REVIEW: The Simpsons Movie

Mad Professah saw The Simpsons Movie this weekend. Although the New York Times' A.O. Scott said that although the movie is not as good as the best Simpsons episodes of all time, it is still good enough to want to watch it "20 or 30 times." I would agree. The Simpsons Movie is like a really good episode of the show that goes on for 90 minutes--who can be disappointed with that? After all the show is described as "an inexhaustible repository of humor, invention and insight, an achievement without precedent or peer in the history of broadcast television, perhaps the purest distillation of our glories and failings as a nation ever conceived."

However there are some aspects of the film that are notably improved over a typical well-written episode, specifically the computer enhanced animation and the focus of the film on the nature of the familial bonds between the central characters (Homer and Marge, Homer and Bart). This leads to a more engaging entertainment experience because the movie looks great while also providing more emotional hooks for the audience to connect with the plot.

And the plot is a typically convoluted Simpsons stemwinder that revolves around Lisa's environmental activism and Homer's lust for donuts and inherent sloth which leads to a catastrophic result for the entire Simpsons family and the town of Springfield. Happily, baby Maggie saves the family and (eventually) Homer saves the town. (Oh come on, is that really a spoiler? It's The Simpsons after all!)

With so many characters that have been introduced over 400 episodes there are very many individual favourites that are given short shrift in the movie. Marge's sisters Pam and Selma? Apu and Manjula? But the biggest disappointment is basically a cameo by Homer's evil boss C. Montgomery Burns and his openly gay assistant/henchman Waylon Smithers.

Despite this minor quibble The Simpsons Movie is the most entertaining movie of the summer so far, one which can be seen over and over again without a reduction in enjoyment.
Clearly, many other people agree with Mad Professah because the film opened with a weekend opening gross of over $70 million, a larger debut than any of Pixar's CGI-animated classics.

GRADE: A.