To quote the Bizarro Jerry, me so happy. Me want to cry. At the last minute this afternoon, a friend of mine with a ticket to see "The Simpsons Movie" realized that it came with a plus-one, and he asked me to be his plus-one. (Thanks, Joe!)I'm not going to spoil anything right now -- I'll do a proper WAW-style review sometime this weekend, after I'm back from tour and fully awake -- but I will say that I was really, really happy with it. The first half hour is as funny a sustained stretch as any of the best episodes, but there's also room for some heart (Julie Kavner is GREAT), appearances by virtually every character ever (even if some of them are on-screen for half a second) and Albert Brooks doing another brilliant guest voice turn. Really, the only thing it was lacking was an epic musical number, but I'm okay with that. I don't know if it's as perfect as the "South Park" movie, but if you love the show, you will not be disappointed.
10 comments:
Was there any kind of dedication/acknowledgment of Phil Hartman? It's a shame that "virtually every character ever" wouldn't include Lionel Hutz or Troy McClure. Or did they do visual-only gags involving them?
There are a few visual-only gags that have the camera panning through what seems to be the entire population of Springfield, but so quickly that we'll need to wait for DVD to confirm it all. I didn't see Troy or Lionel, but they could be there.
I actually bolted as soon as the closing credits began, because they made everybody check their cell phones -- and I mean everybody, including the bigwigs (I heard Brian Grazer was completely baffled by this) -- and I didn't want to be waiting in a hundred-deep line. For all I know, there was a dedication -- plus some additional gags -- that I missed, but I'll have to wait for a second viewing or DVD to find out. It was really a mad house.
I'm going to a midnight showing on Thursday and now I'm more eager than ever! Woohoo!
BTW, 7/11's Kwik-E-Mart promotion is awesome. We went to the one in Burbank at lunch yesterday and had a blast looking at everything and of course, buying Squishees and Buzz Cola (they were out of Krusty-Os, though). They even had a Freezer Geezer! Plus, when you left, one of the Kwik-E-Mart employees did his best Apu ("Thank you, come again!"). It's a lot of fun.
Alan, what was the audience response to the film like? Both Variety and the Hollywood Reporter gave it glowing reviews. I'm curious to know how it plays in that large of a room.
The crowd loved it. I'm sure some of that was from the excitement at finally seeing it after all these years -- as I tried to say in my own adrenaline rush last night, it's a very good but not great movie -- but there were a number of jokes that got such long and loud responses that you couldn't hear the next half-dozen. (There's one in particular that I'm afraid to even allude to, it's so brilliant.)
Oh me of little faith... I was a little worried, because the trailer isn't fantastic. But I'm glad to hear they delivered big time.
Talk about an embarrassment of riches: I bought my tickets on Saturday for the midnight show Thursday and I just found out that I got passes to a free screening... on Thursday! If the theaters weren't so far apart and the timing so close, I'd do both. Well, assuming I could get into the free one (it's one of those dealies where they overbook the theater and you have to line up well in advance to get in). Still kinda cool to be chosen, though.
That part in the trailer with Homer stuck to a wrecking ball is an echo of the ep where Sideshow Bob became mayor and tried to have the Simpsons' house destroyed. Nice shout-out to themselves!
Just saw it a couple of hours ago, it's definitely better than i thought it would be. They were right to get Albert Brooks again.
I saw the movie last night at a special screening for Springfield, NJ residents and Alan is right - the first thirty minuntes are an absolute riot.
I especially enjoyed Tom Hanks and Albert Brooks.
The audience erupted into appluase at the end. I wasn't able to stay for the credits so I'm not sure if anything came after that.
The all-media I went to last night in NYC liked it, but I can't say it was eruptive laughter. It was good, but not great. Which is pretty much what you expect from the Simpsons these days. But this (unlike, say, the South Park movie) didn't feel like a story that HAD to be told on the big screen.
Mostly I was annoyed that, apart from Flanders, the townsfolk all pretty much get one line and are thrown to the periphery. I dunno, here was an opportunity for an epic Mr. Burns story where the town had to unite against him or something. Instead we got this story which pulls the family out of the town for much of the movie.
Was happy they went easy on the celebrity cameos (I don't think Albert Brooks even counts at this point), and the one that nobody's talking about got the biggest laughs. I have a feeling this will be funnier on DVD.
You didn't miss *too* much during the credits, Alan.
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