Movie Review

Movie - Ratatouille
Stars - 3

This is a movie set in Paris, France. Paris is of course all about good food, fashion, wine & romance. And Ratatouille has a very French feeling to it. It's about this lil rat called Remy who doesn't quite fit in with his family or colony of rats. He has an extraordinarily well developed sense of smell, loves experimenting with his food & worships the famous chef Auguste Gusteau whose motto was Anyone Can Cook.
Stuff happens & he finds himself separated from his clan, all alone, lost & trying to figure out what he really wants to do in life. And then he stumbles upon his favorite chef's ( now deceased ) own restaurant & he knows he wants to be a chef. Coincidentally at the same time Gusteau's son Linguini arrives at the restaurant ( he duz not know his dad was the great chef ) looking for a job. He goes from garbage boy to popular chef with the help of Remy but then everything can't be sweet forever & he finds himself in a fix on the day the impossible-to-please food critic arrives to see for himself how magical Linguini's preparations are. But Remy & his colony save the day & prove that anyone can really cook.
There's not a dull moment in the movie & it manages to even convey a moral & all without being preachy in the least. But i warn ya - ur mouth will sure water & ur stomach will sure rumble lookin at all the goodies.

Movie Review

Movie - 28 Weeks Later

Stars - 2 1/2

A relatively "unseen by many people" movie, 28 Weeks Later, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is a sequel to 28 Days Later. It's about the rage virus which infects people of all ages & turns them into raving, blood-red eyed, blood thirsty killers.

The UK authorities with the help of the US army have seemingly succeeded in containing the virus which hit the British Isles & have started moving survivors back to a small secured area in London. But one mother of two, played by Rose Byrne, manages to get in. She is unique in that though she carries the virus in her blood & saliva, she is not affected by it. But she unknowingly infects her husband who then spreads the virus & then all hell breaks lose & the authorities start shooting everybody in cold blood. And then it all depends on two people, one an army man & the other a doctor/researcher to save the 2 children of the mother with that unique ability (who ends up getting killed anyway by her husband) coz they might have her genes & prove very important in the future to save humankind from the deadly virus.

It was supposed to be a "horror" movie & all the reviews said to go see it only if u have a strong stomach. But it wasn't scary at all. It just had a few gross scenes especially when that guy gouges out her eyes.

PS> It ends up spreading to Paris too!!

Movie Review

Movie - The Simpsons Movie

Stars - 3

The much-awaited Simpsons movie didn't disappoint us fans. It was just a lil too cliched & kinda predictable at times. But it was quite fun to watch.

Homer is up to his shinanigins as usual & this time he gets a pet pig who he treats like his own son. Oh, btw, Bart was a bit disappointing b'coz he becomes pro-Flanders for most part of the movie. You can't blame him (he was kinda jealous of Homer's pig coz it got all his dad's attention). But that still doesn't justify the fact that Bart didn't stay true to himself. Anyways, Homer ends up creating a disastrous environmental situation (he dumped a silo full of his pig's shit into the lake) & the government puts the whole of Springfield in an unbreakable bubble so that the town's polluting ways don't affect the other areas nearby. But the Simpsons find a way out & escape to go live in Alaska for a while. Then they hear the news that Springfield is gonna be bombed & erased off the map. Marge & the kids can't bear this thought & head back to the bubble to try & save the people of Springfield. But stubborn Homer stays back. But then he has a revelation of sorts & he too goes back in a bid to win his wife back as well as save the town.

Overall, it's a funny & witty movie. But i'd have liked to see a bit more of the other characters like Moe, Nelson, Lenny, Carl etc. Oh yah, that angle about Lisa & her newly found loverboy was pretty lame.

PS> I'd recommend all Simpsons fans to definitely see it & the rest of u people to see it if u have the time to watch a gud one.

My Time In St Xavier's

I remember, i was so excited that i got into St Xavier's College in Fort, Mumbai for my FYJC. It was supposed to be the coolest college in Mumbai. But nowadays it's not at all wild like it used to be in the 70's with everyone doin drugs & stuff.
Most people goin to Xavier's were from the suburbs so almost everyone used to travel by train. This was new to me & in the beginning i was a lil unsure & over cautious but within a week it seemed like i'd been doin it forever.
Anyways, bout the college...........
The best thing is the campus. It's so spacious, clean & classic-looking. There's the quadrangle, canteen, foyer & the woods. Oh yah, the woods is just 4 trees but whatever.
The canteen is kinda over rated. I mean, everything u possibly want is available but everything aint that great. And some of it is a lil pricey. And anyways, there's a guy selling amazing sandwiches right outside the gate. He's quite famous, he's called Muchhad sandwichwala. Half the college buys from him & there's always a huge crowd. But believe me, it's worth the wait.
The crowd.........well it depends. But most people are friendly but u do get to meet a few assholes now & then.
There's a lot of activities if u wanna do something other than sit around & ur interested.
And then there's Malhar. According to me, u won't miss much if u come directly in the evening fot the street dance competition. The performers are like pros in breakdance & hiphop. It's great to watch. I think the street dance is the highlight of the festival.
The only major downfall of joining Xavier's is that you have to attend lectures quite seriously. They put up a blacklist like every month. It's damn bugging. You have to think like 7 times before bunking a lecture. And it's not like all the teachers are very good or anything ( i took science ). Hardly few lectures are quality or worth attending. I'm not saying u can never bunk. You can, but not in excess. So, go to Xavier's if u actually plan on sitting for the lectures & not just in the canteen or foyer & like if u wanna show up in college like most days of the week.

Hoatzin

Hoatzins

The hoatzin ( pronounced watzin ) is a swamp living bird of South America that eats leaves of the arum-like plant moka-moka. The leaves accumulate in its crop & when full to the point of bursting, it flies its way to a roost where it sits, & now bacteria in its crop start fermenting the leaves and the muscular walls of the crop heave, until the leaves are reduced to a fatty smelly substance. Nearly two days later, the remains of this are excreted. Its excreta smells a bit like cowdung. So, the hoatzin has earned for itself a local name - the stink bird.
The hoatzin is unusual in that its young have two well-developed claws on each wing that they use to cling to branches & to rush back up to their nest in case of a scare from predators. They lose these claws when they become adults.
Probably, the extinct Archaeopteryx, a connecting link between reptiles & birds, which retained claws throughout its life, used them in the same way as do the hoatzin nestlings.

Streaked Shearwater

Streaked Shearwater

The Japanese species of streaked shearwater ( Calonectris leucomelas ) are seabirds with an unusual talent for tree climbing. These birds nest in holes on the ground. Their legs are placed far back on their bodies. This does not help in moving about on ground but good for water. In the night, on small offshore islands in Japan, these streaked shearwater wait in line for their turn to climb up chestnut trees down the slope, with thick hollow trunks. They do so, inch by inch, pushing up with their legs & wings.

Occasionally, some might fall into a hole a few feet up on the trunk & drop down the interior to the bottom. But this discourages them in no way & they scramble out & join the queueto await their turn & try all over again.

Once they reach to a height of about 20 feet from ground, they look towards the sea thru the canopy & launch themselves forward into the air & set off to the sea to fish.

This unusual habit has enabled this Japanese species to extend its nesting sites farther away from the sea than other shearwater species which mostly nest on cliffs where they can easily reach the edge.

Delicious Deals

I like to do this shit wen i'm bored







Here are some places in mumbai with the best deals............

Cold coffee - Churchgate Station
Sev Puri - Gypsy Corner, Shivaji Park
Continental - Ovenfresh, Dadar
Pastries n Desserts - Ovenfresh, Dadar
Samosa - JBV canteen, Dadar
Sandwich - Muchhad sandwichwala, outside St Xavier's College
Juice - Haji Ali Juice Center
Chinese - 5 spice
Dosas - Satkar, Churchgate
Ice cream - Seven Eleven, King's Circle
Sugarcane - opp Portuguese Church
Cherry cold custard - Kyani & co, Marine Lines
Cold delites - Rustom's, Churchgate
Waffles with honey - CCI's Poolside Glance

I hate Mumbai because.....

Of the pollution. I literally choke & my eyes get teary when i walk down tilak bridge sometimes, esp in the evening/night.

Of the fact that it's so friggin crowded. I know, I add to it but rarely can u take a step without collidin into humans.

People spit anything anywhere.

The roads suck. And have u noticed that they dig up everything just when the rains start up.

There's too few dustbins on the streets.

Of noisy & polluting festivals. i guess that means all festivals except christmas.

I like Mumbai because...

There are quite a few good restaurants where u can pig out.

Countless places to shop.

An awesome cinema called Regal.

Dadar Parsi Colony.

Useful hawkers.


Of the stray dogs. You can't walk without colliding with one. Come on, have you ever seen any other city in the world that has so many dogs on practically every street? These dogs add character to Mumbai. I wouldn't change it for nothin....Mumbai won't be Mumbai without its street dogs.

Some Dogs In My Life

Sushi (one of the dogs in my college)

in my long life, many dogs have been in & out of my life. All of them mean something, whether dem white or whether dem black or whether dem slim or whether dem phat yow. i can never not love an animal, moths are the only things i'm scared of. And bedbugs. But the fact is fear leads to hate.
Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen five years of my existence. Beau was one bitch to remember. She was the handsome gentleman. THE most well behaved dog in my life. I think she's a cross between a german shepherd & a mongrel, but only she knows for sure. damn, she's sterilised too. Can u think of a better best friend? And dear lil Mummy was her's. THE mummy in our own lil world. I don't know anyone else who can give more pups & raise dem just right.
Throw in so many dogs left & right.
Then there is Chuck-a-boom, a wee pup. Almost virus-like when we found it, Chuck-a-boom knew me or me knew Chuck-a-boom only that one night. At one stage, being eaten alive & at a later stage, as puppy as can be. Unfortunately a week or so after we dropped it at the Dinshaw Petit Animal Hospital, Parel & when they got Chuck-a-boom back to leave it, me not ther so nobody see Chuck-a-boom again, but we do know Chuck-a-boom was one bouncy baby while bounding after the van & into the red.
2003, one of the best years of my lfe in general. Top reason - a toppa top girl Jell-O. Those times we shared, nobody can replace them. I've never known anyone like I've known Jell-O. To start with, the eyelashes of her one eye were white & those of the other, brown. She cud jump heights a few months into her life & preferred human flesh while teething. Lazy, sleepy, but full of garp she was when she was. She eat anythang, she climb on my butt if i'm lying down, she go lick my granny's toe when she a sleep. She chew my pink Nikes & she beg for food & she fooled if we pretended to eat.
But life took its long twisted way, & they took her away when i wasn't there. Jell-O is the thing i miss the most in life, & counting.

...Aggro baby, Captain Court, Lassie, Butler, Brown dog, .................Iglloo Machete...........

Many dogs left & to right.
Life took its long twisted way & my place of frequency changed & I also started volunteering at WSD.
I used to pass a black dog, petite, everyday from day one of college. But i pat her for the first time & feed her bicuits (parle G ) for the first time in April 2006. She is always (my) doggy. might be my best dog after Beau. Conflicted & lovely. sweet heaven. She later gave birth to a litter of 8, out of which five have pukka survived. well they're grown dogs now but we took care of them for the first crucial weeks. she's not very motherly u see. but her genes..unmatchable.
On my WSD Sunday round, my favorite dog is Lumpy, Black Dog. Peaceful, frumpy, flumpy. Huggy Bear.
PS> love to her doggy, babloo, my doggy's own, kalu, annulus 'the anus' my sweet dog, sky captain, scratchy & sushi.

Regal Rocks

Ok let me get straight to the point..regal, colaba is the only good cinema in mumbai. the prices are reasonable, the seats, the screen & the theatre are awesome, the food is good & not that pricey. And the crowd is great too. What more can you ask for? I will really kill myself if they make it into a multiplex. i mean there are so many of them now in mumbai they're enuf to make me puke.
I used to think Metro Adlabs, Marine Lines was not too bad up until a few weeks ago. Now if u go there u won't get a ticket for less than 200 bucks ...& man, forget about the popcorn. And the staff out there can't speak english & they're rude assholes. And they ask for age proof not once not twice but three times!at three different places! Are they that stupid? believe me, they are.
The recently opened sterling cinema at Fort is seriously ok, the tickets are under 130, eat there only if u wanna shell out but the one really bad thing about it are the seats. no, they don't stink like the ones at Starcity, Dadar but they are very very uncomfortable. but given a choice between Metro & Sterling i'd pick the latter any damn day.
Well, i don't even have to start on Inox, Nariman Point. U won't get a ticket that's less than 400 bucks. So i won't even go there.
Cinemax, Sion is bearable. Starcity used to be good but well they dont play any of the good stuff much more. Gem, Bandra is fine if u like a screen that's an inch bigger than ur tv & a room that can seat 30 people. Liberty is ok but they rarely play the good stuff.
So yeah, back to square one... i love regal

We Want Dustbins!

This may seem dumb to some people but actually it's not. I've noticed many times that there aren't enough dustbins in the city. There shud be one dustbin atleast every few blocks. If there were, I'm sure people wouldn't throw wrappers & other rubbish in nooks & corners or anywhere & the streets won't have so much litter. But rarely can you spot a dustbin when you really need one.