The Simpsons Movie

The Simpsons Movie: you will not find a more satisfying summer film. Better ones for sure, but not ones as pleasing, ever so slightly subversive, and is both fun and completely worth your time. Basically 2-3 episodes of the show barely held together. This veers toward "Beavis and Butthead Do America". That film, aside from the music video-style sequence in Vegas and the campfire hallucinations, stayed in the spirit of the show, and took minimal chances. The Simpsons Movie does not take the major chances that "South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut" did, which elevated them into a near classic. The Simpsons entertain, and just allow you to have fun. No need to go into plot, since the commercials have spelled out the basics, and some of it feels done over the shows 108 years, or however long its been on. But these combined episodes would rank among the best they've ever done.

But you get a healthy laugh quotient, and it stays together from beginning to end. The film, like the series, follows Bloom County creator's Berkeley Breathed idea of liking individuals, but no love for groups in general. No trust for government, as we see with thousands of government workers, serving as stenographers for every phone call in the U.S. And no belief in organized religion, as when Homer desperately goes through the Bible and cries "There's no answers in this book!". Also no respect for it's own bosses at Fox. Don't worry, they're big enough to take the hits. You have fun. This seems to have been a decent year so far for comedies, and The Simpsons Movie keeps it up. Well has been of what I've caught. It's so hard to nail comedy and I'm so glad when a film gets it right. Don't be surprised if you'll want to go more than once.


Note 1: I decided to include a picture of Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, who I've found cute going back to The Legend of Billie Jean in 1984/5 to today. If that makes me a freak, well then why did it take you so long to notice.

Note 2: The animated picture is one off your humble writer simponized. Not that far of I think . . .