Hilarious, Filled with Heart, and greatly Exceeds Expectations

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2007)

The movie that is "eighteen years in the making" has finally arrived, but is The Simpsons Movie really as good as it looks? The definite answer is, I'm very happy to say, a loud YES! The Simpsons Movie is filled with all sorts of fun things that will thrill fans of the show to the bone. There are loads of in-jokes, movie references, and there is even a recorded song version of 'Spider-Pig', the tune Homer makes up for his new pig. Heck, even if you aren't a particular fan of the show or you feel that the quality of the show has dropped considerably in the last few seasons, there is nothing to worry about; The Simpsons Movie makes up for everything, including some of the shows faults (of which there really aren't that many anyways).
Without giving too much away, Springfield is in crisis after a mishap with the lake causes the entire town to be covered in a huge solid (and strangely hard to break) glass dome. All sorts of things happen, including Bart starting to grow attached to Flanders, issues between Marge and Homer, a love interest for Lisa, a special moment for Maggie (if you stay during the credits), and many things too random to mention in a simple review.
The madcap humor of the show translates perfectly to the big screen, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments *most* of the entire family can enjoy (the movie IS rated PG-13, after all). Each member of the family has their moment to shine, and the large Simpsons cast also fits in perfectly in one way or another. No line goes wasted; there is always an intelligent one-liner or hilarious physical humor that everyone has grown to love from the show.
What makes The Simpsons Movie so perfect, however, is its huge amount of heart. Behind all of the laughs, in-jokes, and intelligent product placement, this cartoon feature has loads of heart in some of the most unexpected places. The movie never takes itself to seriously, which is hard to find in some films these days. If anymore was said, the movie would certainly be spoiled.
Overall, The Simpsons Movie was a very fun time at the movies, filled with so many laugh-out-loud moments that you are left pretty much breathless by the end. While the movie is pretty short, it never feels too short or long; it actually has great pacing and never outstays its welcome. One can only hope for a sequel that is half as funny or full of heart as this first Simpsons Movie is. At the moment, though, The Simpsons Movie is one of the best of its kind and gives animated films a good name, especially by pushing the envelope to a PG-13 rating. Not much more can be said, so just go see the movie already (I saw the midnight screening)! 9.5/10, or A+