Not a lot to say this week. I usually enjoy when there's a close focus on a character like this, but it seemed to take a long time without ever exploring much. On top of that, it wasn't especially funny, just sort of sad; this is not a problem in itself, but it didn't do it for me tonight. I will say, though, that with a minute or so remaining (until Norbert/Milhouse/Bart took off), it didn't seem out of the question that Kirk and Luann might remain lost. (They've both gotten sort of stale; on the other hand, that does leave Milhouse hanging there.) Anyway, till next week I guess... I'm not too certain of the way this strike is working (even going by what Don wrote on the upcoming episodes page); if it's not resolved in a few weeks, does that mean the KABFs would be delayed, or just aired without final retouching?
DYN: ...yet another new sax solo (4th new one this calendar year)? ...voices added to the full intro (Bart at blackboard, then people he skates past)?
Previous episode references 3F03: McCartneys appeared with non-black pupils; I can't recall now if other eye colorings or references to eye color have been made on the show
Goofs There's no way a cruise ship should be rocking that much on calm seas, especially while moving. Homer asks Milhouse if he wants any "Ocean Spray" (and the drink is labeled as such), but that makes about as much sense as asking if someone wants some "Nabisco."
Other notes I'm with Homer; why is Luann wearing white? (I know second marriages are not supposed to have a white dress, but I'm not sure of the protocol for remarrying.) This would also appear to be the first time we see a Simpsons character's iris, though we've seen the eye up close enough before. Eh... it actually would have been funnier to figure out a (non-stupid) way to have Homer forget they all have black eyes.
More on The Simpsons Movie
The CWRU Film Society showed it on Friday, 11/9, and we had fairly good attendance. As I hinted last week, I did go ahead with my little stunt before the first show (of three)... the short version (long one, including some technical difficulties, I can relate if anyone wants): I named every episode (of "The Simpsons" - not the Ullman shorts) that had aired, as well as tonight's and next week's (for a nice break at the end of the JABFs - no KABFs), 407 episodes, in 10 minutes, all from memory. (I had someone else checking them off as I did this.) Moderate reaction from our audience.
A few other notes: -Occasionally we get new movies with a preloaded trailer on the front; this is true here, so we got a trailer for the abysmal-looking "Horton Hears a Who" -Another crowd person I noticed: Becky (BABF18) when Bart is skateboarding naked -5F07: Town mob breaks into Simpson house -The mob says they only want Homer, but later they hang 5 nooses (in particular, one for Maggie)! -I didn't get the soundtrack until after I'd seen the movie originally... most of the tracks are not heard at the point in the movie their titles would suggest (though it could be that Hans Zimmer was expecting them to be used elsewhere) -I'll have to check this when the DVD comes out, but aside from Frink's naming of the movie at the start, I don't recall anyone saying "Simpson" until well after halfway (after "that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard")! We shall see... -7F16: Lisa or Bart telling the other "you stink" in the van reminds me of a scene here -I think it was already confirmed that no one was really walking in front of the projector, but when it happened this time I was still a little surprised -Another deleted bit from a trailer: Homer knocks Luann and others off the rope near the end, but that part not seen in movie -9F06: Laura Powers seen after Homer kicks the bomb (Ruth has more visibility elsewhere in the movie) -I somehow missed it entirely the first time... when Maggie says "sequel?" Marge says it's her first word, and we've heard her say two officially, but I suppose Homer and Marge didn't hear either
And my last note for now... I don't know why I didn't mention this before... the motorcycle/dome physics really annoyed me, but wouldn't it have been so much better and plausible if he used Frink's rocket cycle from 2F22 (rockets pointed away from the dome)? Enough said.