The Simpsons Movie

Moments into The Simpsons Movie, Homer looks straight into the camera and calls you a sucker, said David Frese in The Kansas City Star. Why would you pay for a movie whose characters you can watch for free on TV? It's one of those 'œmeta-moments that has made the TV series a cultural touchstone.' For nearly two decades and 400 episodes, everyone from a president to a poet laureate has celebrated the sitcom. But how does the lovably dysfunctional animated family translate to film? 'œThe Sistine Chapel ceiling isn't a bad metaphor for the movie,' said Stephanie Zacharek in Salon.com. The 11 screenwriters find ways to fill the big screen with dozens of characters, gags, and subplots. Homer starts an environmental disaster with his pet pig. His do-gooder daughter Lisa tries to avert catastrophe to no avail with her movie An Irritating Truth. Eventually President Schwarzenegger covers Springfield with a transparent dome, Springfield's citizens form a mob and go after Homer, and everyone has a surprisingly touching emotional journey. A decade ago this same group of writers and voice actors would have created a funnier, more anarchic movie, said A.O. Scott in The New York Times. Here they play things a bit safe. Still, The Simpsons Movie is about as good as an average episode of The Simpsons, which means 'œI'd be willing to watch it only 20 or 30 more times.'

Rating: PG-13

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