The Simpsons Movie

Starring Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria; Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, with Albert Brooks, Tom Hanks
Screenplay by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti
Based on characters created by Matt Groenig for a television show by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening& Sam Simon
Directed by David Silverman
website: www.simpsonsmovie.com

IN SHORT: Why are you reading this when you could be laughing your butt off? [Rated PG-13 for irreverent humor throughout. 87 minutes]

Despite writing "you shouldn't have to know the Source Material to enjoy the movie" hundreds of times since we began writing as Cranky back in 1994, come on -- After almost twenty years on television, do we really have to explain anything about The Simpsons to anyone?

Yeah, actually, we do. We know one person who has refused to watch the series, ever, calling it a Honeymooners rip off. Gee, just 'cuz the show's creators tip the hat to Jackie Gleason -- the very first thing you see in The Simpsons Movie is that big ol' Honeymooners moon. Get over it. OK, in the quiet, All-American town of Springfield -- which is a lot bigger than it looks -- lives the family Simpson: Homer and wife Marge (voiced by Dan Castellaneta and Julie Kavner), kidlets Lisa (Yeardley Smith) and Bart and baby Maggie (both Nancy Cartwright). Marge keeps home while Homer works at the local nuclear power plant. The plant is owned by Mr. Burns (Hank Azaria), who ignores, even as he is fawned upon by assistant Ned Flanders (also Azaria)

Homer has a brain the size of a pea and a wife who loves him dearly. Son Bart is a troublemaker in the way all ten year old boys seem to be. Daughter Lisa is smarter than ninety nine percent of all the people in Springfield and Maggie hasn't uttered more than a word in, like forever. Local celebrity Krusty the Clown (also Castellaneta), whose Krustyburger fast food joints are the life's blood of Springfield's clogged culinary arteries, is introducing a new sandwich to his menu as the clan Simpson chow down on their burgers and watch the new television commercial being shot. It's a pork sandwich and, once the spot is finished shooting, Krusty orders the pig that was his commercial co-star rendered into something tasty and commercially profitable. Homer, shocked at the thought, rescues said pig and takes it home. Two days later, a jury rigged silo as tall as his house is filled to the brim with pig poo. Marge orders Homer to get rid of it. This he does by dumping said poo in the previously pristine Lake Springfield. The resultant ecological disaster brings the wrath of President Schwarzenegger and his right hand stooge Cargill (Albert Brooks) down on the citizenry of Springfield, who are entombed under a huge plastic dome.

None of this means anything to the Simpsons, since they split for Alaska, having found a way under the dome. There's actually a real movie here, folks. A marriage pushed to the brink. A family on the run. First love for Lisa and a lot more carefully put together so as not to feel like three plus episodes of the teevee show stapled together. And, unlike the last rib splitter of an animated surprise (South Park) there's not an obscenity to be found anywhere in the thing.

OK, we've filled enough space. We're going back for more.

On average, a first run movie ticket will run you Ten Bucks. Were Cranky able to set his own price to The Simpsons, he would have paid . . .

$10.00

Seriously . . . laugh your butt off

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