Tag: ravi shet

Categories
Film

Review: San Andreas

Fast paced, edgy and completely over the top, San Andreas has little to boast of apart from its visual effects.
by Ravi Shet

Within just a few seconds of the opening credits, a car crash happens and our hero Ray (Dwayne Johnson) essaying the role of search and rescue helicopter pilot at Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) arrives in a chopper along with his team to rescue the girl stuck in a car hanging in between the mountains.

After the rescue mission, Ray heads to his home to spend the weekend with his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario). Emma (Carla Gugino) wants to divorce Ray and she has planned to move in with her affluent boyfriend Daniel (Ioan Gruffudd) along with Blake. But a major earthquake at Nevada dashes Ray’s plans for spending the weekend with Blake since his team is required for the rescue effort.

Meanwhile, Dr Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti), a seismology professor at Caltech has devised a mechanism to predict earthquakes, which involves tracking magnetic pulses. Before Dr. Hayes tells the public about the Los Angeles quake, a part of a swarm of tremors hits the town where Emma is having lunch in a restaurant in a high-rise building. Buildings start collapsing one after another like a house of cards, creating chaos and panic. Ray arrives to rescue Emma from the roof of the building in his chopper and heads straight to Blake, who has reached San Francisco with Daniel, where another quake strikes and she is trapped in a vehicle in an underground garage. She is rescued by the good looking Ben (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) and his younger brother Ollie (Art Parkinson). Blake somehow manages to contact Ray and she develops a plan with Ben and Ollie, to meet her parents.

 

A big thumbs up to the visual effects team working on this film – they have done an amazing job with the subject matter, bringing to life the destruction caused by an unrelenting earthquake. The collapsing bridges, ripped roads and crumbled buildings will make you gasp with their incredible detailing. But there is little else in the film that can be recommended. The plot is contrived, almost Bollywoodesque in its development, and somebody please tell me how an LAFD search and rescue helicopter pilot is allowed to take an official chopper to rescue his daughter, when others are looking for more immediate help in the same situation.

This one’s for Dwayne Johnson fans only.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

(Picture courtesy lottecinemavn.com.)

Categories
Event

Attend: Help Defeat Diabetes 2015

The three day exhibition at Nehru Centre, Worli addresses all the concerns and illnesses associated with diabetes in the country.
by Ravi Shet

Diabetes has been affecting people throughout the globe. As per IDF Diabetes Atlas, 6th Edition (2014), 387 million in 2014 people have diabetes and estimates suggest this number will rise to 592 million by 2035. India ranks second in terms of patients affected from diabetes, approximately 66.8 million.

To address this concern, Diabetes Endocrine Nutrition Management and Research Centre (DENMARC) has organised a three-day day exhibition, titled ‘Help Defeat Diabetes through Education and Awareness’, at Nehru Centre which started from yesterday. The objective of the exhibition is to create more knowledge and information along with guidance to general public regarding different aspects of this disease.

Discussions on new therapies and techniques such as stem cell therapy, pancreatic and beta cell transplants clubbed with interactive sessions with experts on topics such as role of exercise, diet in diabetes, etc., are highlights of this exhibition. Morning sessions were in Hindi for yesterday, followed by Marathi on May 30 and Gujarati on May 31 while afternoon sessions are in English for the three days.

Diagnostic tests such as HbA1c, Retina Test, etc., are available at subsidised rates or free for the visitors. Located on the ground floor of Nehru Centre, ‘Hall of Knowledge’, has numerous charts displayed on diabetes complications, administration of insulin, self monitoring of blood glucose, diet and exercise that covers all relevant information for healthy living of diabetic patient. Don’t miss the food pyramid created by the organisers keeping real food stuffs to make it more appealing.

(Picture courtesy forevernews.in)

Categories
Eat

Review: Kaboom

Menus and cuisines that change daily, a quirky ambience and very tasty food are staple features of this Ballard Estate-based eatery.
by Ravi Shet

If you are tired of eating the same old restaurant food for years, you can try something different at Ballard Estate. For me, Kaboom has always been a place that helps me experience an explosion of taste, freshness, fun and innovation all under one roof.

The moment you step into this quirky space, you will see a canister at the right hand side beautifully converted into a trash bin, while on the left you can see the menu written on a blackboard. An old shipping container has been cleverly converted into an open kitchen. The red side table near the kitchen is made using a scrapped sewing machine with a sheet of glass over it. Also, scrapped milk canisters are converted to tables in a similar fashion. There is also a wall clock here with its hands stuck at 6 pm and the words ‘Today is Friday’ written below it.

Changing menus

If you visit on Monday, you will get South East Asian food, and European style cheese toasts on Tuesdays, Italian on Wednesday, Middle Eastern on Thursday and American on Friday. This daily rotation of the menu offers customers more options with different cuisines to try on a daily basis.

Lemon Cake_KaboomIt was Wednesday when I visited, so Italian cuisine (Pazzo Pomodoro) was on the menu along with Italian music playing in the background. I started off with the Caprese Salad (Rs 170) served in a biodegradable container along with a biodegradable fork. Fresh buffalo mozzarella, baby tomatoes and basil used in the salad were fresh and refreshing in the hot weather. Their Panini Grilled Sandwich (Rs 230) consisting of mozzarella, tomatoes, Italian basil along with portions of chicken was really tasty and grilled to perfection.

The Pasta Pesto (Rs 250) consisting of penne pasta served with chunky sauce made with Italian basil, roasted almonds along with chunks of chicken was awesome. Finally to end to meal, I ordered a dessert – Lemon Cake (Rs 80) which has a lemon and semolina base and is seriously delicious and fresh.

Organic ingredients

All the ingredients used in the preparations here are sourced through organic farming practices – this reflects in the quality of the food. I was enchanted by the quirkiness of the space, as also the idea of a different menu every day. The use of biodegradable containers is a great idea, too. All in all, a very good eating-out experience.

Head to Kaboom, 3A Spott Road, Near Grand Hotel, Ballard Estate. The Metrognome reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for its meals.

(Pictures courtesy Ravi Shet and Kaboom)

Categories
Eat

Review: Apple A Day

A perfect day starts with this Khar eatery, where fresh fruit juices will gladden your senses and fill your tummy.
by Ravi Shet

Do you want to start your day with fresh vegetable or fruit juice or a combination of both? Just walk down the road from Amjad Khan chowk and enter Apple A Day, a little joint situated next to Olive Bar & Kitchen, Khar. The place has two red-coloured bar stools and caters to the health- conscious.

Founded by the Sakpal brothers – Kiran and Sanket – this place has completed two years this month and is famous in the area for its fresh juices, shots, smoothies and salads. They also serve customised preparations as per the patrons’ requirements.

Wheatgrass Shot_Apple A DayThrough their open kitchen, I got to witness the preparation of their Wheatgrass Shot (Rs 69, in pic on left) served in a shot glass – this was a good way to start the rest of the tasting. I next tried their Carrot-Beet-Ginger-Mint (Rs 69) and Apple-Pineapple-Spinach (Rs 150), which are excellent. The chopping and blending of fruits and veggies are done once the order is placed by patron. What I really liked is that if you ask for sugar or any sweetening agent, you get an instant ‘No’ in answer.

They offer free home delivery and juices are delivered in thermostat bottles – they ask consumers to return the empty bottles. Monthly plans for Fresh Wheatgrass Juice (Rs 1818) and Fresh Fruit Juices/Blends (Rs 2828) are available for the patrons who wish to start their day with healthy juices on a daily basis. In a span of two years, they have built a base of a good number of regular customers; be it doctors, models and fitness buffs.

I will be heading there again soon, to try out their Orange-Beet-Carrot (Rs 100) and Pomegranate-Watermelon (Rs 150) which are best sellers, from what I hear. Cleanliness, good service and a wide range of juices (without added sugar and preservatives) makes this place rank high on my list.

The Metrognome reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for its meals.

(Pictures courtesy Ravi Shet)

Categories
Film

Review: Mad Max – Fury Road

Unrelenting, furious action runs alongside a feminist statement on slavery, torture and the overthrowing of shackles imposed by a dictator.
by Ravi Shet

‘My name is Max’. This unrelenting action film starts with these words. Almost three decades after the original installment (starring Mel Gibson as Max), director George Miller comes up with this edition of Mad Max with Tom Hardy playing Max Rockatansky.

The film is set in an unspecified future, in a world grappling with little or no water and gas. Only one person, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) holds the reserves to these precious resources and he lets the inhabitants have access to them for only a minute every day. Immortan Joe is the ruthless leader of a band of bald, white body paint-covered crazed soldiers referred to as ‘War Boys.’

As luck would have it, Max is captured by Joe’s War Boys and termed as a Universal Donor. He is tied to a speeding car and used as a ‘blood bag’ (and referred to as one) for an ailing War Boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult), along with other War Boys who are in hot pursuit to capture Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a solider with a mechanical left arm and a former trusted member of Joe’s army. For her part, Furiosa is on a mission to help Joe’s five wives, known as ‘prized breeders’, escape from his world of torment in an armoured tanker truck.

 

Max and Furiosa’s paths soon cross, but they start off on a bad note. However, as time progresses, they develop an excellent bond with each other, finally joining forces to battle their way in a furious, non-stop chase that will have you riveted and completely unable to tear your eyes away from the screen. Eventually, Nux switches sides and teams up with Max and Furiosa.

This is a relentless, extremely fast-paced and brutal film with a feminist narrative, and is backed by stellar performances. Tom Hardy does full justice to Max, and is superlative in both the fight sequences and the softer moments of the film. Meanwhile, in a deglam avatar and buzz cut, Charlize Theron is absolutely impressive and believable. Furiosa is one of the strongest women in recent Hollywood films, and is a new standard for other superheroines to live up to.

This is a must-watch for action and stunt buffs – with few dialogues, constant action and new heights in cinematography, Mad Max: Fury Road will keep your adrenaline high from start to finish in this mad drive for hope and redemption.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

 (Picture courtesy www.madmaxmovie.com)

Categories
Film

Review: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Watch this film only if you’re a SpongeBob fan who doesn’t mind a slightly weird storyline and tonnes of hamming.
by Ravi Shet

This week sees the release of the SpongeBob cartoon series famous on the Nickelodeon cartoon network turned into a full-fledged movie. At the outset, let me warn you that this film will leave you cold if you’re not a fan of silliness or SpongeBob.

SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) works as a cook at The Krusty Krab, a burger joint famed for its yummy Krabby Patties owned by Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) in the underwater town of Bikini Bottom. Squidward, Patrick and Sandy are SpongeBob’s buddies. Residents of Bikini Bottom are always in high spirits while gorging on yummy Krabby Patties, except for Plankton (voiced by Doug Lawrence) who tries every trick to steal their secret recipe. During one of his attempts he tries to steal the secret recipe, it vanishes entirely, leaving Plankton and SpongeBob clueless.

Deprived of their yummy Krabby Patties, the residents of Bikini Bottom go crazy and the fun loving place turns into a site of utter chaos. SpongeBob teams up with Plankton to find the secret recipe and get to the bottom of the disaster at Bikini Bottom. Through their team work, they build a photo booth time machine to travel back in time and get hold of the secret recipe.

 

It turns out that bad tempered and crazy pirate Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas) has stolen the secret recipe; he plans to retire from piracy and run a food truck business. The yummy Krabby Patties which were the most-wanted food item underwater at Bikini Bottom, score an instant hit with people above the water. SpongeBob and the gang soon realise that the person having the secret recipe is not only huge in size as compared to their miniscule selves, but he also has a magical book that has the tale of Bikini Bottom written in it – and he can rewrite the ending. Luckily, SpongeBob gets hold of the last page which helps him to rewrite the story – he adds superpowers and a huge size to himself and his gang friends.

These superpowers help SpongeBob blow powerful bubbles, while Sandy becomes a huge sized squirrel. Patrick is able to attract all the ice cream cones – this one makes you laugh out loud. Mr. Krabs’ retractable claws remind you of Marvel’s Iron Man, while Plankton develops a massive green-coloured body (like The Hulk) with a tiny head.

The film is strictly okay, with very few genuinely funny moments. I frankly thought the entire film should have been an animation instead of this weird mish-mash. However, there are a few trademark SpongeBob silly scenes which will crack you up – but only if you’re a kid and a fan of the Nickelodeon series.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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