Blog & Web Directory on India
    
Advertise    SI Web Directory    Home    About Us     Facebook    Twitter

Bicentennial Man Review – A Better Enthiran, That’s All

 Hollywood, Reviews, Tamil Movies  23 Responses »
Jan 102011
 
Share

(Whoops, we almost forgot to acknowledge Boops here)

I’d rather die a man rather than live for an eternity as a machine.
- Robin Williams’ character Andrew Martin in the closing minutes of Bicentennial Man (1999)

As all but the schmucks know, the recent Tamil blockbuster Enthiran was a piece of shit badly regurgitated from a bunch of Hollywood films by a jackass director to entertain a few million hominoids.

And by God, it worked. Like gibbons in front of a banana bunch, the excited, gibbering hominoids lapped up Enthiran, Rajinikanth, Aishwarya Rai and all.

So today when a SI habitue suggested Bicentennial Man with sly hints of a connection to Enthiran, we quickly picked up the gauntlet. Plus, Bicentennial Man was easily accessible via Netflix Instant Play.

By Hollywood standards, Bicentennial Man is a long movie at 131-minutes.

Based on an Isaac Asimov short story, Bicentennial Man features Robin Williams in the central role of a freak robot that through a programming quirk is able to adapt and learn from its human owners.

As its title suggests,Bicentennial Man spans 200 years in the life of a robot who turns into a ‘human’ by the end of the movie.

In a metallic-looking robot suit and wide open eyes, Robin Williams does an okayish but not outstanding job within the bounds of a script that slowly slides from the pretty decent at the beginning to the pretty disappointing toward the end. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 2:02 am

Breville 800JEXL Review – Mighty Beast of a Juicer

 Health, Reviews  3 Responses »
Jan 062011
 
Share

After leading a fairly dissolute life for the most part of our life, we’re belatedly discovering the virtues of good health.

Oh well, better late than never.

So, it was from the perspective of boosting our flagging health that we purchased the top-of-the-line Breville 800JXEXL 1000-watt juicer (there are two other less-pricier versions).

We all agree that fresh juice can only do good, right? Maybe even boost our libido, who knows. ;)

We’ve never been great fans of the mall or street juice stands in NYC, Philly et al – they are costly, they add ice and they don’t look too hygienic to us.

Keeping all these things in mind, we ordered the Breville 800 JEXL on Amazon on Tuesday for $289.99 and got it today without any extra shipping charges. Fast delivery, eh.

Neat Packaging
The box left at the door by the UPS guy was huge.

Packaging couldn’t be better. There are three concentric boxes in all with  the juicer wrapped in polythene and sitting snugly inside the innermost (third) box.

So, there’s little to nil chance of any damage in transit.

Unpacking, assembling and figuring out the operations of the juicer took about 10-minutes. Not rocket science for yours truly.

For the benefit of the schmucks, a manual is included.

Like most things these days, the Breville juicer is also made in China. :(

Robust Juicer
The main piece in the picture (above) is made of stainless steel and obviously very robust. There’s also a plastic juice jug (included) that goes on the right beneath what looks like a jutting pipe (see picture above).

The pulp drains out into the black basket (included) on the left. It is best to put a plastic bag into the pulp collector so that it doesn’t get dirty.

Besides the red on/off knob, there is a tiny lever that offers two speeds for the motor. You flip it up for lower speed and down to run at full power.

First, we made a quick test run with some carrot pieces and a small piece of tomato and beetroot. It worked fine.

Then we embarked on a full run with 11 carrots, 2.5 tomatoes and a small beetroot. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 5:59 pm  Tagged with:

Tees Maar Khan Hammered by Movie Critics

 Bollywood, Reviews  1 Response »
Dec 232010
 
Share

From the New York Times to the Times of India and beyond, Akshay Kumar’s latest movie Tees Maar Khan has been brutally torn apart by movie critics.

Here’s what a sample of critics had to rant against Tees Maar Khan:

* Reuters

[O]ne of the year’s most awaited and hyped films has turned out to be a dud of the highest order.

* Rediff

TMK, scripted by Khan’s husband Shirish Kunder, is like that tasteless, dull chewing gum that you feel like throwing away as soon as you take the first bite. With each bite, the film tastes worse.

* DNA

Tees Maar Khan is a classic example of a cluttered film in which a hodgepodge of characters incoherently jabbers ludicrous dialogues building up an odd plot that just refuses to make any sense at any point of time.

* Times of India

All the characters end up as mere caricatures and completely fail to build up an emotional quotient in the film….But eventually, fun needs a foundation too and spoofs need some substance to carry them through. TMK has colour, humour, pace but nothing does seem to fall in place in terms of plot and character connect.

* New York Times

Ms. Khan, who is also a choreographer, has a bright pop sensibility and a determination to keep things light. But here, saddled with a slapdash, not-clever-enough script by Shirish Kunder (her husband), she can’t pull a magical movie out of her hat. Nor can she make her stars as winning as they need to be. Mr. Kumar and Katrina Kaif mug and dance and work hard, but they’re not called upon to play characters so much as shtick figures, and the cartoonish world they inhabit isn’t appealing or buoyant enough to carry the day.

* SearchIndia.com

Insufferable trash.

* Economic Times

The dialogues written by Shirish Kunder and Ashmith Kunder in synchronized stanzas try too hard to be funny but fall flat at most instances and are repeated too often without much repeat value….Tees Maar Khan doesn’t even guarantee thirty good laughs in its three hour runtime.

* NDTV

Tees Maar Khan, adapted from After the Fox, by writers Shrish and Ashmit Kunder, is disappointingly limp and insistently low IQ….In Tees Maar Khan, everyone is overacting as though life depends on it. There is a lot of screaming, grimacing and heaving.

Share
 Posted by at 10:57 pm  Tagged with: ,

Bukhara Grill NYC – Unhygienic Shithole, Decent Food

 Food, Reviews  2 Responses »
Dec 142010
 
Share

Folks, make no mistake – Bukhara Grill NYC at 217 on E.49th Street in Midtown Manhattan is an unhygienic Indian shithole.

What, is Bukhara Grill NYC really a shithole?

Of course, it’s a shithole. What else can you call an Indian restaurant that has evidence of mice, live roaches and tons of other hygiene problems (If in doubt, see New York City Health Dept. inspection report of Bukhara Grill NYC dt 11/22/2010 in which the restaurant got a whopping 58 violation points).

Bukhara Grill NYC - Unhygienic Restaurant Serves Good FoodBukhara Grill NYC – Unhygienic Shithole, Good Food

Ugly Shithole – Beautiful Food
But surprisingly for a shithole Bukhara Grill serves mostly fine Indian food.

During our recent visit to Bukhara Grill NYC (located a few doors from the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse), we trotted across the vast prairie of our favorite Indian cuisine.

Nibbling, munching and gobbling an array of non-vegetarian and vegetarian Indian food items, we recently spent over an hour at the restaurant.

Achari Baingan, Alu Tikki, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Makhani, Tandoori Chicken, Balti Gosht, Vegetable Cutlet, Gobi Masala, Saag, Kadai Paneer, Dal Bukhara, Gajar Halwa, Badami Kheer, oh, what a culinary voyage it turned out to be.

Most of the curries we tasted belonged in the decent category where flavor and spiciness is concerned. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 10:31 pm  Tagged with: ,

Google eBookstore Review – Decent but Not Great

 Books, Reviews  Comments Off
Dec 072010
 
Share

After Google launched its new eBookstore yesterday, we signed up to find out what the noise was all about.

Since Google touts its eBookstore as a device agnostic offering, we downloaded the free Google Books app to our iPhone and also played with it on our PC.

We played with the Google eBookstore first on the PC and ‘purchased’ a bunch of  free India-related historical books.

Among the books we ‘purchased’ – Maud Power’s Wayside India, The Letters of Warren Hastings to his Wife and Elijah Hoole’s Madras, Mysore and the South of India.

Buying a book on the PC is a no-brainer done via the browser. Visit the Google eBookstore page and log into your Gmail account and before you can say Meenakshi Seshadri you’ve got the books (now we’re talking only free eBooks). You can search for eBooks by category (fiction, history, humor, children’s books et al) or you can opt for the default All Google eBooks. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 9:32 pm

To Have and Have Not Review – You Know How to Whistle, Steve?

 Hollywood, Reviews  Comments Off
Dec 062010
 
Share

You know you don’t have to act with me, Steve. You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and… blow.
- Lauren Bacall’s character Slim to Steve (Humphrey Bogart) in To Have and Have Not (1944).

Guys, they don’t make gals like Lauren Bacall no more. They broke the mold after her.

Great looks! Great class! Great grace! Great carriage!

Great sex appeal. ;) Oh boy, what a dusky voice!

And all we desis are left with is crass dregs like Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Trisha Krishnan et al.

Ain’t that a mighty shame.

Lauren Bacall alone makes To Have and Have Not worth watching.

But with Bogie present as well, our cup of joy overfloweth.

Tis’ no secret to the schmucks and wastrels who gather here that we’re great fans of the late Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart a.k.a. Bogie.

So after watching Bogie’s gritty, outdoor film Treasure of the Sierra Madre, we turned to To Have and Have Not for a whiff of romance.

In the company of a friend visiting from Maastricht, we plonked down to watch the black and white film To Have and Have Not with a glass of Appleton Jamaican Rum (21-years) to keep our spirits high. ;)

Fine Entertainer
To Have and Have Not, which by the way is based on Ernest Hemingway’s eponymous novel, turned out to be more than a decent entertainer.

Besides Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall (who went on to become Bogie’s real-life wife soon after this film debuted), the movie also features three-time Oscar winner Walter Brennan.

Like Bogie’s earlier film Casablanca (1942), To Have and Have Not too is set in the war years and in French territory. As in Casablanca, a lot of To Have and Have Not is filmed in a bar/restaurant.

While Casablanca was set in its namesake city, events in To Have and Have Not happen in Martinique in the Caribbean.

Bogie is Steve, a charter boat captain ferrying rich tourists around in Vichy-controlled Martinique. Brennan plays Eddie, Steve’s drunken sidekick.

Into their world come a bunch of newcomers who threaten to upend their daily routine.

The first is Slim, an American girl of limited means who drifts in from some place we can’t remember now and then a bunch of French Resistance fighters who seek Steve’s help to transport two members of the resistance.

At first, Steve steadfastly refuses the importunate pleadings of the Resistance members but then all hell breaks loose in the bar giving an adrenalin shot to the the hitherto languid pace of the movie.

Impressive Performances
Like with a lot of movies from that era, the acting in To Have and Have Not is solid.

Bogie, Bacall and Brennan distinguish themselves with fine performances.

Brennan as the drunken sidekick is picture-perfect (whatever that expression means). His sui generis walk alone is worthy of an Oscar.

Bacall is impressive too.

Make that very impressive considering this was Bacall’s first movie. Cast opposite two stalwarts, Bacall still held her own.

Bogie is, as usual, charming. Never more so than when he responds to Slim’s seductive whistling question.

The chemistry between Bogie and Bacall is great, perhaps a reflection of the growing love between the two actors.

All in all, 100 minutes of our life well spent.

SearchIndia.com recommends To Have and Have Not. You can rent the DVD from Netflix if you live in the U.S.

Share
 Posted by at 4:40 pm  Tagged with: ,

Jackson Diner NYC – Average Food & Poor Service

 Food, Reviews  No Responses »
Nov 282010
 
Share

Unlike the many clueless little twits on Yelp, Chowhound or other such sites where the ignorati herd gather to chew the fat, we know Indian food.

So with the growing chatter on Jackson Diner (an entrenched player on the Indian strip at 74th St in Jackson Heights, NY) setting up shop in Manhattan on University Place, we braved the November chill and decided to see for ourselves what all the noise was about by heading over to NYC.

By the way, Jackson Diner’s Manhattan location is at 72 University Place (site of the now closed Cafe Spice) and if you plan on ordering carry out or delivery the Phone No is 212-466-0820.

After an unremarkable meal at Jackson Diner NYC accompanied by songs from the old Bollywood movie Bobby playing on the restaurant’s music system, here’s our verdict – No Big Deal!

Jackson Diner NYC – Competition has Nothing to Fear

If the Manhattan outpost of Jackson Diner continues to dish out the kind of food it currently offers, other Indian restaurants in the area like Indian Taj, Surya, Baluchi’s, Karahi et al not only have no cause for worry but their managers/owners can pour themselves a large drink.

Tandoori Chicken, Alu Tikki, Pulav Rice,
Channa Masala and Alu Gobi

As is our wont, at Jackson Diner NYC we trekked across the vast prairie of Indian cuisine stopping for a nibble here, a bite there and a sip yonder.

For the most part, the food at Jackson Diner NYC falls in the average category.

Not bad at all but nothing that stands out in any fashion. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 6:00 pm  Tagged with:

Tasty Bite Jaipur Vegetables Review – Taste-Less Shit

 Food, Reviews  Comments Off
Nov 152010
 
Share

We are suckers for deals and promotions.

This evening we were prowling the aisles of our local Food Lion grocery store in a mid-Atlantic state in the U.S. when our eyes fell on a sign advertising a promotion – Two Tasty Bite heat-and-eat curry packets for $5 (regular price $2.99 each).

Pronto, we purchased two Tasty Bite packets (of different flavors): Jaipur Vegetables and Punjabi Eggplant.

Two green chillies were prominently positioned in the picture on the packet (see above) and the bottom had the slogan SPICE IT UP suggesting in all a spicy delight. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 11:20 pm

Tawa NJ – Wow, Yummy Food; OK Service

 Food, New Jersey, Reviews  No Responses »
Nov 122010
 
Share

Eureka, after a long while we can rhapsodize about a New Jersey Indian restaurant that pampers battle-hardened desi palates rather than punishing them with effete curries.

Folks, Tawa at 1357 Stelton Road in Piscataway (NJ) is da place for fans of our non pareil Indian cuisine.

With curries that sing with flavor, Tawa is a welcome oasis among the endless Sahara of impostors in New Jersey that besmirch the fair name of our favorite Indian food.

After a recent meal at Tawa and a revisit to its South Plainfield rival Palace of Jaipur, we’d award higher marks to Tawa.

No Stranger
Of course, we’re no strangers to Tawa.

Over the last few years, we’ve dined in and even ordered takeout from Tawa on several occasions.

And for the most part we’ve had little cause for complaint.

Except for one occasion when our eyes fell on a desi waitress with her hand in her mouth near the buffet table, Tawa has mostly been serving decent Indian food (be warned that the Chaats in the evening are bad).

Tawa (South Plainfield) – Delicious Indian Fare
(File photo)

Delicious Fare
Considering how bad most Indian restaurants in New Jersey are, we rendered thanks to the Lord that our recent meal at Tawa turned out to be an embarras de richesse.

On a chilly afternoon, the greenish-hued Lemon Cilantro Egg Soup looked enticing and after the first spoon we swooned under the spell of this warm and flavorful delight.

Jeera Alu, comprised of medium-cubes of potato with thin sliced ginger seasoning, was a spicy delight whose memories still linger on our taste buds.

Makai Mutter Chaman in a medium-thick, light yellow creamy sauce was rightly spiced and easily won our approval. Have it with rice or have it with the hot, fresh Naan bread brought to your table, either way you are a winner. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 1:40 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Chand Palace Piscataway Review – Insufferable Food, Intolerable Service, Cheap Swines

 Food, New Jersey, Reviews  1 Response »
Nov 122010
 
Share

You schmucks can say what you will but most Indian restaurants in New Jersey have no reason to stay in business except that some greedy desi swines want to rip you off with garbage.

That’s a mighty shame considering the orgasmic euphoria that follows eating genuine, fine Indian food.

Alas, rare is that pleasure!

Chand Palace Piscataway – Awful Food

One of our worst dining experiences at an Indian restaurant in New Jersey lately was at Chand Palace on Centennial Ave in Piscataway, NJ.

After a particularly odious meal accompanied by horrible service, dirty eating plates and cheap tipping practices, we wondered how this disgusting dump a.k.a. Chand Palace (Piscataway) continues to stay in business.

As Churchill would say if he were alive, Chand Palace Piscataway’s survival is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

Disgustingly Bad; Stay Away

Awful Food, Bad Dosas
Much of what we sampled at Chand Palace Piscataway was a total travesty of Indian cuisine. No connection to the real thing.

Both the Green Chutney and Coconut Chutney were ice-cold, a clear suggestion they were not fresh. To make it worse, the two Chutneys were not even flavorful.

In several decades of eating Masala Dosa (we hail from South India), we have not had Dosas this bad.

Do these Chand Palace monkeys even know to spell the word D O S A?

The tiny Mysore Masala Dosa was not golden-brown but white, not crisp, the onion-potato filling not fresh and the masala paste not the reddish chilli paste but a weird brown stuff. In short, what we were served was not a real Mysore Masala Dosa but a cruel hoax was played on us by these swindling Chand Palace buffoons.

Onion Chili Dosa consisted of a few forlorn looking onion pieces inside the Dosa.

Raw Alu Gobi, Horrid Sambar
If there’s one thing we hate in our food, it’s the raw, uncooked flavor.

Like the Alu Gobi Curry that landed on our plate. The Gobi (cauliflower) was insufficiently cooked and its raw odor and flavor left us in high dudgeon.

The watery Sambar was a clear instance of mislabeling as it was all but Rasam in name. You see, the cheapos at Chand Palace didn’t bother to add any Dal to the Sambar. Continue reading »

Share
 Posted by at 1:28 pm  Tagged with: , , ,
Page 7 of 14« First...45678910...Last »
© 2012 SearchIndia.com   Privacy Policy Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha