Customer Reviews

The Simpsons Movie (Widescreen Edition)

5 star:		(140)
4 star:		(94)
3 star:		(49)
2 star:		(23)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

The Simpsons Movie features excellent animation, a good plot that moves along very well, great gags and awesome voiceovers by the cast. There are so many gags that there's bound to be jokes in this movie that will amuse just about anyone!

The action starts when Lake Springfield is practically destroyed by excessive pollution; and so the town must clean it up. They do! Unfortunately, however, things don't stay that way--and there begins the REAL plot of this film. Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) decides to take on a pig for a house pet. When Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) casually asks Homer what he's doing with the pig's "leavings;" Homer takes Marge out back and shows her his "silo" full of pig "droppings." Marge isn't too happy; and eventually Homer realizes he MUST get rid of the festering silo. Naturally, where does Homer go to get rid of the silo? Lake Springfield! Once again the lake is unbelievably contaminated.

Russ Cargill (voiced by Albert Brooks) is in charge of the EPA and he sets out to rectify the problem. What happens? Springfield is enwrapped by a huge, impenetrable dome--and then wiped off the map. The residents of Springfield are furious at Homer; and sooner rather than later The Simpsons must flee. They go to Alaska in search of freedom from the infuriated residents of Springfield.

Worse yet, Russ Cargill and President Schwarzenegger (voiced by Harry Shearer) hatch a plan to bomb Springfield so that it will never again pose a problem. This really raises the stakes.

From here the plot can go anywhere. What will Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie do? Will they stay in Alaska where it's safe or will they return to Springfield to try to rescue the people there from being killed by the bomb? Will Homer and Marge's marriage be tested by all this strife? What will Bart think of Homer after this all becomes one huge mess? No plot spoilers here, folks--you'll just have to watch the movie to find out!

The animation couldn't be better. I was very impressed by the clarity and the sharpness of the images and colors. The voiceovers were outstanding as well. It seems like Matt Groening, director David Silverman and their crew can do no wrong.

In addition, the DVD comes loaded with a plethora of extras considering this is all on one single DVD. There are several deleted scenes; and there's a very funny but brief extra entitled "Let's All Go To The Lobby." There are two commentaries for you to enjoy if you wish; and there are great gags all the way through the ending credits.

Overall, The Simpsons Movie is definitely one of the best comedies of 2007. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Fans of The Simpsons will want this in their collections; and even people less familiar with The Simpsons television show will find great entertainment and many jokes here!

In the TV series, what you've got is something of a linear main-plot with a lot of sub- and mini-plots interwoven. And those plots revolve around the humor and comedy, kind of like the plot revolves around the sex in an x-rated movie-not that I would know, but just based on what I've heard. Anyway, this movie does not reflect this strip cartoon structure, which is actually the kind of material that Matt Groening started off doing. Anybody remember Life Is Hell comics? So with The simpsons movie what you've got is the reverse: more of a dominant main linear plot, with the comedy revolving around it much more than what you've got in the TV series. And this makes sense for a feature-length film, otherwise why make one, right?
Also, remember the film The Adams Family? A lot of people got caught up on the fact that it seemed choppy. It seemed choppy because they tried to do a strip cartoon format (TAF started off as a strip cartoon) with a full-length feature. It works fine for something short, like say 30 minutes or under, but can tire and confuse the audience if they get a solid hour and a half of it, and I think the makers of this film took that into consideration as they put together a film somewhat more plot-driven than its TV counterpart.
In a nutshell, they had to slow things down a little bit in order to work in a story line that was clear enough to keep the audience focused on the movie for the entire time. But there's a lot that's funny in this movie, typical Simpson's stuff, along with one or two things that they probably wouldn't even put on prime time. Plus it's just cool to see a movie and have it be The Simpsons.

It was a movie that was nearly two-decades in the making. The creators and writers said they wanted to make sure that when they brought America's favorite prime time animated family to the big screen that it would be done right. Many past writers were brought back to flesh out the story and enliven the characters. Most of it was done under a veil of secrecy. Over 150 different drafts were written and copies of scripts were shredded after each scene was taped. It was a massive undertaking, but for a show that has grown to include a massive cast of secondary characters it had to be that way. And for the most part, the efforts to create THE SIMPSONS MOVIE were a success.

In THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, Homer almost single handedly destroys Springfield while also threatening the existence of life on the rest of the planet. Things start off simply enough with a Green Day concert that turns into a disaster. Then the next day at church Grampa Simpson makes a prophecy of doom that seems to be a message sent by God. Marge believes the message and tries to decipher the meaning while everyone else thinks Grampa was just rambling like the old man he is. Lisa finds love with a new boy named Colin who shares the same passions as she does. Meanwhile, Homer dares Bart to skateboard naked to Krusty Burger and Bart bares his "doodle" for the whole world to see. It turns out to be the most embarrassing moment of Bart's life. He starts to view Homer in a negative light and see Ned Flanders as the kind, loving, and caring father that he is. Later, Homer saves a pig from being slaughtered by Krusty and names him Spider-Pig. Ignored by many, the pig is part of Grampa's prophecy and signals a terrible government sanctioned disaster that forces the Simpsons to become fugitives in Alaska and wipe out all life in Springfield. Homer finds himself at a major crisis. He realizes that since he's the cause of all the trouble, he's the only one who can save Springfield and in doing so perhaps restore his relationship with his family.

I enjoyed THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. I thought it was both funny and witty. I especially enjoyed some of the nods and touches to long time fans of the series. The movie basically feels like a super-extended episode of the show, but with clearer and brighter visuals. That is perhaps the movie's biggest draw and its biggest flaw at the same time. Non-fans of the show might become attracted to the show through the film, but die-hard fans of the show might feel disappointed because overall the movie doesn't appear more than an extended regular episode of the show that just looks better. Of course, that's a problem that any television series attempting to make the leap to the big screen faces.

Overall, a slightly disappointing big screen adaptation of THE SIMPSONS television show, but one that is entertaining nonetheless.

For a movie that's been hinted at for years, and finally a glimpse at what-Season 6, it doesn't disappoint.

The movie is just like an extended normal episode, with much nicer graphics, and a plot that manages to squeeze in about every one important to the Simpson's family.

Homer Simpson manages to goof off again early in the movie, this time, threatening the entire town of Springfield. But as typical of Homer, he always means well and manages to save the town eventually.. Not without some more funny antics and other stunts though!

Spider-pig, one of the funniest gags in the movie, is totally unrelated to the plot while being the main cause of the entire disaster.

"Spider pig, spider pig
does what-ever, a spider pig does.
Can it spin, a spider web?

No it can't, it's just a pig.

Look out, it's spider pig!"

Hillarious laughs and it has even nudity in it!

Brilliance...

If you have not seen this film yet, D'oh!

This movie is every bit as pathetic and ridiculous as its series. The story is nonsensical. I mean...come on...the people of Spingfield didn't even try to tunnel underneath the dome to get out. And the whole motorcycle/bomb sequence...you have to be kidding me. Flanders and hot chocolate...

This is pure stupid fun for the holidays. I cannot recommend it more.

Spider Pig, Spider Pig does whatever a Spider Pig does. Poetic genius!

I have loved watching The Simpsons for years, but I cannot express how disappointed I was by this movie. Everyone I asked about it who saw it before I did, and nearly every review I read, was so kind to it and told me how great it was, and I now have to wonder if every single one of them was lying.

Because I feel lied to.

This movie is, at best, like a moderately funny episode of the show. In no way does it equal even one of the best episodes, or justify at all its more-than-$60-million-dollar budget. It structure is uneven and choppy, its jokes are too few, and at times it even blatantly rehashes jokes and scenes from the show without altering them at all.

The film is loaded with the cheesiest and most forced sorts of Simpson-esque jokes; the kind that usually only appears about once every episode is absolutely rampant here. The beginning (set in a movie theater) doesn't flow into the scenes that follow, and the scenes at the very end jump back in time to before the movie's climax. The jokes could be so much funnier, the story could be smoother, the satire could have been much less heavy-handed, and that much-lauded "Spider-Pig" song would be a lot funnier if it was only used once and not brought out over and over.

The movie was just so disappointing to me, and to a lot of discerning Simpsons fans I know, in part because I really thought it could have been great. Instead, it was so much less than great--just okay--disappointing enough that I haven't really wanted to watch the show much since seeing this.

Homer sets the tone in the cold open - while attending an Itchy and Scratchy movie, he says "I can't believe I paid $10 for something I can see at home for free!" In fact, this film is just about exactly the length of 4 episodes strung together.... So what's the point of making (or seeing) a Simpson's movie?

Unfortunately, this film doesn't really answer the question. Obviously there is a story arc that must extend over the time alotted, but the story is long because the movie is 90 minutes, not because a story was created that needed 90 minutes to be told. It doesn't bring anything particularly new to the Simpsons universe. In fact, there are so many internal rip-offs that repeated viewings may make the most forgiving fan cynical (especially the extended scene of Homer "finding himself", which was done better and more efficiently in the Season 8 episode "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer", or the idea of Marge leaving Homer, more poignantly protrayed in Season 5 in "Secrets of a Successful Marriage").

So why give the film 4 stars? Because it's funny. It's funnier than just about any other film out there. The writers of the Simpsons take their craft very seriously, and fill the time with wall-to-wall jokes. There's also the added interest of some very impressive shots that would never be possible with the time and budget constraints of the TV series. For example, there is a shot that sweeps through an angry mob coming after Homer - there must be a thousand characters, all individually rendered and distinct, and it's very impressive!

This Blu-ray edition is pretty simple, but I, for one, appreciate that. Since the disc does not use all the bells and whistles of the Blu-ray software, it actually loads up quickly and even remembers its place if the power is turned off (so it can resume playing from where it was automatically). The extras are pretty thin - a couple of commentaries (they are pretty interesting, for commentaries) and a few deleted scenes. Again, there is more extra material in most of the Simpsons TV season DVDs.

I am not a big fan of The Simpsons. It is not that I dislike them, but I just never got into them; although, I have enjoyed the occasional episode. Recently, however, due to circumstances my control, my husband showed THE SIMPSONS MOVIE to our 4 and 1/2 year old daughter...and she LOVED it. At this point, I would say that she has watched it in whole or in part over 25 times. She can quote quite large portions of the script verbatim, and of course, she can sing the Spider Pig song...loudly. So, obviously, I needed to screen THE SIMPSONS MOVIE personally. (Better late than never!)

And, much to my surprise, I found THE SIMPSONS MOVIE to be very fun and quite entertaining; truly much better than I had expected. THE SIMPSONS MOVIE has a fun story, many humorous and memorable moments, and is true to itself - what more could I ask for? There is nothing particularly bad or unsavory in this movie; nothing that will corrupt my four year old. (There are, however, a few things that go over her head: she had to asked her dad what a "doodle" was! Then again, she asked me to define "epiphany" for her. So, I guess you take your vocabulary words where you can get them.) The rest of my family, my husband and my 12 year old daughter, also really enjoys THE SIMPSONS MOVIE.

So, quite surprisingly, I am recommending THE SIMPSONS MOVIE as an entertaining family flick. While not all of their episodes are fit for all ages, this movie works and really tickles our collective funny bone. Well done, Homer. You've still got it after all these years.

This might be the funniest movie i have ever seen. This movie has dumb people, guns, cops, homer, bart, and the famous spider pig(harry plopper). This movie is so funny, you will be on the floor in about 20 minuets into the movie. My favorite part is when bart goes to krusty's on his scateboard, NAKED. i freackin laughed my head off. you will love to add this movie to your simpson collection, and your movie collection. Anybody who buys this movie, will love it.

Not exactly Sophie's Choice, but if you're looking for that, you're obviously in the wrong place. My family are all die-hard Simpsons fans. The movie was true to the spirit of the series. Lots of gags, both straightforward and inside jokes related to the series. If you like the Simpsons, you'll enjoy this. If you're lukewarm to the Simpsons series, you might want to skip this.