DVD Review: The Simpsons Movie

Those yellow, animated phenomenons have finallyepisode of the television show. It has some
made their way to the big screen and it only tookhilarious commentary on society as well as just
eighteen years. So does the animated movie liveoutright wacky comedy. One bit of commentary
up to the hilarity of the television show? Read onhas the church folk running to Moe’s bar and
and find out – doh!the bar patrons running to church as the giant
The town of Springfield’s lake is overlydome of doom is placed over the town.
polluted and socially conscious Lisa SimpsonWe also have an extended Bart dare as he
(Yeardley Smith) rallies the town to clean it up.skateboards in the buff down to the Krusty
Her dad Homer (Dan Castellaneta) saves a pigBurger. Not to mention the “Spider Pig”
from being slaughtered after it’s used as asong that my kids would sing during the theatrical
prop in a Krusty the Clown commercial and startstrailer.
to treat it like the son he always wanted.Where this disc lets down a little is not in the
This doesn’t set well with Bart (Nancycontent of the film but in the special feature
Cartwright) who finds that Mr. Flanders (Harrydepartment. It feels really rather light and you
Shearer) is a more caring father than his pig lovingkeep thinking that a more expansive special
one. Homer’s new oinking child does whatedition will be in the works somewhere down the
pig’s do and Homer puts the results in a hugeline – doh!.
silo in the backyard (well, Homer did put a little ofThe Simpsons is presented in anamorphic
himself into the job). His wife Marge (Julie Kavner)widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9
tells him to get rid of the silo of pig waste.televisions. A fullscreen version is available
Homer does of course, by dumping it on Lakeseparately. Special features include two
Springfield. This infusion of pollution causes thecommentary tracks.
Environmental Protection Agency to becomeThe first one features writer/creator Matt
alerted to the situation. They react in their usualGroening, writer/producer James L. Brooks, writer
restrained manner – the director Russ Cargillproducer Al Jean, writer/producer Mike Scully,
(Albert Brooks) orders that a huge glass domedirector David Silverman, Yeardley Smith, and Dan
cover the town.Castellaneta, and the second one includes director
The Simpsons eventually find themselves outsideSilverman, and sequence directors Mike B.
the dome and Homer decides to take off ratherAnderson, Steven Dean Moore and Rich Moore.
than help his neighbors (especially since theyThere are 5 minutes of deleted scenes introduced
formed an angry mob against him when theyby Al Jean. The “Special Stuff” section
found out that it was his silo that pushed the lakehas 3 minutes of Simpsons appearances on the
over the limit). He takes the family to Alaska andTonight Show, American Idol, and a parody of the
start over again, but the rest of the family thinks“Let’s go to the Lobby” concession
they should return and save Springfield.stand spiel. That’s it. Seems pretty light to
The Simpsons have been a television hit sinceme.
they started airing in 1989. There’s alwaysThe movie is hilarious, but the extra features feel
been talk that creator Matt Groening should bringlike a bit of a letdown as far as deleted scenes
his jaundiced creations to the big screen. He’sgo, the commentaries are top notch. It’s well
seemingly been happy on the small screen but itworth it for the film. I must knock it down a bit
has finally come to pass and the results arebecause it could’ve been a bigger set (and I
hilarious.suspect will be somewhere down the line).
The film does play like a bigger and extended