Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Alien Autopsy

  • ALIEN AUTOPSY (DVD MOVIE)
In 1995, mysterious top-secret black-and-white footage, supposedly filmed during the 1947 Roswell incident, was broadcast around the world. It showed the autopsy of an alien lifeform. The men responsible for the discovery of the footage, buddies Ray (Declan Donnelly) and Gary (Ant McPartlin), are thrown into intense media scrutiny. But the guys have an even bigger secret. And it’s not very pretty. Based on true events, Alien Autopsy is the alternately bizarre and frequently quirky story of the two unlikely lads from London who become icons in UFOlogy with a discovery that stunned millions who’ve long searched for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Bill Pullman (Spaceballs, Independence Day) and Harry Dean Stanton (Alien) join a cast of intriguing characters in the tale of the mystery that, in one sense at least, was truly out of this world.Alien Autopsy ! is one of the weirdest, most unnerving, and most hilarious small films in recent memory. It's a feature film that relates the story of the real-life blokes behind a controversial 1990s film that purported to show "hidden, government-censored footage" of an alien autopsy performed in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. (This feature film should not be confused with the quasi-documentary Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction?, which showed brief clips from the controversial film and which aired on American TV in the '90s.) This Alien Autopsy reenacts the scenario behind the original, and dubious, footage--a reenactment of a reenactment. In 1995 two Britons, Ray Santilli (Declan Donnelly) and Gary Shoefield (Ant McPartlin), claim they have possession of secret US government-shot film showing an autopsy conducted on an alien, handed to them by "an inside party." Alien Autopsy tells how Santilli and Shoefield get the interest of a fairly reputable film company and docume! ntary filmmaker (a world-weary, grizzled Bill Pullman), and ga! ther fin ancing to put together this shocking blockbuster. The only problem is, the original film is of terrible, unviewable quality. And then the fun begins. Santilli and Shoefield are completely unfazed and set about re-creating what they insist was on the film--with such zeal and abandon that it recalls Johnny Depp's performance as the schlock-meister title character in Tim Burton's delightful Ed Wood. The two are on a mission, and nothing will stop them. Donnelly and McPartlin have an easy, off-kilter chemistry because of their appearances on British TV. But even people who know them as "Ant and Dec" will appreciate their excellent performances in Alien Autopsy. (Accolades are also due Harry Dean Stanton, riveting in a pivotal supporting role.) Alien Autopsy is surprisingly suspenseful, and while viewers sometimes can't believe their eyes, they never want to stop watching. Alien Autopsy also includes some striking anachronisms--like Santilli's showing ! a skeptical film executive a Google search of his name, with more than 3 million hits. (Google wasn't started until 1998.) Touches like this give Alien Autopsy even more cheeky charm. The DVD comes with an excellent feature on the true back-story of Santilli and the footage, and how the filmmakers approached their task; deleted scenes and outtakes; and an engaging commentary by director Jonny Campbell. The truth may still be out there, but Alien Autopsy, in its own small way, seeks to shed light on one small mystery of the 1990s. --A.T. Hurley

Blast From the Past

  • BLAST FROM THE PAST (DVD MOVIE)
Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 11/09/2010Coasting on the successes of Gods and Monsters and George of the Jungle, Brendan Fraser turns in yet another winning performance in this fish-out-of-water comedy in which Pleasantville meets modern-day Los Angeles, with predictably funny results. Fraser stars as Adam, who was born in the bomb shelter of his paranoid inventor dad (a less-manic-than-usual Christopher Walken), who spirited his pregnant wife (Sissy Spacek, in fine comic form) underground when he thought the Communists dropped the bomb (actually, it was a plane crash). Armed with enough supplies to last 35 years, the parents bring up Adam in Leave It to Beaver style with nary any exposure to the outside world. When the supplies run out, and dad suffers a heart attack, Fraser goes up to modern-day L.A. for some shopping and lon! g-awaited culture shock. More of a cute premise with lots of clever ideas attached than a fully fleshed out story, Blast from the Past is also supposed to be part romantic comedy, as the hunky Adam hooks up with his jaded Eve (Alicia Silverstone) and tries to convince her to marry him and go underground. The sparks don't fly, though, because Silverstone is saddled with the triple whammy of being miscast, playing an underwritten character, and suffering a very bad hairdo. Fraser, however, carries the film lightly and easily on his broad, goofy shoulders, mixing Adam's gee-whiz innocence with genuine emotion and curiosity; only Fraser could pull off Adam's first glimpse of a sunrise or the ocean with both humor and pathos. Also winning is Dave Foley as Silverstone's gay best friend, who manages to make the most innocuous statements sound like comic gems. --Mark Englehart

My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats

  • ISBN13: 9781580089944
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
After years spent traveling and sampling sweets throughout her native Mexico, celebrated pastry chef Fany Gerson shares the secrets behind her beloved homeland’s signature desserts in this highly personal and authoritative cookbook. Skillfully weaving together the rich histories that inform the country’s diverse culinary traditions, My Sweet Mexico is a delicious journey into the soul of the cuisine.
 
From yeasted breads that scent the air with cinnamon, anise, sugar, fruit, and honey, to pushcarts that brighten plazas with paletas and ice creams made from watermelon, mango, and avocado, Mexican confections are like no other.
 
Stalwarts like Churros, Amaranth Alegrías, and G! aribaldisâ€"a type of buttery muffin with apricot jam and sprinklesâ€"as well as Passion Fruitâ€"Mezcal Trifle and Cheesecake with Tamarind Sauce demonstrate the layering of flavors unique to the world of dulces. In her typical warm and enthusiastic style, Gerson explains the significance of indigenous ingredients such as sweet maguey plants, mesquite, honeys, fruits, and cacao, and the happy results that occur when combined with Spanish troves of cinnamon, wheat, fresh cow’s milk, nuts, and sugar cane.
 
In chapters devoted to breads and pastries, candies and confections, frozen treats, beverages, and contemporary desserts, Fany places cherished recipes in context and stays true to the roots that shaped each treat, while ensuring they’ll yield successful results in your kitchen. With its blend of beloved standards from across Mexico and inventive, flavor-forward new twists, My Sweet Mexico is the only guide you need to explore the delightful universe of M! exican treats.

Falcon Down

  • ISBN13: 9781585002672
  • Condition: Used - Very Good
  • Notes: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

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