Comments on: Good news everyone!

By: sirjonsnow

sirjonsnow — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:34:45 +0000

I like the first movie – some really great parts and some so-so. The whole time travel stuff was written great, just some of the comedy wasn’t the best.

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:36:13 +0000

Have you guys priced small atoms recently?

I didn’t mind the first movie at all. It was quite good. You can’t complain about Hollywood going all ‘blockbuster’ all the time and then complain when someone releases a more moderate movie style. Which is all they were trying to do. Combine a bunch of episodes into 1 long episode (aka movie). Not make the next Star Wars.

By: StevoR

StevoR — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:10:33 +0000

BTW. On an unrelated topic & probably bad netiquette (sorry ) but as I tried to ask in the other thread & got no answer I’m trying again here in the (hopefully not forlorn) hope you’ll answer this time (yeah, I’m persistent, sue me! Wait, actually don’t please! A-n-y-w-a-y.)

What do you think of Ed Weiler [new NASA boss replacing Alan Stern] – good for NASA / Science or not? Good bloke or not?

By: StevoR

StevoR — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:23:35 +0000

Hmm .. Italics originally intended for moi? NOT well the whole last sentence there.

Jai-Zeus I sure wish you’d let us edit here BA Sigh again.

By: StevoR

StevoR — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:20:14 +0000

Squeee!

Er .. Phil .. it seems a feral pig of some description has taken over typing your blog while you were looking the other way in your excitement.

Why’s it typing ‘squeee!’ rather than just squealing ‘squeee’? Hey, it beats me!

Oh & if ‘OMG’ stands for what I think it stands for ie. God well funny coz I didn’t think you believed in the Blighter …. & either way it (& the “Squee”)sounds a bit er .. gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that if its what floats your boat but … yeck.

Being unnecessarily grumpy, pedantic and carping? Moi?

Good news everyone indeed! But I still haven’t seen the first ‘Futurama’ movie so I’m guessing it’ll be a while before it reaches the land of Oz. Sigh.

By: Greg E

Greg E — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:23:35 +0000

Is it me……..or is Nixon just the funniest guy in the known history of mankind? I love how the voice guy for Nixon makes him sound like a crazed werewolf. Just have to have the body of Spiro Agnew on there too. (I never noticed how odd the name Spiro was until I just typed this…. I guess Barack isn’t the first top contender with an odd, unconvential first name.)

By: MarlowePI

MarlowePI — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:13:17 +0000

I for one never expected to see Stephen Hawking and Brittany Murphy co-credited on anything.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:53:06 +0000

I agree about the first movie. As a huge fan of the show, I was really let down by the first movie, most of the jokes were regular “sitcom-level” and not up to Futurama’s usual genius, but I was still grateful to have any Futurama, this one looks like it will be great!

@Quiet Desperation
I loved Phase IV! It’s been a while so I might be mis-remembering, but the premise of ants “rapidly evolving” a hive mind and constructing giant sand geometry (for resonance?) to destroy their much larger adversary was amazing to me at the time I saw it. On top of that the way there is almost no dialogue, instead artfully directed scenes of music and ants at work really made it unique and compelling for me. (Although most people used to the “modern” pacing of movies will probably hate it or fall asleep).

By: Quiet Desperation

Quiet Desperation — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:23:44 +0000

Empire of the Ants was one of the all time greatest Giant Ant movies

There’s an odd little film called Phase IV about normal sized, but hyper intelligent ants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_IV

MST3K covered it, but I’m not sure that was fair. It’s just odd, but interesting. Nice photography of the ants.

By: Mus

Mus — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:22:35 +0000

just FYI Phil, the link to “the preview” actually links to the “Creationism Disproved?” video. Ha ha ha…

By: davidlpf

davidlpf — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:42:27 +0000

I think PZ might like the giant octopus from another dimesion.

By: Dagger

Dagger — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:24:26 +0000

Phil,

Your link in “There’s a preview of the next Futurama direct-to-DVD movie out on YouTube!” leads to the eyeball video.

Shows how many out there click directly on play *grin*

By: tsmiljan

tsmiljan — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:02:23 +0000

“Them.” Absolutely terrifying as a kid. I showed it to my 9 year old nephew recently, and he fell in love with it, even if it was in black and white. And who can forget Leonard Nimoy in his small role.

By: wright

wright — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:25:56 +0000

Yeah, great stuff. And “Them” is one of my top 10 as well; absolutely terrified me the first time I saw it. Some parts of it are still chilling if I can get in the right mood.

By: AJ

AJ — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:25:08 +0000

Giant *medium sized* ants even. I don’t nkow what to make of that.

By: Rev. BigDumbCHimp

Rev. BigDumbCHimp — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:56:22 +0000

Yeah, well, that’s because your website is called “Bad Astronomy”. Had you had a website called “Bad Biology”, you’d have a thing or two to say about giant ants.

Anywayzzz, nobody expects Futurama to be scientifically accurate, so never mind.

wtf

By: Peter F

Peter F — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:47:15 +0000

@Svip, I have failed everyone. Fire up the Suicide Booth!

By: Jorge

Jorge — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:44:10 +0000

Oh man. I love giant ants.

Yeah, well, that’s because your website is called “Bad Astronomy”. Had you had a website called “Bad Biology”, you’d have a thing or two to say about giant ants.

Anywayzzz, nobody expects Futurama to be scientifically accurate, so never mind.

By: Svip

Svip — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:42:32 +0000

@PeterF: Incorrect, we know the European (region 2) releases of those films. Though only by month. Bender’s Game in November, 2008 and Into the Wild Green Yonder in April, 2009. You can presume that the region 1 releases will be around there as well.

Sources:
* http://theinfosphere.org/Bender%27s_Game
* http://theinfosphere.org/Into_the_Wild_Green_Yonder
* http://theinfosphere.org/Image:Europe_Releases.jpg

By: Sili

Sili — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:23:16 +0000

Very nice of them to put out the roughs like that. Clever. Giant (robot) ant.

By: Rev. BigDumbCHimp

Rev. BigDumbCHimp — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:15:02 +0000

Come on, Empire of the Ants was one of the all time greatest Giant Ant movies ever anywhere in the universe EVER. Giant ants taking over a sugar factory. COME ON! It doesn’t get any better than that.

By: Chip

Chip — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:34:47 +0000

Great fun! Cool to see quickie storyboard sketch animation! Futurama Forever!

By: PeterF

PeterF — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:56:13 +0000

I forgot to also add that there’s even better news, everybody:

“Futurama: Beast with a Million Backs” releases on DVD on June 24th! That’s next month…!

No release date on the other two in-production DVDs, “Bender’s Game” and “Into the Wild Green Yonder”, but they are recorded, in various stages of production and also have been said to be releasing this year to DVD…

By: OtherRob

OtherRob — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:33:42 +0000

PeterF

I’ve thought the same thing. I was watching Them! on late-night tv one night and as they were walking through the L.A. tunnels I was struck by how similar it was to Aliens.

I thought the first Futurama movie was pretty funny, too.

By: Thanny

Thanny — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:31:33 +0000

You know, I just realized that I’m conditioned to hear Professor Farnsworth’s voice whenever I see the words, “Good news, everyone!”

Much as I always hear Mr. Burns with “Excellent!”