The Simpsons Movie

(Movie Review)

I was fairly sure this movie wouldn't make it over to Japan (or at least not get a big release) because the Simpsons show never really caught on in Japan. So I made sure I saw it when I was still back in the US. I went to the theaters opening night to a sold out show with Mr. Hoort and Mr. Guam. (At some point perhaps Mr. Guam should put up his own review on his blog. I'd be interested in his thoughts). [update--Tom wrote his review here]

Before watching the movie we discussed the importance The Simpsons has had on our generation: how back at Calvin we used to watch Simpsons 3 times a day. (The Canadian CBC would run it at 4:30, and then Fox would show it twice a night back in those days). And how you could walk down the guys floor when ever the Simpsons was playing and every single dorm room would have the TV tuned onto the Simpsons. And how guys of our generation can quote the Simpsons episodes (especially the golden age episodes) frontwards and backwards.

Since coming to Japan in 2001 I've lost track of the last few years of "The Simpsons". (Although recently thanks to the Internet and TV Links I've recovered some of that lost ground). But I've also realized how popular The Simpsons are worldwide. Not with the Japanese, but with other English speaking countries, the Brits, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Irish, Canadians, etc, all of them know "The Simpsons" as well as we do and I can trade quotes with my international co-workers as well as with my Calvin buddies back home.

Recently I was feeling my age when talking to a 19 year old Australian co-worker, who could never remember at time when "The Simpsons" had not been on the air.

In the movie theater last Friday I leaned over and said to Hoort and Guam, "Do you want to hear something that will make you feel real old?"

"No," they both answered.

"Half the people in this theater are too young to remember the days before 'The Simpsons'" I said anyway.

But for us old timers, we've been hearing rumors of a Simpsons movie for years, and eagerly, but cautiously, awaiting it's release for just as long.

I say cautiously because everyone knows the junkyard is littered with TV show movies that just couldn't make the transition to the big screen hour and a half. And cartoon TV shows are usually the worst for this.

I was reading on-line once that Matt Groenig and the creators of "The Simpsons" were delaying making a film because they wanted to wait until they had an idea good enough to justify making the audience go to the theaters.

Well, if true it is very idealistic of them, but I think they failed to meet their own criteria. It's not a bad Simpsons, but it's not anything spectacular either. It is essentially just an hour and a half long episode of "The Simpsons".

I did catch myself laughing a lot during this movie, but I think local Grand Rapids Press critic John Serba was right when he said if you just take 3 episodes from the Golden Age of "The Simpsons" and tie them together, it would be a lot funnier than this film was. This film was funny, but if you're expecting something spectacular you're going to be disappointed.

I also found myself squirming in my seat a little bit near the end of the movie.

The plot wasn't bad, but it could have been better. For my money, it retread familiar ground too much. (Homer screws up, Marge looses her faith in him and the marriage hits a low point, Homer does something to redeem himself). Granted it's on a bigger scale than ever before this time, but the basic formula is something we've seen over and over again in many Simpsons episodes already.

Like "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter" or any summer movie event with a huge following, this movie was bound to disappoint and be a victim of high expectations. If you haven't already seen it, go in with low expectations, and you should have a great time.

Link of the Day
I'll forgo the heavy political links today in favor of some humor. Via Tom from Guam we have:
You might be a Dutch Calvinist if...
And via Bork talklikebobDylan.com (be sure and check out "No Direction, Period)

The Simpsons Movie: Movie Review (Scripted)