The Simpsons: the Movie: the Review

After 17 seasons, and years of speculation, the Simpsons have come out with a full length movie. Many people were excited, but I was not. Could a show that could not put on a consistently funny 22 minutes hope to put on consistently funny material for a timespan 4x longer?? I for one, did not believe that they could. And the once diehard fan, who used to attend simpsons trivia at the mellow mushroom pizzeria weekly, who would buy the dvd seasons as they became available, who watched religiously every sunday (or thursday), didn't even make it to the movie on opening weekend. And I didn't care. This series has offered me nothing but disappointment for years. Stupid homer antics with pointless celebrity cameos and really lame jokes.

So needless to say, when I saw the movie earlier tonight, my expectations were low. I had heard some good things from some people who saw it, and read good reviews, but nevertheless I remained skeptical.

So onto the movie...

I've got to say, the movie surpassed my expectations. I enjoyed it. I found myself on numerous occasions laughing out loud. It made me remember what it felt like to watch new simpsons material that was actually clever and funny- something that I haven't experienced since perhaps early high school. Are we talking on par with this classics of the golden years? Episodes like "Kamp Krusty," Boy-scoutz in the hood," and "Flaming Moe's" to name a few. Of course not. Expecting that would be ridiculous. But it WAS funny.

I feel like there's so much I could write about on content, but I would rather not give anything away. It's too soon to critique which jokes worked and which didn't- maybe I'll go into that in more depth at a later date so as to not spoil the movie.

I have a feeling Garz won't like the movie as much as I did. I concede, it did get a bit slow at times. But then again, even some good episodes may get a little too much if 4 were watched back to back to back to back. What I'm saying is, they did a good job. I'd put Southpark as the gold standard of cartoon tv shows turned to movies (no, it's not the jetsons meet the flintstones). This movie didn't reach that level, but it was still solid. They actually had a plot, which seems rare for newer eps which just throw a hodgepodge of crappy jokes together and call it a day. Sometimes, during the slower moments, there was too much plot and not enough humor. But that generally happens in even really good comedies (the last 15 min or so of knocked up comes to mind).

I would like to write more. However, I have to be going in 15 minutes. I hope that Garz will write a review on the movie as well, to give another point of view. In terms of the scale, I give it 1.6b/4a-b. The 1.6 because of the dragging moments. Tom thought there wasn't enough Mr. Burns, but that didn't factor into my grade. The 4 is because of the quality of the movie. (And because a bear does in fact make an appearance) Yes I'm only 23, but this movie really took me back. It just felt good to watch. The simpsons is the show of our generation. I can't remember a time when the show wasn't on. I'm too young. I remember Monday (or friday) mornings, sitting in the middle school cafeteria talking with my friends about the previous night's newest episode, trying our best to recount all of the funny jokes, etc.

Anyways, bottom line: go see the movie. You won't regret it. And if you do regret it, then you suck. You're such a simpsons snob that you can't appreciate that this movie actually DOES have merit.

that's all. Off to have a beer!
charz