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DVD Review: Queer Duck - The Movie

Queer Duck - The Movie is a quite a weird movie. Yeah, I know, with a name like that what exactly would one expect... but I mean weird as in it was funny, and yet I barely ever laughed. Mostly I would just think "that's funny". Like I said, weird. Or maybe I'm the one that's weird... er, yeah, I'm definitely weird, but I mean perhaps I was just having a weird night or something.

Well anyway, Queer Duck - The Movie is about a duck named, coincidentally enough, Queer Duck. And Queer Duck just happens to be gay. Wow, we're racking up the coincidences, aren't we? So Queer Duck lives with his partner, Openly Gator, and apparently loves being gay. Yeah, really! He even breaks out in a musical number to prove it. But then, when Queer Duck and all his gay friends are denied entrance to an amusement park for being homosexual, Queer Duck starts to wonder if maybe he wouldn't have a better life if he were straight.

Unbeknownst to Duck, he is about to embark on a journey that shows him exactly that. It basically all starts when he meets a rich old lady named Lola, who used to be a famous actress long ago, and who has recently become determined to make a come-back. An odd relationship forms between the two, and eventually Duck agrees to marry Lola, even though Duck is gay and Lola knows this.

But before Duck gets married, he decides to seek out a television evangelist who specializes in turning gay people straight... the same one who Duck used to prank call on his live television show. Unfortunately, the treatment doesn't work, and Duck remains gay. But the evangelist isn't ready to give up so easily, and mixes up a poisonous concoction that he's sure won't fail... and he's right! He feeds the anti-gay potion to an unsuspecting Duck, and wah-la, Duck is straight!

So now that he has what he wants, does he like it? And how does his ex-partner, Openly Gator, feel about this? I'm betting he's not too thrilled. Will Queer Duck remain straight? And will he go through with the wedding? Only one way to find out! Okay, well, we all know he can't remain gay... it is called "Queer Duck" after all.

Anyone who loves animation will recognize the voices in this film. Seems like just about everyone who participated has done other famous voices. Even Conan O’Brien and David Duchovny show up. The voice acting is all great, and the art and animation both work well, even though they're both pretty simple. But as South Park, Home Movies, and Beavis & Butt-head prove, simple can be absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, I wouldn't call this film hilarious. As I said earlier, it was funny... just usually not laugh-out-loud funny. Yeah, I know, it's weird, and hard to explain. You'll probably just have to see it for youself to understand.

Queer Duck - The Movie was released by Paramount Home Video on DVD starting July 18, 2006.

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