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Film

Review: Minions

They are out to find the most despicable master of all time. But are they good enough henchmen of their era?
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Rating – 3 out of 5

The dungarees-wearing, goggle-eyed and pill-shaped creatures called the Minions are back. And this time, they help us trace their origins.

Right from losing the T-Rex as their master to wiping the Egyptian civilisation, their only purpose is to serve the ‘biggest and baddest’ master. With visits to the Dracula and the Yeti, the villainous humour is at times ‘so much fun, that it is a crime!’ But the Minions’ foolhardy antics bring about the downfall of the tyrants.

Faced with depression and no master, Kevin – a brave Minion – has a plan. Unwittingly, Minion Stuart and enthusiastically, Minion Bob join his mission to save their race. Their journey takes them to the land of Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), who is the coolest villain ever. They help her in a heist to steal the crown of Queen Elizabeth. And what follows, brings the tiny Minions to their ultimate master Gru.

 

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, the movie has quite a few ‘aawww’ moments – especially when the Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin) speak and sing in their gibberish language. The plot takes us on a rendezvous from New York to London. It also has stereotypes (like how the English love their tea), the regular villain convention and a long climax to take it forward. With the story completely resting on the Minions, it tends to become a bit predictable. The gags and slapstick humour will keep you glued, but the story should have risen above with a bit of intellect.

Bullock’s Scarlet is rightly named Overkill, as her evil intentions border on plain madness. She does a fine job of being the badass villain. Writer Brian Lynch has the pulse of the kids, but the adults will be left asking for more. This 91-minute animated comedy of errors makes for an average prequel to the stunning Despicable Me series. It is a one-time watch and a must watch if you are fans of the Minion army. So get ready to be squished by cuteness.

(Picture courtesy pop-verse.com.)

Categories
Eat

5 must-visit cupcake joints in Mumbai

If you love cupcakes and want to explore some new options, we’ve compiled a list of little-known places for you. Enjoy!
by Ravi Shet

They are small, happy and cute – no wonder Mumbai loves cupcakes. Be it birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries or any other occasions, cupcakes are ubiquitous. They are even being customised to suit customers’ preferences.

Check out these five places for a cupcake fix in the city.

  1. Cake ‘O’ Licious, Borivali West

Cupcake_Cake'O'Licious, BorivaliThis place is situated at Chikuwadi and was founded by Aniket Shinde in January 2014. This outlet is open on all days from 10 am to 10 pm. Their Red Velvet Cheese Cupcake (Rs 25) with cream cheese frosting and Gooey Chocolate Cupcake (Rs 20) with butter and chocolate frosting are really worth trying. Aniket says, “We keep mini cupcakes, since they are pocket friendly. I also want to introduce new flavours.”

  1. Crumbilicious, Colaba

This place near to Colaba Post Office has been serving cupcakes from November 2013 and is open on all days from 11 am to 10 pm. Oreo Cupcake (Rs 100) with white chocolate frosting topped with Oreo biscuits and the Almond Caramel Cupcake (Rs 100) will definitely make your day. For people who are conscious about calories, there is a good collection of mini cupcakes (see image above). Sanah Ahuja Mohan, owner of the place says, “The Oreo Cupcake, Red Velvet Cupcake and Almond Caramel Cupcake are hot sellers, and the mini cupcakes are a hit since it gives people the chance to taste other flavours. Our focus is on quality right from sourcing the ingredients to the baking process and selling the product to customers.”

  1. Cup Cake Factory, Bandra (West)

Situated opposite Gold’s Gym, this outlet was founded in October 2014 by mother-son duo Rita and Aditya Sujan. It is open from 11.30 am to 11.30 pm on all Peanut Butter Cupcake_Cup Cake Factorydays, except for Tuesdays. Their Boston Cream Cupcake (Rs 70) – its center filled with vanilla custard and frosting of dark chocolate – and Peanut Butter Cupcake (Rs 70) – vanilla cake with peanut butter – are simply yummy. In each bite, you can sense a perfect balance of sweetness in the frosting and the freshness of ingredients. Aditya says, “We experiment with different flavours so that people get more options to explore. If, at the end of the day, something is left unsold, we distribute it to needy people and nearby NGOs, rather than throwing it away and leaving someone hungry.”

  1. Love Sugar & Dough (LSD), Vile Parle (East)

Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes, LSDAt a walkable distance from Vile Parle railway station, this outlet has been in existence from August 2013. All products served at this outlet are eggless. The Chocolate Blast Cupcake (Rs 20) and Red Velvet Cupcake (Rs 20) are very good. Sunita Shroff, Franchise Owner of the outlet says that mornings and evenings are usually crowded with students who come to the nearby classes and families come over on weekends.

  1. Sugar The Patisserie, Santacruz (West)

Situated opposite Santacruz Police Station, this place is founded by Ketaki Likhite in August 2013. It is open on all Rainbow Cupcake_Sugar The Patisseriedays from 11.30 am to 11 pm. Vanilla Ginger Cupcake (Rs 30) with butter cream frosting and ginger candies is the cupcake of the month. Rose Cupcake (Rs 30) with rose cream cheese frosting and Chocolate Cupcake (Rs 30) with dark chocolate frosting are heavenly. Ketaki says, “We don’t compromise on quality at any cost. I am happy when parents order from us or bring their children to us to pacify them.”

(Pictures courtesy Ravi Shet)

Categories
Do

How to put scrap to good use

We all have unusable scrap lying around the house. It is possible to put it to good use with a little creativity.
by Reyna Mathur

We buy so many things every year, big and small, and as time passes, many of these things begin to age. But instead of throwing them away, we can re-use them or break them up to decorate other objects, too.

Rummage around the house and you will find several useless things – old magazines, discarded glass bottles, plastic pots and containers, old clothes, faded paintings, shoelaces, frayed ribbons, to name just a few. You may be obsessive about clearing out the junk, but if you decide to get creative, you can reuse the scrap.

Wood chipsOld wooden pieces and chips: There is nothing you can do with pieces of wood left over from creating furniture. All you can do it throw them away or let the carpenter clear them. Instead, why not use the wood chips to create a 3D effect design? Unless you are very proficient with a hammer and chisel, you will require the help of a carpenter to do this. Select a surface with a design – an old faded painting is a good place to start – and using a pencil and scale, demarcate the areas of the painting you want to create a 3D effect on. Then instruct your carpenter to copy your design and specifications and further create chips of exact shape and thickness to paste over the painting. You can colour the wood chips in the colours of the surface you have pasted them on, and voila! Your 3D design is ready. You can even use this technique to create greeting cards or glam up flower vases.

Magazines and newspapers: You can create pretty bookmarks or paper 3D cut-outs simply by cutting old papers of different designs and colours into specific sizes and gluing them one over another to create a thick paper surface. If you’re throwing a party, create your own decorations by using old papers lying about the house. If you’re fond of making murals and montages, put magazines to good use for the purpose. If you have old newspapers lying around, use them to make miniature kites and colour the finished product. These can be stuck on walls for a pretty effect.

Marbles: Many homes have entire jars of marbles stashed away. The great thing about marbles is that they have great aesthetic appeal and can be glued to almost any surface permanently. You can create a very beautiful showpiece by gluing marbles in a design of your choice using a good adhesive. Lightly tie up the showpiece with string till the glue sets and the entire assembly is able to bear its own weight. Alternately, you can try gluing marbles on the outside of a light bulb to give a stunning visual effect once the light is switched on.

Old sarees and clothes: It is a good idea to give away your old clothes to the needy, but if you have any of them still lying around the house, you can put them to use. How about making a large patchwork quilt or blanket using old cloth scraps, stitching them together on a base cloth, and stuffing it with cotton? If you are adept at using a needle and thread, you could stitch clothes for small children out of sarees and old shirts, or make beautiful washcloths to use around the house.

Buttons, broken magnets, badges: Every house has a huge collection of these items. Simply cull buttons of different sizes and colours and stitch them in aButtons crazy pattern on a plain handbag. Do the same with old pins, badges and broken magnets to jazz up your bags and skirt hems. If you wear ankle socks, you can make them more interesting by sewing buttons along their elastic band. Some people even sew different coloured buttons on plain canvas shoes for an interesting effect.

Ribbons: Ribbons can be put to a variety of uses, especially in embellishing the surface of objects. You can tie two or three ribbons of different colours (but the same width) end to end and use the same to tie up wrapping paper on a gift. Or you can create floral patterns by twining ribbons together. If you have thin ribbons, use them to make wristbands. You can also braid three ribbons together and tie up your documents in them. Alternately, twirl several ribbons together and tie up the ends; use this as a hair band or like a loose scrunchie.

(Pictures courtesy singmah.com.sg, heavypetal.ca, theibtaurisblog.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Categories
Film

Review: Shutter

A film about four people trapped by circumstances and forced to adapt to a strange situation, this one’s a must-watch.
by Ravi Shet

Rating: 3 out of 5

Shutter is directed by VK Prakash, who has remade his own Malayalam film by the same name. The movie starts with Pari, the oldest daughter of Jitya bhau (Sachin Khedekar) who is often away on work. Pari is rehearsing for a Super Singer Radio City competition, and her father has just returned on vacation. He is unhappy with her antics and decides to get her engaged to his friend Hemant’s son before he resumes work again.

Ekya (Amey Wagh) is an autorickshaw driver and one of Jitya’s close friends; his dearest ambition is to work outside India. Meanwhile, a struggling film director (Prakash Bare) takes Ekya’s autorickshaw and forgets to take his bag along when he alights; the bag contains a film script he is working on.

One day, Ekya, Jitya and his friends are partying in Jitya’s shop, when the two friends take a ride in Ekya’s autorickshaw to fetch liquor. At this juncture, a sex worker (Sonalee Kulkarni) enters the scene, starting a rollercoaster ride in the lives of Jitya and Ekya. A turn of events end up in the sex worker and Jitya being locked up in the shop with scarce ventilation and no food. Ekya, meanwhile, goes to fetch food for the duo and meets the film director who is still looking for his bag. At this juncture, Ekya is arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. This is the focal point of the story.

 

Sachin Khedekar and Sonalee Kulkarni essay their roles to perfection with great intensity, and are ably supported by Amey Wagh and Prakash Bare. The direction is top notch, as is the cinematography by KK Manoj. My only grouse with the film was that it should have had no songs – these only take away from the overall fast pace of the film. Overall, this is a great suspense thriller. Go watch it.

(Picture courtesy in.bookmyshow.com)

Categories
Listen

Attend: ‘Bandish’ comes to Mumbai

Kick off the monsoon season with some awesome performances from the best in Hindustani classical music. Do not miss it.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The monsoon brings with it a fresh wave of the best in music every year. This year, too, Mumbai is lucky to have the chance to hear the best of Hindustani classical music’s doyens show us why they are at the pinnacle of their careers.

Starting today, the NCPA kicks off ‘Bandish’, which showcases legendary musicians. The festival has been on since July 2010, when the NCPA launched it first.

The word ‘Bandish’ essentially means a ‘well structured composition’, based on which a raga can take shape. A composer (vaggeykar, nayak, rachnakar) as the creator of both lyrics (sahitya) and melodic or rhythmic content is a much revered figure in the Indian classical music tradition. The collective works of many composers through the ages have given rise to a vast repository of musical ideas that constitute our musical heritage today.

The three-day festival showcases some of the most treasured works of great composers, presented by eminent artistes. Uday Bhawalkar and Ashwini Bhide Deshpande perform today, July 3, while Shubha Mudgal and Ajoy Chakrabarty perform tomorrow. Shankar Mahadevan rounds up the performances on July 5.

Head to the NCPA today and all days at 6.30 pm. 

(Picture courtesy NCPA)

Categories
Tech

Review: Nubia Z9 Mini

We take a look at Chinese company ZTE’s new phone and find a great camera and just about passable features.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

ZTE is a Chinese company that’s into 3G dongles and smartphones, but like a few other brands (Micromax has YU), ZTE too, is now out with a separate sub-brand that caters mainly to online retailers. The Nubia Z9 mini, available exclusively on Amazon, is a mid-range Android 5.0 smartphone that the company says is more than any other smartphone launched in this price category. But is this claim really true?

The looks. The Nubia Z9 mini (NX511J) follows a rather premium design and feel. As soon as you hold it, you will notice its double glass back and front (both are prone to smudges) as well as metallic rim across its sides, and if you don’t spot that rear-cover slot, you may conclude the cover doesn’t come off. The front has three backlit capacitive touch keys — you can change what function other two buttons perform (Menu/Options or Back), the circular Home button is more prominent and doubles up as LED notification.

Above the 5-inch full HD screen, you have an 8 MP front-facing camera, speaker grille and sensors. On the back, the 16 MP camera as a Red outline, LED flash, Nubia logo in horizontal all over a nice dotted pattern from the phone’s black colour. Removing the back cover reveals the microSD card and non-accessible 2,900 mAh battery unit. The right side has volume rockers and Power/ Lock key (both are tactile), and the left side only has SIM card tray (two nano SIM card slots). At the bottom, there’s the chrome-outlined microUSB port, loudspeaker jack and primary mic; while the top has 3.5mm headset and secondary mic.

The screen. The phone’s 5-inch full HD LCD has good bright colours. It can handle HD content, but struggles with its viewing angles. For general photo viewing and Web browsing, it is just as good a screen as any in this price range.

Camera. The phone boasts a 16 MP (f/2.0) camera, and here are a few sample images.

The camera is the best thing about this phone. The rear camera takes detailed shots with good contrast levels. In daylight, photos came out saturated, while low-light, too, wasn’t bad. There’s a Pro mode that lets you play around with camera settings among other modes like Field of Depth and HDR. This is surely one of the best phone cameras available under Rs 18,000 today.

Audio. The loudspeaker at the bottom isn’t great. It performs well for pop music, but is extremely inadequate for rock, something that I haven’t seen on phones for a while. In-ear voice quality, though, is on par and so is network reception. The only connectivity issue I found was that the phone just won’t switch off location (GPS). It will keep showing you the GPS icon in the status bar even when you have manually switch it off.

Battery. The phone struggled to last 20 hours on a full charge. With brightness at around 25 per cent, two Email Accounts in sync, a lot of Twitter and some YouTube videos, this phone’s 2,900 mAh battery is not meant for a full day’s use in case of heavy usage.

Software and performance. The phone is equipped with a Snapdragon 615 SoC (1.5 GHz quad-core + 1.1 GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 405 GPU) along with 2 GB of RAM. The device runs on Android 5.0.2 with Nubia 2.8 UI on top. In terms of general performance, I found the phone to be initially pretty responsive. But once you have a few apps opened and Webpages on browser, it starts to slow down a little. It worked fine for baisc apps but does get a little hot when playing games.

Nubia UI follows no separate app launcher pattern, and is mostly made of Red and White gradients. Apart from a few grammatical errors in the OS and weird-looking pop-up box for Shut down and battery low message, Nubia UI seems aesthetically nice. Nubia UI has similar customization options as most other Android OEMs today and nothing much that stands out or is worth mentioning here. However, the company could certainly try and fix bugs like clearing Recent Apps list doesn’t work from the clear button in horizontal list or from the toggle button. The user gets about 11 GB of storage space, which can of course be further expanded using a microSD card.

Thus, the Nubia Z9 Mini is a mixed bag. It has a great camera, good screen, standout design for this price range, but average battery life and passable software. It really depends what your priority is — camera, looks and screen, but if not, you may prefer looking somewhere else.

(Picture courtesy www.gizchina.com)

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