Nobody can challenge him when it comes to the super air-kicks and hence his action scenes look quite good, nonetheless the actor still has long way to go, to come up in the top league.

➡ Amrita Singh does a 'Two States' again as Bebe. Bebe loves drinking and has no filter to her mouth. She steals the limelight in the last 30 minutes with her epic dialogue delivery and intensity.

➡ Kay Kay Menon is wearing weirdly blingy ties and if you could pay attention beyond those, you would realize his mean look is the same as that in ABCD.

➡ Gaurav Pandey who was also seen as Varun Dhawan’s friend in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania does a good job in this film as Tiger’s brother. His comic timing is excellent!

➡ Nathan Jones as Raka looks scary enough thanks to his huge structure itself. His ‘Surprise Surprise’ line although doesn’t come across as a threat much but seems rather funny. With lame dialogues like 'Meri Ruuh Kaali Hain (I have a black soul), he is just expected to open his jaws (with vocals like Haaaaa), widen his eyes and that’s your villain. LOL!

➡ Jacqueline Fernandez as his love interest is beautiful and dumb. She is overly chirpy and shows no signs of efforts taken for this role. Her highlight in this film is clearly the sexy moves on ‘Beat Pe Booty‘!

➡ Shraddha Kapoor makes a cameo in the film by calling out,
*Mimics her voice*
"Ayee Flying Jatt! Will you marry me?"
*Slow claps with a smirk*
While her scene isn't impressive, the dialogue which comes after it, is more funnier!

➡ You also get a glimpse of Sushant Pujari (Vernon of ABCD2 Fame) who plays his violin hard enough to woo Jacqueline.

I have put all the Highs and the Lows in front of you, Go Figure!

Ratings :- 3/5 (If u are under 18)
                  2.5/5 (For Adults)

✍ ❤PRIZMI TRIPATHI❤

Mohenjo-Daro - Merely A Visual Treat. ❤😻

Genre - Period Drama/Romance

Runtime - 2 hrs 35 mins

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde, Kabir Bedi, Arunoday Singh, Suhasini Mulay.

Director: Ashutosh Gowarikar

Plot - Set in 2016 BC, Mohenjo Daro is the story of an indigo farmer Sarman (Hrithik) who goes to the market place in Mohenjo Daro, and chances upon certain upcoming's that he decides to fight against.

Before you watch it, i would like to introduce you guys to some words that appear in the movie, and the actual way we use it today.
(Yes yes, i know that's how it used to be pronounced in that era. But, i am just helping you guys out, no?😭)

Sapeena - Sapna
Suwaal - Sawaal
Turuntu - Turant (Rightaway)
HamaalKhor - Well, you definitely know this one. XD

To be honest, i was always a back-bencher in school. What I am trying to get at is, unlike other experts, I am in no position to pick on the historical ACCURACY of "Mohenjo Daro."

Basically, Gowariker puts in all the hard work and sincerity in the canvas and the mounting, in the seals and the statues but refuses to take the necessary leap of imagination to give us something fresh, when it comes to the story and romance. Mohenjo Daro is a case of seen it all, many a times before.

Story -
Mohenjo Daro cannot decide if it wants to be a love story or an epic adventure film or a revenge saga.
I didn't find anything so unique about it that it needed to go Before Christ.
A simple farmer (Hrithik), goes to settle 1 his goods in the marketplace of Mohenjo-Daro. Falls in love with the daughter of a renowned priest, and goes with his inner calling.
This is Bollywood. So here we have an evil villain (Kabir) and his dumb son (Arunoday), the former wanting to rule the world, and the latter wanting  to marry our leading lady (Pooja Hegde). Our hero defeats both of them and embraces the role he was destined to play.
PS - There are some clichéd twists towards the end, ofcourse.
Now this story, rings many bells. Isn't it?
Also, one more thing.
Dear SRK and Salman, you weren't the one's that did the "ladki piche mudke dekhegi thing " first. SARMAN did it before it was cool. Take that! *Chuckles*

The movie takes you on an epic journey back in time to rediscover history like never before.

Cinematography -
Cinematography by C.K Muraleedharan is pretty good and plays a major part in recreating the era. Brilliant work. *Claps*

Editing -
Some scenes seem forced and should've been edited out. The not so intriguing story makes us feel tired after 2 hours or so.

Music :- "Tu Hain" and "Mohenjo-Daro" are beautiful and lively. Also, the choreography and visuals are a treat to sore eyes.
A.R.Rahman, Take a bow!

Direction:- Its a wonderful cinematic experience, that dwells you in that era of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Ashutosh has taken care of each and every minor thing. The ancient city is shown perfectly the way it should be and the larger than life sets will leave you amazed. The film takes you back all the way to 2016 BC and will make you believe that whatever is shown on screen is so damn true. The camera angles focus on every inch of the city and its all woven together really well. Thumbs up to Ashutosh and the team of Mohenjo Daro for pulling off such a spectacular feat.

CGI :- While the multiple climax scenes did irk me a tad, it evidently gave the makers a wonderful chance to showcase some great VFX work.

Performances :-
💨 Hrithik gives a stellar performance as Sarman. Right from the Dance moves and expressions to the hot bod and heavenly looks, this mahn carries this film on his shoulders. The fight sequence in the pre-climax flaunts his flexibility and swiftness like never before and those fifteen minutes are a treat.

💨 Pooja, though pretty and a newbie, should get the benefit of doubt, could've done better with a little more expression along with the dialogues. She is so deadpan, i'd bet she'd be good at poker. Also, her overtly puckered lips reminds me of the sassy Shruti Hassan. Tbh, her acting too. *Tee-hees*

💨 Arunoday Singh as the villain's son is plain dumb, the same that he was in 'Main Tera Hero'. Body with no brains. XD

💨 Kabir bedi looks like the devil himself in those horned headgear. Also, his over the top voice adds to the villainy factor.

💨 Suhasini Mulay shines in the small role given to her.

💨 Sharad Kelkar in a cameo does fine.

💨 It feels good to see Nitish Bhardwaj of Lord Krishna fame in B. R. Chopra's TV series 'Mahabharata'. And he proves his mettle as an actor.

💨 Narendra Jha is brilliant as the chief turned Mad-man Jakeero. His character resembles to that of the  story-teller Babaji from 'Tamasha'.

❣ Mohenjo-Daro is another one of those masterpieces that appears once in a blue moon only to leave the audience awed by its perfection in direction, passionate music, superb acting, vibrant cinematography, breath taking scenes, stunning costumes and all the other unmentioned achievements. It has portrayed the ancient world down to the detail showing the cultural diversities and the hardships of the poor without wasting a single shot and only a mastermind director like Ashutosh Gowariker could achieve such perfection.

❣ The Visuals of Mohenjo Daro boggles the mind touches the heart and is a pleasant watch for the entire family. I recommend watching it for the sake of the larger than life Cinematic experience.

💕 Ratings :- 3/5 (Only for the performances, visuals and direction.)

✍❤PRIZMI TRIPATHI❤

Dishoom - Delivers An Impressive Punch. 👊❤

🎭Genre :- Action-Comedy/Buddy Cop

Runtime :- 2 hrs 4 mins.

👔Cast :- John Abraham, Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandes, Akshay Khanna, Saqib Qureshi and Rahul Dev.
Akshay Kumar and Nargis Fakhri in a cameo.

✍Plot :- When India's top batsman goes missing in the Middle East, two cops from either side of the Arabian Sea team up for a 36 hour manhunt.

Talking about the direction, Rohit Dhawan did a decent job. The 'Desi Boyz' director managed to pull off some beautiful scenes.
Although the storyline is quite predictable and clichéd, the engaging narrative, coupled with rich visuals and high octane action, humour, work in favour of the film. Add to this the star power of John Abraham and Varun Dhawan, which will definitely attract the youth.
Also, the chemistry between the actors, especially during the comic scenes make for an entertaining watch. The movie no doubt has all the style, swagger and glamour, but it would have been a better bet had the director paid a little more attention towards the script.

👀Cinematography and Editing :- The Cinematography is neat and vibrant. Also the glitz of UAE makes it more appealing. The Editing could've been better, since i found few sequences unnecessary. Like the one chase sequence with Rahul Dev.

🎶Music :- The music crisp, fitting well with the vibe of the film. It begins with the title track 'Toh Dishoom'. Sung by Shahid Mallya with ample use of Raftaar's rapping, the song's highlight are its lyrics. The right use of bass and Punjabi tadka give this one a distinct touch. With 'Sau Tarah Ke', the composer falls back in his 'Afghan Jalebi' mode. The Arabic lyrics lend an exotic flavour. 'Jaaneman aah' is crowd pleasing.

✔ Some High's :-
▶John Abraham and Varun Dhawan’s bromance. Their chemistry is very much a reminder of our Dhoom jodi, Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra.
(See - Comparing Varun to Uday ? She mad or what? Chill. I am comparing the chemistry between both the actors, and not their individual talents. 😂)

▶Fancy FJ Cruisers, speed boats and drone based action sequences are enough for enthusiasts. Also, shot in Abu Dhabi, the swanky locales of middle east are impressive.

▶The humour quotient is high and it promises to keep you entertained till the very end. There are some silly one liners but they still make you chuckle.

▶The surprise cameo by Akshay Kumar is applaud worthy. 👏👀

✖ Some Low's :-
▶Of course, there are stupid scenes such as John’s character getting off a plane with a lit cigarette. Well, there’s a reason you don’t smoke near the planes. Don’t want to blow up yourself, do you? 😑
Also, it is plain annoying to show someone throwing smoke on someone else's face.

▶Also, what's with the name VIRAJ SHARMA?
Like Virat + Yuvraj + Rohit Sharma. Seriously? Duhh!

▶Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom tries hard to be a Rush Hour - esque buddy cop film but thanks to its clichés, comes hardly any close.

▶While the focus remains on John and Varun, the writers fail to establish the antagonists character much.

Performances :-
➡ John Abraham as Kabir maintains his steely 'Rocky Handsome' persona  and after a while, his character and acting starts to bore the hell out of you. But he is still passable as the no nonsense guy because who would want to see him try anything near comedy after 'Welcome Back' or 'Housefull 2' ? Certainly not me. Thank god for his hot body, he is still appealing. 😍❤

➡ Its unfortunate that Varun Dhawan has nothing new to offer. After 'Main Tera Hero', 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania', his character as Junaid is once again the chirpy chocolate boy like. Nonetheless, he is extremely likable and instantly grabs your attention in the film with his comic timing and cute looks. With the natural, cocky charm of a young Will Smith - a fact alluded to when Dishoom references Men In Blackwith its heroes calling themselves K and J -- Dhawan is spontaneous and funny but, most importantly, sincere.
He is the main highlight of the movie. 👏😘

➡ Jacqueline Fernandez as Ishika lives up to the expectations once again and proved that she has nothing to do with acting at all. Of course, her sexy moves in Sau Tarah Ke make-up for most of that missing acting.

➡ Akshay Khanna in spite of being a good actor and the antagonist in the film, gets limited screen time. But he plays the evil bookie Wagha, with ease.

➡ Akshay Kumar gives one hell of a cameo in this film. And those 5-7 minutes are downright hilarious. 😂
He adds the bun in 'man-bun'.
 *Whistles* 😉

➡ Saqib Saleem Qureshi as Viraj, obviously knows how to hit full-tosses all over the place. Saleem is a fine performer and the cricketing bits seem as authentic as they need to be.

➡ Then there is a pug named 'Bradman' which reminds us of 'Frank' from 'Men in Black'.

➡ Satish Kaushik as Mr. Qureshi is excellent and funny. 😂 The idea of his character is impressive.

➡ Parineeti Chopra’s item number is already popular and ends the film with much glitz and glamour.

➡ Nargis Fakhri? *Ignores*
(You really want me to even add anything more? 😂)

❤ The film’s best parts are Dhawan asking a helicopter pilot to pull over 'side mein,', Satish Kaushik trolling people on the phone and Varun Dhawan saying, "If the characters in 'Lagaan' would've had a 'Weather App', it would've been easier for them to track rains and would've saved a lot of their energy spent on singing songs." And John's reply to this is hilarious. ❤😂

▶A special mention to the film's stunt directors for shooting some breath taking action scenes in the film.◀


It's a complete Bollywood masala entertainer. Light on script, heavy on entertainment. At any point it doesn't hobble or hurt your brain. 😉
All in all, it delivers a decent Dishooom! 👊Up

Ratings - 3.2/5 ❤

✍ ♠PRIZMI TRIPATHI♠