March 2, 1999 -- "Blast From the Past," is a movie that is so lightweight it ought to have been released in the summer, but here we are in the last throes of winter.

Starring Brendan Fraser ("George of the Jungle," "Gods and Monsters") as Adam and Alicia Silverstone ("Clueless") as Eve, the story is about a boy named Adam who is raised by loving, but nutty parents, Calvin and Helen (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) in a huge, elaborate fallout shelter under Los Angeles. During the Cuban missile crisis Calvin puts the family in the shelter and a plane crash convinces him World War III has started. When the time lock opens in 35 years, Calvin emerges the wild and wacky world of modern day "la-la land." He doesn't know what to make of it, and who can blame him?

Adam, who has spent his entire life in the shelter, is sent forth to get more supplies and meets Eve. He hires Eve to help him find groceries, batteries and other supplies. The two hate each other at first, so, of course you know what's going to happen next. There's the obligatory gay boyfriend, Troy (Dave Foley), who dispenses sage advice to everyone. There's the obnoxious ex-boyfriend who causes trouble and other standard characters. There's the big misunderstanding and the big resolution and so on.

An interesting sub-plot involves Mom's restaurant (Mom being played by Dale Raoul) which was built on top of the fallout shelter. Mom weathers the sixties, but eventually things get too strange for her and she gives the restaurant to her junkie (played by Joseph Slotnick) who promptly runs it into the ground. The continuing interplay of these characters with those who emerge from underground gives the story a little extra kick. Another funny bit is how much better educated Adam is (his father is a brilliant scientist) than the people he meets who are products of the public school systems.

Walken makes a fine mad scientist and Spacek is good as the tipsy mother and Fraser and Silverstone make a good couple. Although the material is lightweight, it is a cute, amusing film. It might just take some of the chill off these late winter days. It rates a C.

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