Escape from Peru
By Steve Herte
Well, I didn't get to the restaurant I expected, but I will
eventually. The day worked out nicely considering the setback caused by the
blizzard. I seem to be spending a lot of time lately near Madison Park and I
noticed that the new Museum of Mathematics borders on it, so, next staycation
it's a destination. As for now, please enjoy the latest Dinner and a Movie.
Escape From Planet Earth in 3D (Weinstein, 2013) Director: Cal Brunker.
The voices of: Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry,
Sofia Vergara, Jonathan Morgan Heit, William Shatner, George Lopez, Craig
Robinson, and Jane Lynch. Color, Dolby Digital, 3-D, 89 minutes.
Since
animation is one of my passions and knowing the work that goes into creating
characters that can perform believably on screen, I was anticipating this
reverse space adventure. Scorch Supernova (Fraser), the planetary hero of
planet Baab (pronounced Bob), is slated to go on a rescue mission to “the dark
planet” (Earth) to save the most recent visitors, even though he’s been warned
that all who go to the dark planet are never heard from again.
The
movie opens with Scorch on a mission to save six baby Baabians from the
baby-eating creatures of another planet. His older brother Gary (Corddry) is at
Mission Control trying to guide his actions and keep him and the babies safe.
However, Scorch is full of bravado and egotism, and ignores his brother’s
advice to keep quiet and awakens the enemy. Now he has to run for his life and
avoid their snapping jaws to get back to his space ship. Thanks to Gary’s sense
of timing he leaps a ravine and deploys his grappling hook just in time to
swing across and taunt his chasers before blasting off. He lands on Baab to tumultuous
applause and media attention - newscaster Gabby Babblebrock (Vergara) swoons in
his presence but regains her composure in time for her live coverage.
Scorch
is tall, broad-shouldered, square-jawed and attractive. Gary is short, skinny
and bookish, the brains of the family. Gary’s son Kip (Heit) wants to be just
like Uncle Scorch. His wife Kira (Parker) is supportive and the good housewife
and mother. When the Earth mission is announced by Gary and Scorch’s boss, Lena
Thackleman (Alba), Gary is reluctant because of all he’s heard but Scorch can’t
wait to get going. In fact he has his ship all readied way before Mission
Control can get up to speed. Gary argues with his brother and quits. Scorch
takes off for Earth and is captured by Area 51 troopers at a 7-11.
When
he learns about Scorch being captured/maybe killed, Kip tries to go to the
rescue leading his Mom and Dad on a chase to the spaceport where they
successfully stop him. At this point it dawns on Gary that he must go rescue
his brother. He takes an escape pod, travels to Earth, crash lands, escapes the
pod just as the self-destruct engages, and is captured by the same Area 51
troopers.
It
is then we learn that General Shanker (Shatner) has been funneling all alien
life into Area 51 to steal their technology and force them to build a doomsday
machine meant to exterminate the home planets of ALL aliens. The machine only
needs a sufficient power source and the General is wooing Lena (literally, he
dresses up like Elvis whenever he’s on the video-com) to get it. Gary meets
Thurman (Lopez), a slug-like creature with four arms and three eyes in his
cell, Doc (Robinson), a bat-like alien in the next cell and Io (Lynch) a huge,
one-eyed lobster-like alien in the last cell and they tell him what they’ve
been doing for the General thinking they will be allowed to go home once it’s
complete. The story goes back and forth between their plight and Lena’s fake
love affair with Shanker until everyone realizes what’s really going on. Gary
destroys the power source for the machine and when forced to reconstruct it
programs a glitch into it that causes the machine to self-destruct.
Meanwhile
Kira, having been inspired by the devotion of her son, has secretly boarded the
ship Lena is using to bring the power sources to Shanker. They scuffle and Kira
overpowers Lena and they turn back to Baab. The fleeing group of aliens on
Earth makes it to Scorch’s disguised ship and nearly escape when Shanker
appears wearing Scorch’s power suit and he puts a tractor beam on them. Gary
and Scorch leap from the ship and disable the beam sending Shanker (and
themselves) plummeting to Earth. At the last minute before impact all three are
suspended inches from the ground by three “greys” (the aliens pictured on X-Files and animated on Stargate SG1 with the big heads, skinny
bodies and almond-shaped black eyes). They explain that they were also being
used by Shanker and are now free to rebel against him. Up to this point they
never spoke and now they sound like the Beatles – that unmistakable
Liverpuddlian accent. One even says Ringo-esque, “Guys, let’s not break up the
group.”
All
the aliens re-board the ship and head back to Baab, but shortly before leaving
Earth the ship develops a problem with the steering controls. They call Mission
Control and the only one there is Kip, who using techniques learned from flying
a toy version of the spaceship, helps them escape the Earth fighter planes and
land safely back on Baab. This success makes Kip now want to be just like his
Dad at Mission Control and Gary is proud. Scorch embarks on his next and most
dangerous mission, marrying Gabby, the music swells and everybody parties.
Escape From Planet Earth is a very colorful movie. The spaceport on Baab looks more
like a candy circus carnival. The animation is nicely done and seamless and the
computer graphics are convincing – even though the only character with fur is
Doc. The story is as old as the hills and the comedy made me laugh one or two
times (not exactly a laugh riot) but was clever. It doesn’t rank up there with
other animated features I’ve seen where meticulous attention is paid to
details. The science fiction angle is obvious and is made even more obvious
when the physics goes astray in one scene. Gary is taking off in the escape pod
and is totally enclosed in a transparent shield, but still his mouth flaps
about as if the wind from his acceleration was affecting it (there shouldn’t be
any wind). It’s a good film, not a great one, and probably will not make it to
my collection.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Martini glasses.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Martini glasses.
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
11 Madison Avenue (25th Street) New York
I
recently had a conversation with my special friend about restaurants. She told
me that we should find more South American restaurants to visit; that I should
taste more of the cuisine. As she is Ecuadorian, I couldn’t well disagree. This
week I noticed that a Peruvian restaurant was conveniently located near the
theatre where our chosen movie for the week was playing, so it was no brainer
of a choice. And we were glad we chose it.
The
location of La Mar struck a note of déjà vu in me and it turned out to be
accurate. Occupying the site of the former Tabla, a progressive Indian/American
restaurant, La Mar took the two-story space to a new classy level. The bar area
is on the main floor and a gracefully curving black staircase leads up to the
main dining area. The well-polished black pedestal tables and low-backed
matching chairs with turquoise webbing for support surround a circular hole
overlooking the bar. Suspended from the ceiling above are hundreds of clear
Mylar threads with pale green and blue glass beads attached at random intervals
evincing the concept of rain frozen in time. The walls and ceiling are
off-white and potted Ti plants add a little greenery. The overall effect is
chic, cosmopolitan class.
After
a comfortable settling-in time, my waiter brought a glass of water and a cup of
plantain chips with a delightfully spiced dip tasting of pimiento and asked for
my cocktail order. I chose the Chicha Tu Ma, an exotic, blood-red combination
of pisco quebranta (grape juice), chicha morada (a Peruvian beverage made from
purple maize), orange liqueur and organic maracuya (passion fruit). It’s a very
compelling potion.
The two-page menu is divided into Cebiches, Tiraditos
(Peruvian Sashimi), Causas (whipped potatoes topped with seafood or chicken),
Ensaladas (salads), Almuercitos Peruanos (combinations), Empanadas (stuffed
pastry), Anticuchos (skewered meats), Piqueos (Peruvian appetizers), Platos De
Fondo (Main courses), and Desserts. Having assured David, my waiter that I knew
what cebiche (sometimes spelled ceviche – a salad-like, slightly vinegary, cold
fish dish, variously spiced and served mainly as an appetizer) was and that I
knew it was the national dish of Peru, I mentioned that in a Philadelphia
restaurant (Pasion!) they served a sampler of three. David suggested that the
chef could do the same at La Mar and after a short wait while enjoying my
cocktail three little bowls were set before me. On the left was a traditional
cebiche of fluke called Elegance, a light, tasty, slightly tart concoction with
Bermuda onion and cilantro. In the center was a mixed seafood cebiche called
Limeño with calamari, octopus, scallop, in a zesty orange garlic sauce that
tingled on the tongue. On the right was a yellow fin tuna cebiche called Nikei
in a sweet/sour red Asian sauce with daikon, sesame seeds and cucumber
overtones. All three were wonderful.
I
ordered a 2008 Argentine Malbec named Añoro, which was full-bodied and rich,
and perfectly complimented the Peruvian flavors. At that point I asked David
why there were no Peruvian wines on the wine list. He explained that the
Peruvian wineries are still in their infancy and the chef decided that they
weren’t up to the quality of the food he was serving. Maybe 10 years from now.
Well, I was sold on the quality of the food.
My
main dish was Sudado - Atlantic Halibut, manila clams, yucca, kabocha squash,
onions and tomatoes in an aji Amarillo (yellow garlic) white wine broth –
wonderful. The halibut was delicate and flaky, the clams tender and the
vegetables full of flavor. I had to comment to David that each bite tasted like
more. I noticed that the lovely raven-haired lady across from me in the
strapless black dress was enjoying her dish as much as I. The side dish, Tacu
Tacu was a delicious substitute for mashed potatoes made from lima beans
(seriously, forget everything you ever knew about lima beans, this was awesome)
nicely baked and redolent of cinnamon.
Even
after finishing all this with tears of joy in my eyes I was eager for dessert.
Enter the Suspiro Loco – Peruvian dulce de leche (sweet milk), spiced cannoli,
port wine reduction, and helado de nata (ice cream with whipped cream). Wow!
With a double espresso and a glass of Dolc de L’Obac (a dessert wine from Spain
tasting of cherries and chocolate) I was ready for a tour of the Andes. La Mar
Cebicheria Peruana has restaurants in Bogota, Lima, Panama, Sao Paolo and San
Francisco, and as of September 2012, New York has the sophisticated taste of Peruvian
cuisine. Viva restaurante numero 2,520!
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