I have been a Simpsons fan since I can remember, and this has to be one of the only movies I have ever seen that matched its TV show. The Simpsons Movie kept the laugh's coming constantly, every joke succeeded in usual Simpson's fashion. I loved every minute of it and I'm going to see it again today. It's a definite must-see.

Saw it. Loved it. I thought it had a few slow parts, but, overall, it was probably the most consistent film of the summer. It's definitely worth seeing.

Why is this thread not in the animated topic? Anyway, I liked it but I was expecting more. Enjoyable but not a movie-quality level experience. I was hoping for more recognizable actors and actresses to participate in this famous icon of a series and even more focus on the depth of the characters that was attempted but in my mind fell short. [It would have been fascinating to see the brief intermission built on with an animated commercial interruption].

I dont know about you but I loved it. It is a great time at the movies and like I was telling a friend, not only is it hilarious, but it is simply one great film. The writing is top-notch; teaming the writers from the "classic" years was brilliant. The first half is just laugh out loud fun and then the story picks up and it just has this substance and depth that is gripping.

Top it with a high-quality score from Hans Zimmer and this movie was worth the wait. It doesn't use any cheesy songs like other animated films but rather an orcherstral score that really works. This is one of the best films of the year.

quote:

Originally posted by tabuno:
Why is this thread not in the animated topic?

Well, I sometimes have trouble seeing it as "just a cartoon".

Well, I give it a B, which is a definite thumbs up. I'm actually glad they didn't turn it into a cameo-filled flick but kept in the voices who have appeared before. My wife told me afterwards, "I never realized that Homer was so unsympathetic before", and I told her that it may have been because "you've never been stuck with him for such a long, continuous plot before." I laughed most all the way through, but when it was over, I was also hoping that there was more, but my feeling wasn't really disappointment.

I hope everybody stuck around for the closing credits which featured, among other things, the "Springfield Anthem" and Maggie saying the first word her parents ever hear.

If push comes to shove, I'll move it to "Animation".

Special guest stars have added an additional angle on the stars who are able to present themselves in ways that they can't ordinarily do in live action films. For me, I've been fascinated with the animated television episodes where they get a chance to interact in this amazing world of Springfield.

I still think that the directors, sciptwriters could have pushed the envelope more in regards to Homer and Bart's relationship as even some half-hour cartoon television episodes of CHARLIE BROWN have been able to accomplish well when it came to Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

Of course they could have pushed the envelope, but they did what they did, and it wasn't done poorly. I don't watch "The Simpsons" to reprise Charlie Brown themes, but "All in the Family" inspired a lot of "The Simpsons", and I got the most of that from Homer's lack of family concern, Flanders' "adopting" Bart, and Marge's kissoff video.

But when a televised half-hour version of Charlie Brown can elicit a greater emotional response than a full-length feature animated film, then I suspect something more could have been accomplished in a movie on THE SIMPSONS.

The emotional response is gauged by the viewer. I can understand how a 40-year-old episode can affect someone who was around to see it originally, but it won't have the same effect on a current, younger viewer.

It's only fair for me to mention this since you act like films from certain periods carry more resonance, and I believe that all periods are ripe to affect any viewer of any age. (Plus my daughter agrees with me!!)

The episode of CHARLIE BROWN that I mentioned contains a focus on Snoopy being lost and taken in by a girl while Charlie Brown must go in search of his animal friend. In a half hour animation, unlike THE SIMPSON MOVIE, the ability of emotional depth I don't believe is based on when the experience was produced or seen, it was based on the cinematic decision to focus more on character development and relational plot than on humorous scenes and prank jokes. By extension, I would have hoped that the same cinematic concepts of character development and relational plot could have extended even further in SIMPSON'S MOVIE with Bart having even more connection to his surrogate father and having the decision to go back to Homer be even more substantive than the brief overly cute idea used in the movie (somehow I can't believe that the new generation has lost that much attention span and intellect to appreciate a deeper movie experience).

Was supposed to see it opening weekend. Didn't. Brought shame on the franchise and ritualistically disemboweled myself. The end.

Maybe I am getting old, but I didn't really love this movie. I still laughed occasionally -- though not as much as the audience of all ages that I watched this with -- but it left me feeling unsatisfied.

Now is the obligitory statement about how I have been a big fan of the show since it first aired when I was around Bart's age, own the DVDs, watch reruns on TV even though I own the DVDs, love seasons 1-10ish more than current or newer shows, blah, blah, blah...

It could just be lofty expectations after the 18 years of anticipation, but here are some complaints in no particluar order (Note: I realize that pulling off a movie like this is incredibly difficult with hundreds of characters, and I'm sure everyone involved with the movie worked hard and their families love them):

Spoiler Alert: Spoilers in Black Text Below:

--Mr. Burns was only in two scenes.

--No Principal Skinner or school scenes.

--B plot with Bart feeling "more loved" by Ned Flanders had already been done exactly the same way with Maggie in an episode (I know it's unavoidable not repeat things from time to time). It worked ok with Maggie because she's so young that she hadn't yet become indoctrinated into the Simpson's lifestyle and you feel like she may in fact choose the Flanders. With Bart, though, it made him seem like a whiny little kid, which he's not. He would never prefer nerdy Neddy over his freedom living with Homer.

--The president should have been Rainier Wolfcastle instead of the actual Arnold Schwarzenegger. Since they already HAD a character satirizing the Govenator, why not already use him? Did they forget about him? It makes the swipes less blunt and obvious.

--Green Day? Why was Green Day the only major celeb cameo? I don't like celebs in the Simpsons that much, but if you had to pick one, Green Day?

--Environmental theme. I feel like this has always been the weakest issue the Simpsons ever tackle directly. Throwaway jokes about nuclear power or hippies = good; entire episodes with Lisa in a tree = bad.

--Scope of the movie. I know that they probably felt that they had to "go big" for the big screen, but I would have preferred more simple family time on screen. Marge's videotape scene was great, I thought, but I think they needed more time around the dinner table, watching TV and just being a family. This would have grounded them a little, which would have led to more emotional impact.

Ok. That is all. I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Purple Monkey Dishwasher.

I thought the plot was a little patchy at times but there were as many laugh-out-loud moments as 40 Year Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers and Borat. But that might just be because I'm from Alaska and was watching it in an Alaskan theater and therefore got a lot more of the Alaska humor.

quote:

Originally posted by wilsonna:
--Green Day? Why was Green Day the only major celeb cameo? I don't like celebs in the Simpsons that much, but if you had to pick one, Green Day?

I don't know, I always figured Tom Hanks was a much bigger celebrity than the other guys.

I finally got to see this movie, AND I LOVED IT! The whole credits sequence from the show was completely expanded & was fantastic to watch! You could tell the old writers were back & the jokes were great! The one I completely lost it on was when Homer was escaping the dome through the sink hole & got stuck as he was spinning into the hole flipping everyone the bird with both hands! When he got down to the point where only the top of his head was showing, Moe hollars, "The top of his head is exposed! Quick, claw at it!" (The rake going across the top of his head was hilarious!) I also loved when they were pulling an "Austin Powers" type "nude scene" & then showed Bart's doodle when you never expected to see it! The movie, itself, was beautiful. In fact, there were many times I was reminded of 'Futurama' because of how they used 3-D computer animation from time to time. 11/10 or A++

I was a tad confused why they had Wolfcastle as Schwarzenegger. (At first, I thought it was a "movie within a movie".) Especially, since it was obvious they were taking jabs at President Bush's leadership & decision making skills, not the governor's.

I enjoyed it a great deal.

Highlights: 'Spider Pig, Spider Pig.'
Homer with the huskies.

I really enjoyed the Simpsons movie, I loved how the movie parodied itself for example, one of my favorite parts was when Homer told the audience why you would pay money for a show you could see on TV for free, and the advertising bar on the bottom of the screen during one scene. Definately a very funny movie, highly reccommended

Whether or not you liked the movie probably depends on whether or not you like the recent turns the Simpsons have taken in their television show. They have been known to have emotional depth before (my personal favorite being the episode where we saw Maggie join the family and Homer has to quit his dream job to support the family) but recently Simpsons has been all about WACKY HIJINX!!! and not so much character development.

I think a lot of the life of the Simpsons went out when Futurama came out (a series that can have tremendous emotional depth - see the episode about Fry's brother or the episode with the bees) and the Simpsons has never really recovered.

However, the scene with Marge's farewell tape was actually very affecting and well-done. I must give them props for that.

Thanks for that because otherwise...I was going to accuse you of being narrow-minded and following the lazy crowd.