Futurama: Bender's Big Score (Carey-Hill, 2007)

[madali]

Futurama: Bender's Big Score (Carey-Hill, 2007)
IMDB Link

Matt Groening’s work has failed me twice this year. Neither Simpsons the Movie or Futurama the Movie has made my dick wet. The thing is that this TV cartoons are decently enjoyable for twenty minutes, and when it has feature length timing, then it utterly fails. I guess the main reason is that the writers are so used to writing episodes, so they are not really able to make a feature. “Futurama: Bender’s Big Score” is less obvious (than say, the Family Guy movie) when it comes to an episodic feel, but it is still there.

To be honest, I was never really a big fun of Futurama, the way a lot of people were. Well, I wouldn’t say a LOT of people, because if that was true, it wouldn’t have been cancelled, but I still know that the fans were passionate enough that you could do a google search for “The Simpsons” on any message board, and there would be at least guy posting about how Futurama was better.

People still seem to enjoy it, so I won’t presume to have a better sense of humor than others, but mine is the only one I know, so this was really not that funny to movie. Nice to see the characters again and the time travel aspects were done brilliantly, but I did not laugh. I might have smiled once, but I won’t swear by it.

2/5

[theoddball]

Nothing to jerk off to?

[madali]

I would say, no, not at all.

[X.]

The thing I enjoy about the TV show "Futurama" is its ability to make me laugh at jokes I didn't on an earlier viewing. Given my interest in sci-fi, it's fun to watch things like Star Trek, X-Files and The Terminator parodied. That said, "Futurama" works better at 30 minutes, not 88 minutes as is the case in "Bender's Big Score."

It's obvious this project is better suited for a shorter running time, but it's also important to put things in context -- Fox cancelled the show two years ago (they mock Fox executives and comment on this in the savage prologue, for fans), and this direct-to-video release is the way for the suits to judge market demand for the show. If it sells enough copies (which it will) they will put the series back in production.

"Bender's Score" feels like a reunion of sorts when beloved guest characters like Santa, Nibbler, Zapp Brannigan, etc find themselves -- somehow -- to be part of the story. The film itself is hilarious in parts with Groening's trademark moments of humanity, but it cannot sustain its main plot thrust of time-traveling Bender. Besides, you need to be a fan of the show to 'get' why and how some of the characters behave they way they do...it helps to be in on the joke.

[madali]

The DVD generation is quite interesting. Fans are finally having more of a control over matters. Family Guy returned after good DVD sales, and Futurama, while has not returned, is going to have several new directo to dvd releases, after this one.

[X.]

DVDs and (legal) Internet Downloads are changing the way the Hollywood system functions. For example, the WGA strike is a direct result of this. Nowadays a film like "The Golden Compass," a box office and critical flop, still has hope to break even, perhaps become financially successful, after DVD sales have been accounted for.

With digital filmmaking threatening the 'system' (regular Joes like you and I can do the next big thing now) and viewers becoming more and more accustomed to a smaller screen format, they're pulling all the stops to get people back to the Cinema. (Just like when the TV hits American households in the 50s). Resurrecting 3D is a step in that direction.