Bad News, Everyone!  The last of the Futurama direct to dvd movies was released last month, and I finally got the chance to watch it.  Well, it’s not bad news that I watched it – just that there are no more movies in the making.

Please understand that I’m writing this assuming you have some working knowledge of the series….you may be a bit lost otherwise.

Futurama – Into the Wild Green Yonder is a cute send off to the animated science fiction franchise so many geeks world wide had loved.  Now, I’m not trying to make it sound as if this movie was the best of the series – it wasn’t – but the production team managed to wrap up a number of story lines in a thoughtful manner that has the ability to leave the viewer (well, me in this case) feeling good with how things turned out.

The premise of the movie, as the title may suggest, focuses on some form of eco-conservation.  Ultimatly, the message is that humanity, much like all other animals, has the potential to face extinction.  While not said in the movie, it can easily be inferred, that if we change our actions – say by not by cutting down all of our forests for urban sprawl – our futures may not end in such a bleak fashion.

So what wasn’t to like about the final edition of the show?

• At times the story felt disjointed
• The Robot Mafia was back, and really didn’t help move the story along
• Lea joins a group of highly annoying eco-feminists
• Likewise, the feminist/female jokes were equally as annoying
• Half the jokes missed, and missed badly

And what about the positive?  What was there to like?  

• Amy and Kif end up resolving their differences
• The sci-fi edge the series was known for was kept intact
• The half of the jokes that didn’t miss hit perfectly and where quite funny
• Fans finally got to hear Leela and Fry express their love to each other 

At the end of the movie the writers had fun trying to work in as many “will we be back?” and “This is the end” comments as the Planet Express Ship realize they are caught between the ship that is chasing them and a wormhole.  Instead of giving into the ship chasing them, they opt to head into the wormhole…where Fry and Leela kiss as the ship disappears. 

The regular TV series ended with “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings”, and Emmy nominated episode.  During said episode the viewer had the opportunity to see Fry express his love to Leela, but only have Leela look on with appreciation.  Into the Wild Green Yonder we finally get to see the love shared by both characters – the proverbial “aww” moment – that never seemed to materialize before.   

While not the strongest of the 4 DVD movies, if this is truly the last installment of Futurama, the disjointed story could be overlooked for providing good closure to a series almost 10 years old.  

7/10

I am a huge fan of Aardman Animation. Their claymation/stop-motion productions are time intensive labors of love, and it shows in the movies they release.  The last theater release of the series – Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – came out in 2005 and made roughly 60 million at the box office.  Not too bad for a movie that only cost 30M to make!

Well, a new Wallace and Gromit Film, titled A Matter of Loaf and Death, will premiere on BBC1 Christmas Day.  I am not sure how us fans here in the US will view the production as it’s not a theater release. There will be a DVD release in the UK, but no news on a US version as of yet.

Switching gears within the Aardman Animation universe, they had produced a short series called “Angry Kid” which was about a British teen with a huge attitude problem.  Check this out if you want a good laugh…

I enjoy anime, and animation in general, but when it comes to anime I find myself pulled into shows that have compelling characters and stories – none of this fan service crap.  Usually shows that are dark and have characters that are facing some major conflict tend to capture my interest.

Last evening I was watching the “Ballad of Fallen Angels” episode of Cowboy Bebop and was reminded how beautiful and emotional animation can be.  The music, the color… wonderful. Here is the last 8 minutes “Ballad of Fallen Angels” where you can witness what I am talking about.

Because of a meeting I was in this past week, I thought of good old “Employee Orientation” videos.  Those nuts at William Street, where Harvey Birdman is produced, put out this classic.

LOVE IT!

Ah, yes, just in time for the holiday season.  Metalocalypse Season 2 DVD set!

Season 1 was very enjoyable but the production team really hit their creative stride with Season 2!  It was so much better… the humor just evolved to another level.  

Head on over to Amazon.com and pre-order Metalocalypse – Season 2 now!

I have a feeling I’ll be having a Metalocalypse marathon over the holiday season.

I am a huge fan of metalocalypse for some reason.  I’m not sure.  Frankly, when I first found the show I couldn’t stand it, but it grew on me really quickly.  

For those of you who know not of the show, and I am guessing that would be a majority of you as you have better things to do with your life than watch cartoons at midnight, metalocalypse is a follows a made-up death metal band (Dethklok) and uses absurdly dark comedy while poking fun at everything from pitching products and reality TV to the fanaticisms of people who follow musicians.

Last night I happened to catch the episode “Religionklok”, where a band member goes looking for religion after he is involved in an alcohol induced motorcycle accident.  Below is the episode in question, and all you have to do is watch the first minute and a half to witness it.

Update – I’m not sure why but that lower lip just gets me.

I just found this on the wires: Bill Melendez, animator of Peanuts and voice of Snoopy, has passed away.

Not to be cliché but a bit of my childhood just died as well.  I can remember watching the holiday specials whenever they came on, cheering for Charlie Brown in “Race for your life, Charlie Brown” enjoying whatever Snoopy and Woodstock would get into.  This mans work was a big part of my young years…

May the Red Barron never get you, Bill.

Others:

• Kreuzer’s Korner – Bill Melendez, Peanuts Animator and Voice of Snoopy, Dies at 91
• MSNBC – ‘Peanuts’ animator Bill Melendez dies at 91
• Film Gecko – In Memorium: “Peanuts” Animator Bill Melendez