Reviews by kevin

kevin says "An interesting documentary about a Vietman POW" about Little Dieter Needs to Fly

kevin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:25:11 GMT

Little Dieter Needs To Fly (1998, directed by Werner Herzog) tells the story of Dieter Dengler when he was a POW in Vietnam. A German emigre to the USA Dieter had a dream of flying ever since US planes strafed his hometown during WWII. This move tells through his own words his story as he joined the US armed forces, was called to service in Vietnam, and shot down and held as a prisoner of war in Laos.

The film follows Dieter in the late 1990s as he goes back to Southeast Asia and retraces and retells his story. It's pretty harrowing what he had to go through. One can tell that behind Dieter's non-chalant story telling, he's been haunted all his life by his experiences. It's a very affecting movie and it will stay with you in your mind for a while.

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kevin says "A great espresso maker for the office" about Nespresso D290 Espresso Machine

kevin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:03:43 GMT

We've been using this espresso maker in the office for the last two and a half years. It still works like a champ and pours a great espresso.

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kevin says "Great sandwiches come at great cost." about Hannah's Bretzel - Chicago, IL

kevin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:27:36 GMT

Hannah's Bretzel makes some great tasting sandwiches. Their secret is the soft pretzel bread (which I guess lends itself to the "bretzel" contraction). They layer on fresh ingredients like proscuto, greens, and such. My only complaint is that a 7 inch long sandwich plus a side (chips, roasted nuts, etc) will run you over $8. Still, it's worth it on occassion.

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kevin says "The Bristol doesn't offer anything we haven't seen elsewhere" about The Bristol - Chicago, IL

kevin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:30:36 GMT

The Bristol is a fairly new restaurant/bar in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. They took over the old Il Covo space on Damen (just south of Webster) in the fall of 2008. The menu sports a wide variety of adventurous small bite plates and other dishes meant to be shared. Their drink menu boasts some interesting mixed drinks specials, a long wine list and an extensive specialty beer list.

If all of those features sound familiar, it's because you've seen them all before, and in basically the same combination at places like The Bluebird (half a dozen blocks down Damen) or The Publican. The Bristol doesn't do anything wrong, but I just didn't feel like they did it as well as those other places. To me it feels like they are just trying to cash in on a popular restaurant trend. So overall, you'll do alright at The Bristol, but you owe it to yourself to try one of the other restaurants that I mentioned.

(Celiac Sprue side note: one of our party has a gluten intolerance and has......

kevin says "Bisto Zinc delivers quality French food and atmosphere" about Bistro Zinc - Chicago, IL

kevin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:10:25 GMT

Bistro Zinc seeks to create an authentic French bistro experience in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Having recently dined there with my wife and another couple, I would say they have succeeded admirably.

The atmosphere is charming and distinctly European, with a long red leather bench down one side of the restaurant, bistro style tables and chairs, and an ornate bar along the other wall. We went on a Tuesday night, so it wasn't particularly busy, but there was a nice hum of activity and conversation.

The service was particularly friendly and helpful. As soon as my wife explained that she had a gluten intolerance, the waiter was able to knowledgeably work with her on what menu choices were safe and which could be modified by the chef to her needs.

We all thought the food was excellent. We started with steamed mussels, which came in a wonderful buttery cream sauce. I had a chicken entree (again in a cream sauce) with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots, while others......

kevin says "You'll end up Doubt-ing why you decided to see this movie" about Doubt

kevin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:10:50 GMT

Doubt (2008) is a movie set within a Catholic grade school and parish in 1960s Boston. The premise is that Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) suspects Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of having an inappropriate relationship with the only African-American boy in the school. The timid and younger nun, Sister James (Amy Adams), is caught in the middle of these two strong leaders of the parish and their resulting conflict.

Did he do it or did he not? The problem with this movie is that it doesn't come out and make a strong statement either way. It gets lost in it's own attempt to walk a middle road and to show how each character's motivations lead to the ambiguities of the situation. I can applaud the screenwriter's attempt to tackle a topical issue from all sides and without overtly casting blame, but it makes for an unfulfilling movie watching experience.

That said, the true redemption of this film comes in the strong performances that Hoffman and Streep deliver. The characters......

kevin says "Russian River is a must stop brewpub experience" about Russian River Brewery - Santa Rosa, CA

kevin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:44:29 GMT

Russian River Brewery is one of the preeminent craft brewers around these days (with two brews in the Beer Advocate Top Ten list). Therefore when I was recently in Somona County on vacation I had to take a break from the wineries and see what all the fuss was about. I wasn't disappointed.

The Russian River brewpub is located in downtown Santa Rosa. The brewpub sports a long bar down one side and plenty of table seating. The decor was fairly minimal, with hops sacks hanging on the walls along side antique tin beer signs. Since RRBC brews on the premises you can get a view into their brewing operations although we didn't take any tours (not sure if they are offered or not).

We went on Christmas Eve for lunch and found a pleasant atmosphere and great service. The menu sported mostly beer friend appetizers, pizzas, and sandwiches. I had a tasty chicken sandwich with a very fresh green salad, and my siblings each had a 10in pizza. We all enjoyed the food very much.

Obviously though......

kevin says "I don't find Windows Vista all that bad OR all that good" about Microsoft Vista Home Premium

kevin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:25:37 GMT

As a long time daily Mac user, I'm always dismayed when the hot new video game is released for PC only. Such is the case with the latest MMO, Warhammer Online so I updated my gaming rig to a Dell XPS desktop with Windows Vista installed.

After using Vista for three weeks, I don't really understand why you hear so much negative feedback about it. To my-non-PC-using eye, it's not much different than Windows XP, albeit with a prettier skin. The experience seems no more (or less!) frustrating than my past usage of Windows. All of the normal Windows administration functions that I tend to use are were I expect them to be. Usability hasn't been degraded, nor does it seem to be improved much.

All and all, Vista seems like Windows always has to me. I find it frustrating at times, but it's there and it gets the job done. I don't love it; I don't hate it. Maybe that in and of itself is a condemnation considering how much Microsoft spend to develop and market Windows Vista....

kevin says "Founders Breakfast Stout is outstanding" about Founders Breakfast Stout

kevin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:23:13 GMT

Founders Brewery (Grand Rapids, MI) releases their Breakfast Stout (8.3% ABV) in the fall. I was lucky to snag a 4 pack (12oz. bottles) at my local mart this past weekend. The label subtitles this beer as a "Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout". Here are my impressions:

Pours thick and viscous
Very minimal caramel colored head
Dark chocolate nose; spices
Tastes: raisin, nutty, coffee
Coffee/dark chocolate aftertaste

Now I'm not sure I'd drink this for breakfast (of course I don't think I've ever reached for a beer instead of my espresso or OJ!), but it is a great beer on a cool, rainy fall evening.

If you like your stout strong and interesting, you can't go wrong with Founders Breakfast Stout. I don't think Founders has very wide distribution, but if you do live in the Midwest, grab some before it runs out!
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kevin says "Every music fan should see The Future Is Unwritten" about Joe Strummer - The Future Is Unwritten

kevin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:04:42 GMT

Love 'em or hate 'em, The Clash had something to say. They said it through their politically charged lyrics, through their incendiary music, and their refusal to compromise. Joe Strummer was in most respects the front man and voice of that band and it's attitudes.

Joe Strummer - The Future is Unwritten (2007) is a documentary focused on the life and ethos of Strummer. Director Julien Temple weaves together the story by editing together still photos, live performances, interviews, voice overs, and "campfires" (lots of old acquaintances sitting around campfires reminiscing). Strummer's story is told from his childhood, his squatter, hippy years in London, the forming of The Clash, their eventual demise, his wandering period, and finally his musical reemergence with The Mescelaros. We see the hippy-ness of the late 60s London turn into the race riots and anti-Thatcher-ism of the late 70s and 80s.

My only complaint through it all was the inclusion of some celebrity interviews (Johnny......

kevin says "DiRT for PS3 is a middle of the road racing game" about PlayStation 3 - DiRT

kevin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:27:08 GMT

I'm of mixed opinion on DiRT, a rally racing game that I rented for my PS3 (also available for Xbox360 and PC). I think it's me...I've become so used to open-ended, massive world, quest oriented games like GTA IV or WoW that a racer can't hold my attention.

DiRT does a lot of things very well. From the amazing opening cinematic through to the game-play engine, the graphics are top notch. The user interface for navigating the game is really well done and slick. DiRT offers a wide variety of racing styles to try out and complete in, and lots of cars that you need to unlock or purchase (each with a handful of paint jobs that you can purchase).

From a game-play perspective, there are three modes. Career mode lets you earn cash as you start out as a rookie on the circuit. As you progress you unlock new events and vehicles. The events are all over the place...timed solo rallies in German and other exotic locations, track events where you race on dual surfaces (pavement and dirt),......

kevin says "The best thin crust pizza in Chicago comes from La Gondola" about La Gondola Restaurant - Chicago, IL

kevin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:02:27 GMT

Ever since I moved into the city (of Chicago, from the 'burbs) over 12 years ago, La Gondola has been my favorite place to order pizza from. They have hands down the best thin crust pizza I've ever had. Now Chicago is known for stuffed pizza, but my money goes to the thin and crisp crust, savory sauce, fresh toppings, gooey and slightly browned cheese, and sprinkled oregano of La Gondola's pizzas. It cannot be beat. Oh yea, and thin crust in Chicago is sliced it into squares, not wedges ala NYC. My favorite topping combination is Italian sausage and onion; every time I've had friends over who have tried this pizza, they have become La Gondola converts! I figure I've had a pizza at least every other week for 12 years from La Gondola (I'm lucky that every time I move their delivery area expands to accommodate!)...that's over 300 pizzas! Believe me, they are that good!

La Gondola is situated in a tiny storefront in an ugly strip mall off of Ashland Avenue (just north of Diversey). ......

kevin says "Unibroue 17 is a wonderfully refreshing dark ale" about Unibroue 17

kevin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:01:26 GMT

Unibroue 17 is a craft beer brewed by Unibroue (surprise!) in celebration of their 17th (surprise!) anniversary. It seems that they brew and bottle a special beer each year; this is in addition to their more popular La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, and other brews that they produce. I've seen the 15 and 16 in the store, but based on a strong recommendation from a friend I tried the 17. Let me start by saying he didn't steer me wrong!

The 17 comes in a 750ml bottle (the same size as a standard wine bottle) topped with a wire cage and a cork (like champagne) and opened with a satisfying "pop!" It poured a very vigorous head which I had to let settle...about 2.5 inches. (A beer guru friend of mine says this means that the beer could stand to age in the bottle longer...) The color was a rusty brown; deep but without any cloudiness.

When tasting, I was immediately impressed with the caramely malt. The hops are there, just much more subtle, which I enjoyed. I'm not at all a hop-head and......

kevin says "Ocean's Thirteen delivers on it's promise: style over substance" about Ocean's Thirteen

kevin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:12:06 GMT

The third movie in the Ocean's series delviers exactly what I expected it to and nothing more. Once again we watch these cool cats pull off a thrilling heist with charm, style, and humor.

The premise behind Ocean's Thirteen is that the cadre of high class crooks lead by Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is back in action. This time they are out for revenge against casino owner Willy Banks (Al Pacino) after Rueben Tishkoff (Eliot Gould) is swindled out of his share of the casino. A fairly typical caper movie unfolds from there with the usual mix of Vegas style, "surprise" road blocks, Rat Pack comraderie.

Like the other Ocean's movies, this is an ensemble cast of big names including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, Ellen Barken, etc etc etc. All the acters play their roles well, with style and the appropriate panache.

There's nothing really to complain about in this movie; it's entertaining, it's got style and swagger, it's well filmed and put together. Yet it doesn't really deliver......

kevin says "3:10 to Yuma proves that Westerns still have legs" about 3:10 to Yuma

kevin — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:10:28 GMT

The notorious cowboy outlaw Bill Wade (Russell Crowe) has been captured and it's up to a ragtag team to escort him a nearby city to get him on the prison train to Yuma. Reluctant hero Dan Evans (Christian Bale) leads this unlikely and unlucky group while they try to slip past Wade's gang, war hungry Apache Indians, and other dangerous foes.

All and all, 3:10 to Yuma was a solid action flick set in the wild old west. The movie is smartly written and very well acted by the principle and the ensemble crew (including Peter Fonda, Alan Tudyk, and Luke Wilson). In addition to all the expected gunfighting and horse chases, there's a good story line with Evan's character (a down on his luck homesteader and family man) and his son William (who resents his father and has wide eyed respect for Wade and his outlaw lifestyle). Wade's character also has a lot of depth which comes out as the movie progresses.

One thing that I appreciated very much was the realism of the film. All shooting was......

kevin says "Assassin's Creed gets a lot right but doesn't have much variety" about PlayStation 3 - Assassin's Creed

kevin — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:02:24 GMT

Amongst the things that Assassin's Creed does really well:

The graphics engine is superb. The environments are highly detailed and richly varied. You feel like they've gone back in time and recreated the Holy Land's cities during the Crusades.
The character animations are excellent and fluid. Fight sequences and scaling of buildings/leaping from rooftops are very well executed. The fights in particular have the feeling of a Hollywood action movie that you control.
The storyline is solid and interesting. There are two stories going on here. The main character that you play is an assassin in the the middle ages during the Crusades. This story begins with him losing rank and face within the assassin's guild after he botches an important mission. This makes it an easy lead in to the fact that you, the player, need to learn how to become an assassin and master the ranks within the guild. The story line of who he is assassinating and why he needs to do so is interesting too, and...

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kevin says "The Bluebird is a great place to drink (and eat) in Bucktown" about The Bluebird - Chicago, IL

kevin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:49:11 GMT

The Bluebird is a relatively new bar/restaurant in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. They have an deep beer list, specializing in unique import and microbrews, plenty of wines, and a creative food menu. Owned by the folks behind Webster's Wine Bar, you get the sense they wanted to create a similar experience, but for beer lovers.

I've been there a few times in the past month or so and really enjoyed my experiences. The main draw for me is the beer list, which features a lot of unique beers that you don't often find in bars. This list is heavy on Belgian imports, including many 750ml bottles, which you'll want to split with a friend. They also have quite a few smaller American microbrews; again you'll see brews that you don't see too often.

Beyond the beer, they offer a pretty extensive wine and spirits list as well. I didn't look too much at the wine list, so I can't comment on that (nor do I have the expertise), but the scotch and bourbon list was pretty decent, though a bit pricey......

kevin says "Well developed, honest characters make this worth watching" about Sex and the City - The Complete Series

kevin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:27:49 GMT

My wife and I just finished watching the complete Sex and the City series on DVD (via Netflix, of course). Sex and the City is an HBO television series that had a six season run from 1998 until 2004. It centered around Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), a 30something single woman living in New York City who writes a sex and relationship column in a weekly paper. Her three best friends Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) a Park Avenue WASP, Samatha Jones (Kim Cattrall) an energetic and sexually active PR agent, and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) a career focused lawyer are all main characters in the story. The show revolves around these four single women as they struggle through relationships, marriage (or lack of), children, careers, and identity.

Overall, I'd say this series as a lot to offer for both men and women viewers. It's well written, funny, and has a balanced view of relationships. Obviously this show is focused on the female side of relationships, but there are a number......

kevin says "Johnsonville Beer Brats are a summer staple for me" about Johnsonville Beer Brats

kevin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:02:31 GMT

I don't cook much at all, but come summertime I do like to try my hand at grilling. Being a Midwesterner I love a good brat and my go to is the Johnsonville Beer Brat. This brat has a mildly spicy flavor with a hint of beer and cooks up deliciously soft with a slightly tough skin. You should be able to find these brats in your local grocer's frozen meats section.

Since they come frozen, I like to simmer the brats in a good strong pilsner or IPA to impart even more beer flavor before grilling them. You also don't want to throw a frozen brat on the grill! BTW, "beer boiled brats" is a misnomer, you don't want to actually boil them, as you run the risk of exploding the skins. Also you don't need to grill brats on the hottest settings for the same reason...you don't want to pop the skins...wait for your coals to ash over and turn often for a consistent brown on all sides of the sausage.

I serve my brats butterflied on a thick rye bread topped with sauerkraut (unsweetened, of course!)......

kevin says "Grand Theft Auto IV delivers the mayhem" about PlayStation 3 - Grand Theft Auto IV

kevin — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:53:39 GMT

Grand Theft Auto IV from Rockstar Games was just released for Playstation 3 and XBox 360. I'm a huge fan of the GTA series, having previously played through the Vice City and San Andreas editions, and I knew I'd have to get this one as well. The fact that I didn't own either console didn't deter me as I was sure it would be worth getting a new console for. So I grabbed a PS3 and got started with a new life of crime in Liberty City.

Like all the GTA games, you start in single player mode as a fresh young hood in a big bad city. The objective is to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld by completing various missions including car jacking, drug dealing, extortion, street racing, assassinations, and the like. Additionally, while the main story line is fairly linear, you have lots and lots of options for side activities and general undirected joy riding and raising mayhem on the streets of the fine city.

In Grand Theft Auto IV, you play a character named Niko who has recently......