17 years for a Simpsons movie. Crayon Shin-chan (the Japanese equivillant of Bart Simpson, some say) has had 10, and came out roughly the same time. Just saying.
But it's ABOUT TIME!
How can I post this as a review.... I don't know where to start. You know how they said Star Wars Epiosde 3 saved the franchise? Well, this definately rekindled my love with the Simpsons!
I mean, there are some signs of current humor styles, such as Spiderpig... but it overall had an old school pre season 10 feel throughout. Homer is as stupid as he usually is, but it isn't cloying and fraught with unfunny jokes like the show has had lately. Marge isn't the annoyingly perfect G-rated Housewife she is in the series, and basically, they characters were like they USED to be. Sure, Cletus and Ralph were there, I feel they are overused, but even they were funny and usefull in the movie.
All and all, it was an excellent film. I am so happy 3 television cartoons had theatrical released movies this year. ATHF, Simpsons, and TMNT (though to be fare, it was a hanging sequal to the original TMNT films). And of all the movies I saw this year I was only disappointed a little by Shrek three.
But then of course, a lot of great things they could only do in the movies happened....
SPOILER
Bart Simpson had a long sequence riding nude on his skateboard. His area was blocked by various random obejects until he passes by a bush, and everything BUT that area was covered. At the risk of sounding like a pervert, animated cartoon full frontal nudity in the US is AMAZING to see. In Japan, there is some bizzarre censorship thing that you actually can show a child's area, but an adults has to be pixilated. Crayon Shin Chan (again, I have to mention him) has been showing his Zo-san for years. But GOD, us animators love to see cartoon characters do things like this all the time. Vulgar shocking things you don't expect.
SPOILER
All and all, I give this movie 3 Wows!
WOW! WOW! WOW!