Futurama!!!

Futurama's new movie was released this past Tuesday and I went to the moving picture emporium to purchase it POST HASTE after my duties as a large rodent surgeon were fulfilled for that day. The Beast With a Billion Backs is the title for this one. It comes in Groening's "Al Gore friendly" packaging, complete with security devices adhered to the insides which were impossible to remove due to the fact everything is made of flimsy fucking paper. So, now I will never know what is on top of Bender's head as it is obscured by some sort of cyber genetic nicotine patch.

Let me start by saying, I love Futurama. I feel it has always been superior to the Simpson's. The passion poured into it is obvious in every episode. The first film Bender's Big Score was great. I honestly, had no idea this was due out so soon. I keep waiting for new episodes of the show as everything I have read says they were slated for 2008. These movies fill the void adequately though. I actually love the Star Trek model of quitting a show and releasing movies every year or so. [Why didn't you do this X-Files!!??] So how does the latest film measure up? Let's start with the story. There is a bizarre crack in the universe that has just shown up that has people worried, for awhile. It doesn't go away, so Planet Express decides to investigate it. Eventually a creature or "beast" with multiple backs decides to enter our world through this crack, awesomely voiced by David Cross. I'll leave it at that. Stuff happens and things turn out okay...kind of okay.

One thing I noticed after watching it is some of the paths they took with some of the characters were kind of a bummer. I'm getting a little beaten down by seeing Fry fail with sincere attempts at relationships. I realize this is what he is all about, but Groening loves to cut the jokes and make you feel bad for him. There are some other mix-ups between Amy and Kif that are kind of a bummer as well. Basically, everyone is having negative shit they are going through in the film. It's not heavy-handed, but it is noticeable. I prefer all the abuse to land squarely on Zoidberg, where it belongs.

The film looks beautiful, of course. It's lacking a little bit of the lushness seen in some episodes and Bender's Big Score for that matter. But it's still up to par as far as Futurama is concerned. Extra content is plentiful, including deleted scenes and David Cross eating popcorn. Plenty to fuck around with after you've watched the flick a couple of times.

So, yeah...go get it. It's Futurama.