The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Not as good as the show

The Simpsons finally made their long-awaited arrival on the big screen. I of course waited for them to release it on DVD so I could see them where they belong, which is on the small screen. However, I was disappointed. The Simpsons are a great show and they have provided many years of solid episodes, but their attempt at a movie fell a little flat in my opinion.

The problem here is that to hang in there for 1 1/2 hours (the minimum length of a feature film movie) you need to care about the characters. But I didn't care much about the redemption of Homer or Lisa's love interest or whether Springfield met its ultimate demise or not. Why do I not care? Perhaps because I have seen the show 100 times and the Simpsons are a crude bunch for whom it is hard to get behind. I am actually glad Seinfeld never made a movie, because I suspect I would have many of the same feelings for them. Instead, it felt like a sitcom that was dragged out over 90 minutes - which is way too long for a sitcom.

There are funny moments and one-liners, as there are in every Simpsons show, but the moments are fleeting and not enough to feed you for the entire time. Obviously, die hard Simpsons fans will need to see this movie, but don't set your sights too high. July 25, 2008

Worth a Second Look

I saw this movie in the summer of 2007 when it first came out. Like many, I found it amusing but because of the anticipation and the hype it seemed a little flat. Recently, I acquired a copy of the DVD and my impression changed dramatically when seeing it again, at home. This is a great movie.

The Simpsons TV show has always satirized the heartwarming family saga that is the mainstay of American television while paradoxically being the best heartwarming American family saga on TV. The longer length of the movie allows for bigger and better satiric riffs on contemporary culture.

There's some great stuff here: Bart's skateboard ride, spiderpig and the send-up of the Disney animated features as Marge and Homer get ready for bed in the Alaskan cabin.

The commentary by the creators about the need for balancing Homer's character throws an insightful look at the creative process in general and gives hint at why this movie took so long to make. Much of the humor stems from Homer's comic failings which mirror the worst in American culture: he's obese, lazy and self-centered. The commentary on making him bad enough to be funny but not so bad as to lose the audience's sympathy is one of the best of the special features on the DVD. July 20, 2008

Just not perfect...

The Simpson's Movie
Any who has watched the long-standing television show are in for a real treat. Finally, The Simpson's have a movie made about them. This is a great movie too. All the great comedy of the television show is slam packed into this great movie.

Much like many of the Simpson's shows, the story is slowly crept into. You think the plot will be about other things until you finally realize what the show is about. What this one comes down to is Homer Simpson throwing a septic tank into the already extremely polluted lake. The septic tank is the final amount of pollution that the lake can take. The government chooses to contain this disaster by putting Springfield under a huge glass dome. The mob comes after Homer, but he and his family escape the dome. From there they move to Alaska. Springfield is in jeopardy though. Will Homer and his family return to save the day? I don't want to spoil the movie too much.

One thing that truly stands out is the amazing animation. It really is an incredible step up from the television series. You will see parts of the movie that look like they are in 3-D.

There is a great mix of stupid humor and satirical humor used that work really well together. The wall that was used to stop anyway from getting to the lake is a joke about the Mexican/American border wall. You also get all the crazy antics of Homer Simpson.

This movie really has no flaws, but it just doesn't feel perfect. This is a great movie to buy and I recommend it to anyone. Just don't expect it to be the greatest thing you've ever seen. July 18, 2008

Meet the Simpsons.

When I first heard this film was in production the first thoughts that came to mind were bomb. After all, the Simpsons has been on television for almost twenty years and in all that time there wasn't even so much as a whisper suggesting a box-office production. So in 2007 when the announcement was made that the Simpsons would finally make an appearance on the big screen, what else could one assume? I'm glad to say that my first impression was wrong. The movie begins, where else? Springfield! The Simpsons clan is running late for a memorial service to honor the departed rock band, Green Day and Reverend Lovejoy takes this opportunity to spotlight a member of the service - through divine intervention Grandpa Simpson is chosen.

Well, like Marge says, why do we bother to go to church if every time someone has a prophetic vision we ignore it? At this point in the movie each Simpson goes off on their own plot line, though each plot line culminates to the greater story line. Lisa Simpson finally meets the male equivalent of herself in a young Irish boy and set off to clean up Springfield. Bart Simpson, tired of Homer's poor fathering, finds a surrogate father in Ned Flanders. After daring Bart to skateboard nude to Krusty Burger, Homer finds a new best friend in Spider Pig (later named Harry Plopper). Marge decides to decipher the warning Grandpa spat out during church. And little Maggie plays in her sandbox, haphazardly placed over a sink hole by Homer.

Springfield receives the dubious honor of being named the most polluted town in America and head of the EPA, Russ Cargill, sets in motion a plan to protect the rest of America from being infected. He sets out five plans before President Schwarzenegger, and settles on encapsulating Springfield in a glass dome. Confused at how this happened, the townsfolk discover a pig silo at the bottom of Lake Springfield with Homer's name on it. So off they go enforce mob justice on the Simpsons. Ah, but little Maggie once again saves the day (doesn't she always?). Diving into the sink hole, the Simpsons escape and make their way toward Alaska.

I will leave it there, but it was interesting to see how Matt Groening would produce the Simpsons if it was in a later time slot. The movie was well done and every character from the long running cartoon makes an appearance. It was a bit tiring to see the abuse Homer kept receiving from his family and the gratuitous use of language was a turn off, but over all it was a good rendition of the legendary family from Springfield. July 16, 2008

oh my gosssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh...................i have this

my brother has just bought me the simpsons' movie last year i think last year! i never thought the simpsons' would have made it into the big screen! so cheers for the simpsons.


July 14, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...