Breaking a leg to commercial tunes blaring out of speakers at a crowded club might be fun for some. But a cosy setting with a close group of friends huddled around a table, sipping on cold beer, sounds more like the kind of night the time-strapped and hard-working Mumbaikar might opt for when looking to unwind.

A glimpse from a Beer Tales session

It is this milieu that Effingut, which debuted in the city last year, is trying to emulate. "Our outlet in Bandra is more of a sit-down place where there's no loud music, so you can have real conversations. We thought, 'What do people do when they meet up at a friend's place?' They sit and talk, and typically it's about things like Game of Thrones, or the latest Marvel movie. And that's when we decided to launch this programme," says Sanika Kelkar, who helms marketing for the brewery, speaking about Beer Tales, a weekly interactive session.

Sanika Kelkar

At these events, Kelkar explains, what transpires is a casual chat with attendees discussing everything ranging from contorted Game of Thrones theories to the best songs by Coldplay. "We have got a great response. In fact, the idea to host a meet-up themed around Friends came from our patrons," Kelkar shares, adding, "To keep the enthusiasm going we have giveaways, like beer, DVDs and cool merchandise. We are hoping to organise larger events and meet and greet sessions, too, but we want to keep the essence of these get-togethers casual."

At: Effingut, Linking Road, Bandra West.
On: Every Tuesday, 8 pm to 11 pm
Call: 8657449223

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates

Why would anyone name their café and juice bar after Thanos? Our company for the evening questions, diving into telling us more about the Marvel Comics supervillain.

This powerful villain who has stood up to many heroes belonging to the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fantastic Four, and X-Men series, greets us in a larger-than-life sculpture. We spot a child pick up Thor's axe to pose for a picture.

The 20-seater is packing on a Sunday evening, and we are game to wait it out, stepping up onto the comfortable grey stools as we tune into more of Thanos' exploits.

When the automatic glass doors open into the spaceship-like interiors, the Bollywood buff in us jokes that it reminds us of Shakal's den sans the sharks. The space is done up in grey, with a burst of pop in orange chairs; Captain America stares back at us from the wall outside the washroom, and there's a galaxy drawn on the walls and larger table tops. Our table top for two holds up a fist. The space décor is exciting, and we order a veg burger (Rs 229), chicken salami and egg sandwich (Rs 349) and khow suey (Rs 299). The menu, interestingly also has dedicated keto, all-day breakfast and waffle sections, which we skip for another day.

Veg cheese burger

The burger comes with a fat aloo patty marinated with herbs, and a crusty coat the crunch of which we can hear with every bite. The side of potato wedges are fresh from the fryer and the coleslaw is creamy with slender strands of salad. Their salami sandwich is homestyle, as is the filling. For a change, we like the simple treatment that gives us what we asked for — a juicy salami strip and well-done eggs.

Orange and celery juice

The khow suey tastes more like a pasta-based dish, and we have no qualms about being snooty about the fact that no one does a Burmese khow suey better than Joss by restaurateur Farrokh Khambata. This one comes in a bowl held by red claws, and sides of fried basil, fried cashew nuts and full peanuts which we prefer chopped, but no garlic shreds. The noodles are overcooked and the curry needs more depth; overall, the dish fails to come together. To wash all this down, we've picked a healthy orange and celery juice (Rs 269) that comes wearing a fruit slice hat on the rim.

House of Thanos is charming for its offbeat ambience, and a comfort menu that makes room for your keto and other diet demands. Still thinking about the name, we conclude: That's the thing about comics fanatics, right? You never know whose side you are on.

AT House of Thanos, 7/8, Rizvi Mahal Building, Near Bhabha Hospital, Waterfield Road, Linking Road, Bandra West
TIME 9 am to midnight
CALL 8879362686

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

House of Thanos didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

Captain Marvel
U/A: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, DeWanda Wise, Samuel L. Jackson
Rating: 

Brie Larson's entry into the Marvel superhero fold as the titular hero in Captain Marvel is not the 'Wonder' we expected. Though Captain Marvel is the first Marvel Studios film to be built around a female superhero, it comes minus the savoir-faire that gave Marvel productions its high brand value over the years. There are two directors, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck at work here, alongside several writers including Nicole Perlman, Anna Boden, Geneva Robertson-dworet, Meg LeFauve, Ryan Fleck, Jac Schaeffer, Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch. And it does feel like too many cooks have literally subdued the vivacity and nihilistic exuberance unique to the comic book cinema superhero universe.

The Captain Marvel female counterpart first appeared in comic books in 1977 but the real inspiration for this film comes from Kelly Sue DeConnick's series, beginning in 2012, that featured the alter ego of Carol Danvers.

Check out Captain Marvel trailer here:

While the experience of this film is not exactly unfavourable, the narrative never really takes off into the stratosphere even though it has a storyline that has Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) straddle a galactic war between two alien races. The narrative is a little jumbled up and the eventual aim to launch her into the Avengers team becomes a little too obvious even as the non-linear plotting is laid out with convoluted reasoning. Danvers' is with the Air Force, but she is also the eponymous warrior on behalf of Starforce, an intergalactic fighting squad committed to battling the fiendish, shape-shifting Skrulls. As the film opens we see her being tutored by her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), leader of the intergalactic military force of the Kree. Danvers is shown as uncertain about her past and as the narrative trudges along things get a little too murky and distorted for comfort. Danvers may go from cosmic to earthbound (C-53) in the fraction of a second and then back up into the skies again but for the viewer, this is not much of a roller-coaster thrill ride. The action is set in the '90's, the storytelling is obligatory at best, none of the characters stay on in your mind after the movie is done and the writing and direction lacks definition and seems a little too obviously patched-up towards a grander purpose.

Brie Larson tries hard to instil humour into the role but there's only so much she can achieve in a jumbled-up universe. She is solid if not exciting and that's the mainstay of this film – if at all it can be considered to have one!

Also Read: Captain Marvel reviews: Here's what the critics are saying

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Actor Chris Hemsworth found shooting in India "overwhelming" because of the positivity and enthusiasm that he experienced while filming the upcoming Netflix film "Extraction" in the country.

"I loved shooting in India. The people were incredible. I didn't realise how popular the Marvel films were in India. So that was, at times, overwhelming," Hemsworth told IANS during a special video call before the release of his Netflix movie.

"There was such positivity and enthusiasm for all of us and our crew… During shooting, we had hundreds and thousands of people on certain days lining up on the streets and up on top of bridges and in buildings, you know, after every takes, cheering and applauding. I've never experienced anything like it. And as I said, I have such fond memories of India and the people there," he added while recounting his time in India.

Hemsworth shot for the Netflix film in India in 2018. He shot in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The "Thor" star was scheduled to be in Mumbai on March 16 to promote the film that has been shot in India. The promotional tour was called off due to the global coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier in an interview to IANS, Hemsworth, whose daughter is named India, revealed the reason behind naming his daughter after the country.

"My wife (Elsa Pataky) spent a lot of time in India and that was where the name originally came from," Hemsworth said in that interview, adding: "I love the place and the people. It was sort of intimidating as it was exciting because there were so many people… We felt like rock stars in a stadium. But the warmth and support we got while shooting there, no matter how disruptive we were to their daily lives, it was so good. "

Originally titled "Dhaka", the film also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Priyanshu Painyulli, and Rudraksh Jaiswal. It revolves around Tyler Rake (essayed by Hemsworth), a fearless, black market mercenary, who embarks on the most deadly extraction of his career when he is enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. The film, directed by Sam Hargrave, will release on Netflix on April 24.

Talking about working for a streaming platform for the first time, Hemsworth said: "It's my first time working on a streaming platform. I was excited to do it, strangely enough, you know, it's probably the best place to be at this point.

"We put in, you know, the same amount of commitment and passion and enthusiasm as we would with anything else, whether it was a cinema release or a streaming space. I am beyond proud of the film. From the very beginning, I loved the script. I love the story that we were able to tell and the opportunity to shoot action, unlike anything I'd certainly been a part of before."

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Jeremy Latcham has an important role to play. Entertainment One has inked a first-look deal with Marvel Studios alum Jeremy Latcham, with Dungeons & Dragons set as the first project.

This evening’s Square E3 press was…something. After more than an hour of Final Fantasy remasters, the publisher closed things out with far and away its most eagerly awaited game. Licensing some white hot IP, the RPG masters at Square are offering up their own take on Earth’s mightiest heroes. Bay Area-based Crystal Dynamics addressed what […]

An Amazon promotion offering cheap gas at a station in California had to be suspended due to high demand from motorists. The event took place to celebrate the show 'Marvellous Ms. Maisel.'

It's Nigella Lawson week on MasterChef and viewers have taken to Twitter to comment on the chef's suddenly slight figure.

The Game Of Thrones stars reunited for the shoot in Camden, London, with Bodyguard actor Richard Madden, 33, seen looking dapper in a black coat while suspended over a bridge for a stunt.

By late April 1945, the German army was in retreat and, after nearly six long years of war, the Allies were finally poised to defeat Adolf Hitler.

Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, 28, released a new single yesterday called 'Fearless,' which she dedicated to Fiji and people affected by climate change. All the proceeds, she said, would go to her non-profit.

'What's really moving to me is that they want to see me strong, and so it's less to see me in a film, but they're just happy I will be strong and having fun,' the ex of Brad Pitt told People.

According to Variety, it's not clear if the actress, 36, will reprise her MCU role in the new film or play a different character.

Angelina Jolie was pictured for the first time on the set of new Marvel movie Eternals on Friday as she took on the role of Thena, a member of the superhero group. 

Angelina Jolie was enjoying a break from all the filming action to stock up on groceries in Fuerteventura alongside her daughter Vivienne, 11, on Monday.

This week, a new thriller and a competitive reality show seeking a hot new fashion designer that, in its first moments, comes over as a cross between The Great British Sewing Bee and The Apprentice

Joined A-listers Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Lawrence, Benicio Del Toro and Eva Longoria.

Scarlett Johansson gushed that it's 'very exciting' to have Angelina Jolie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as she spoke with E! News on Sunday at San Diego Comic Con.

The 35-year-old actress has just wrapped filming on her first standalone superhero movie Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff, She said she was 'stoked' to join the Marvel Universe.

Rachel Brosnahan paid tribute to the extras who work on 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' as she picked up a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award on Sunday.

She has won the hearts of Amazon viewers everywhere as a gifted and determined housewife with a knack for stand up comedy.

The Voice Australia coaches may have plenty of star power, but they pale in comparison to superheroes like Thor.

Experts claim mud can cure conditions such as eczema and rosacea as well as soothe aches and pains. Alice Smellie revealed the best places to try a mud treatment in the UK.

Sky One's new Moomin series features the voices of Kate Winslet, Jennifer Saunders, Matt Lucas and Alison Steadman. Oscar-nominated actress Rosamund Pike also voices Moominmamma.

As well as his Louis-like looks, fans also noticed that the tot had a temporary tattoo of an anchor on his arm - in the exact place 1D's Harry Styles has the same inking

Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the A110 was a doyenne of its genre, taking the constructor’s title in the 1973 World Rally Championship. Original cars remain much-loved classics

LeBron James may be in his 17th NBA season, but that's not stopping the 35-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star from delivering poster-worthy dunks, like the reverse windmill he threw down on Thursday.

There is, apparently, much to loathe about Westfield, west London's gleaming monolithic temple to Mammon. The arrival of Pastaio is something to celebrate, however

MARTIN KEOWN: I watched every minute of it, from the build-up, to the players walking out in front of 100,000 at Wembley, to Keegan scoring twice for Liverpool in a very one-sided 3-0 win.

For six weeks in the summer, Salzburg hosts a festival of theatre, opera and classical music. This year marks the festival's centenary and as it promises to be busier than ever, here's our guide.

Justin Bieber returned to his roots amid COVID-19 by fleeing the U.S. to hunker down in Canada with wife Hailey.

MARTIN KEOWN: I watched every minute of it, from the build-up, to the players walking out in front of 100,000 at Wembley, to Keegan scoring twice for Liverpool in a very one-sided 3-0 win.

Brian Viner reviews the new Netflix film Extraction starring Chris Hemsworth playing a former 'special ops' soldier, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, now working as a freelance troubleshooter.

The 48-hour Amazon Prime Day is here and that means there are plenty of video game deals including some great PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch bargains and special edition discounts

कैप्टन मार्वल के किरदार के साथ ही मार्वल यूनिवर्स के गायब हो चुके हीरोज़ की वापसी भी तय हो चुकी है क्योंकि कैप्टन मार्वल इनफिनिटी स्टोन्स का इस्तेमाल कर सकती है.

कैप्टन मार्वल के ट्रेलर के साथ ही इन्फिनिटी वॉर-2 का काउंटडाउन भी शुरू हो गया है.

In the picture, which has been taken stealthily lest Dodger finds out, it can be seen with patches of hair missing on the back.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed that the company has no intention to start shooting on its pending projects like Shang-Chi and The Little Mermaid, amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

Filmed in 2019, the documentary celebrates the legend of Meenakshi Amman, Mother Goddess, queen, and patron deity of the ancient city of Madurai.

अमिताभ बच्चन- तापसी पन्नू की फिल्म बदला के साथ रिलीज हुई है हॉलीवुड फिल्म कैप्टन मार्वेल। भारत में फिल्म 1900 स्क्रीन पर रिलीज हुई है। लेकिन बता दें, फिल्म ने ओपनिंग डे पर जैसी ऑक्यूपेंसी दिखाई है, वह शानदार है। कैप्टन

Many film releases have been postponed due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, and the recent films to bite the dust are Marvel's most-awaited phase four films, Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange 2 and Thor: Love And Thunder. Marvel fans were

Hayden Library - PN6725.T83 2017

Hayden Library - PN6725.M34 2017

Hayden Library - PN6727.L39 Z54 2017

Dewey Library - HQ1865.5.Z75 M37 2018

Angry Nerd loves superheroes, but hates RETCONs. He's especially miffed at what Marvel has done to Wolverine's origin story. Find out why Angry Nerd thinks those metallic, foot-long bone claws are not only implausible, but unforgivable.

Scarlett Johansson stars as the ass-kicking, nearly superhuman protagonist in the new sci-fi action flick Lucy. But while the French—namely the film's writer and director Luc Besson—continue to put out films with strong heroine leads, Marvel and DC seem content to sit on a reservoir of amazing female characters like She-Hulk and Black Widow.

When Disney announced the launch of Big Hero 6, Angry Nerd was skeptical it’d turn into another kid-friendly version of Marvel IP. Turns out the House of Mouse was able to adapt the classic comic (albeit with a few major changes) into an entertaining animated feature that’s not just another Disney dud.

Comic book movies are on the rise, but will it be Marvel or DC that pushes us over the edge? Andre from Black Nerd Comedy pays Angry Nerd another visit to discuss if it’ll be Spider-Man or Fantastic Four that makes us say no more.

Ant-Man director Peyton Reed spoke with WIRED about bringing the tiny superhero to the big screen, some easter eggs for Marvel fans and how Paul Rudd preserved the wry humor of the original comic books.