Even with “The Simpsons Movie” playing on the big screen this summer, we’ve missed Fox’s weekend lineup of cartoon satires.
Three of them return for a side-splitting Sunday night.
The hourlong “Family Guy” premiere presents a George Lucas-sanctioned spoof of the original “Star Wars.” The family guy himself, Peter Griffin, plays Han Solo. Wife Lois is Princess Leia. Chubby son Chris plays a whiny Luke Skywalker, and family dog Brian is Chewbacca. And who better to portray Darth Vader than Stewie?
The long list of celebrity guest voices includes Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, TV Batman Adam West and even Rush Limbaugh.
“The Simpsons” premiere has Homer and Mr. Burns jetting to “the Miami of Canada” — Chicago — for deep dish pizza. They pass Ferris Bueller’s Day of Beauty spa, First Bank of Oprah, Wrigley Field and Where the Sox Play. After the trip, Homer longs for a jet-setting lifestyle. So Marge hires him a life coach, voiced by Stephen Colbert.
It’s the usual funny stuff, as is “King of the Hill.” Hank capitalizes on son Bobby’s sudden interest in football (instead of Troll dolls) by training him as a Longhorns fan at a Texas-Nebraska football game. As usual, things don’t work out the way Hank plans.
But his fumble is a touchdown for viewers.
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TUNE IN
Fox’s Sunday night animation lineup:
-The Simpsons, 7 p.m.
– King of the Hill, 7:30 p.m.
– Family Guy, 8 p.m.
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DVD
Death Proof
[ NR ] Genius Products/Weinstein, $29.95Quentin Tarantino’s half of “Grindhouse,” last spring’s tribute to ’70s exploitation movies (along with Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror”), is out in an unrated and extended edition, complete with scenes never before shown in this country. Kurt Russell plays Stuntman Mike, a creepy guy who makes the mistake of antagonizing a group of tough women. Short bonus features include “Finding Quentin’s Gals,” “The Guys of ‘Death Proof,’ ” “Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike” and more.
– Bruce Dancis, MCT
TV
Cold Case
8 p.m. Sunday, CBS
One of the best things about “Cold Case” has always been its soundtrack. Songs take viewers back to the year when the unsolved crime happened — and it’s an effective device. Sunday’s episode kicks off the new season with a killer soundtrack by Nirvana. “All Apologies,” “Lithium,” and “Come As You Are” are among the songs accompanying the story of two teens who may have been falsely accused of murdering three 10-year-old boys. It’s somewhat fitting considering that conspiracy theorists think Kurt Cobain’s 1994 suicide is a cold case.
– Jane Hirt, Redeye
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music
James Blunt
all the lost souls
Two years ago Blunt sang “Beautiful,” the song that made women sing and swoon. On “Souls” he sustains that formula over the course of 10 epic anthems and dainty ballads about love and romance, with an adult-rocker tossed in for relief. It’s hard to imagine any of the songs here will be as rampantly contagious as his first mega-hit. On the other hand, there are so many songs here about love and special things, it’s easy to assume he’ll make all the young girls (and their moms) sing and swoon again.
– Timothy Finn, McClatchy Newspapers
Games
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
For the Nintendo Wii. Rated teen. $49.99
For a decidedly different take on the classic first-person shooter, you could do a lot worse than Nintendo’s Metroid Prime 3, the final installment of the excellent series that stars intergalactic bounty-hunter Samus Aran, who again must save her people from the threat of the evil space pirates. The difference this time lies in Metroid Prime’s migration to the Wii and its motion-sensing controls. Despite the game’s minor imperfections — it’s a bit on the easy side — Wii owners should be happy with it.
– Monty Phan, Newsday
Music
Chamillionaire
ultimate victory
If you’re a rapper whose name isn’t Kanye West or 50 Cent, you’re better off not releasing an album this month. But Chamillionaire has defied heavy odds before. He has a patient, almost strategic flow, as if he’s waiting to see what kinds of twists and fake-outs a beat has up its sleeve before making a move of his own. He’s also profanity-free. Let the other guys concern themselves with ruling rap. Chamillionaire’s content to merely celebrate it.
– Michael Pollock, The Philadelphia Inquirer
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DVD
The Condemned
[ R ] Lionsgate, $28.98Pro wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin stars in this big, dumb bruiser of an action flick, which takes the idea of reality game shows to sick heights. Austin stars as a Death Row inmate dispatched to a remote island, where he is hurled into a fight to the death with nine other condemned murderers for the amusement of Internet viewers. The DVD release comes with a five-part making-of featurette, while Austin delivers commentary with director Scott Wiper.
– DAVID GERMAIN, AP
