Thursday, June 26, 2008

Movie Review: Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs.

The cartoon "Futurama" was canceled because it was often preempted by sporting events so only people on the west coast got to see it. That played hell with the ratings and the rest of us really didn't know when to expect it. It got canceled. But the reruns have great ratings. They want new episodes. So, during 2008 Fox is releasing 5 new "Futurama" movies. "The Beast With a Billion Backs" is the second of the five movies.

The first movie was pretty good. Maybe they were coming back after a long time off and were full of fresh ideas. Maybe they worked extra hard on the first so we'd be more likely to pick up later ones. Maybe it was just the thrill of getting to see a new one after all these years.

This one wasn't as good. It's not bad. Don't get me wrong. It's just not on the same level as the first movie. This was more like a regular "Futurama" episode.

When we last left our heroes, at the end of the last movie, a huge rift had formed in space above Earth. A month later not much has changed. A few people are still standing there screaming but most have gotten back to their lives. Fry is dating someone new. That never works out well. After that inevitably blows up Fry goes through the rift where he meets a giant tentacle planet which wants to enslave every living being in our universe.

Thanks a lot, Fry.

Some people get married. Some people die. Stuff happens.

There's an extra half hour video done in 3D that looks like it might have been a video game that they decided not to release or something.

Look, I either had you at "Futurama" or I didn't. This is just a warning that it doesn't live up to the first movie. But if you liked the show you'll like this.

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