Alien vs. Predator is a science fiction film released in 2004 by 20th
Century Fox. It is an adaptation of a crossover franchise between the
titular extraterrestrials from the Alien and Predator series, a concept
which originated in a 1989 comic book. Set in 2004, Alien vs. Predator
follows a group of paleontologists, archaeologists, and others
assembled by billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) for
an expedition near the Antarctic after discovering a mysterious heat
signal. Hoping to claim the find for himself, Weyland and the group
discover a pyramid below the surface of a whaling station.
Hieroglyphics and sculptures reveal that the pyramid is a hunting
ground for Predators who kill Aliens as a rite of passage. The humans
are caught in the middle of a battle between the two species and
attempt to prevent the Aliens from reaching the surface. Released in
North America on August 13, 2004, Alien vs. Predator received mostly
negative reviews from film critics. Some praised the special effects
and set designs, while others dismissed the film for its "wooden
dialogue" and "cardboard characters". Nevertheless, Alien vs. Predator
became the most commercially successful film in the franchises,
grossing a total of $172 million. The film's success led to a sequel in
2007 titled Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_vs._Predator_%28film%29>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1793:
After a siege of 18 weeks, French troops in Mainz surrendered to
Prussian forces, effectively ending the Republic of Mainz, the first
democratic state on the current German territory.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Mainz>
1881:
The International Federation of Gymnastics, the world's oldest
international sport federation, was founded in Liège, Belgium.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_Internationale_de_Gymnastique>
1983:
Air Canada Flight 143 crash-landed in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada, without
loss of life after the crew was forced to glide the aircraft when it
completely ran out of fuel.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider>
1984:
Vanessa Williams resigned as Miss America in scandal after Penthouse
magazine published nude photos of her that were taken two years prior.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_L._Williams>
1995:
Hale-Bopp , one of the most widely observed comets of the twentieth
century, was discovered by two independent observers, Alan Hale and
Thomas Bopp, at a great distance from the Sun.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Hale-Bopp>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
manitou (n):
A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some
American Indians
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/manitou>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have
acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the
silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it
possible for evil to triumph.
--Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Haile_Selassie_I_of_Ethiopia>