The Simpsons Movie

It is quite clear that the series is great if you enjoy similar humor. Surprisingly, they managed to convert it into a feature film and I had a lot of fun watching it. Some jokes are incredibly hilarious and the whole crazy story builds up well and has emotions, although very often in a Simpson-esque way. And that's a good thing. This film is the result of great creators. (04/04/2015)

When you’re constantly laughing, you don't have much time to notice the shortcomings. The gags come literally one after the other and there are as many references to everything (from president Schwarzenegger to Tom Hanks and beyond) as there are doughnuts in a supermarket. Zimmer's music is excellent as is the unconventional animation, and Homer and his Spider Pig will stay in your memory forever. The Simpsons did a perfect job with their first film. And now I, like a certain little lady, ask: "Will there be a second one?" (24/08/2007)

Although the last few seasons have slowly but surely shown a fading cadence of jokes, the feature film once again raises the flag of the ship of humor and catchphrases to the very top of the mast. Sure, at 20 minutes, it would be the ultimate concentrate, but even so, it's a perfect example of what has made The Simpsons brilliant for 19 years - drilling down into everything that's going on in America right now: family, politics, celebrity, and religion, all while royally entertaining viewers of all ages. I've watched The Simpsons with my younger siblings (ages 11 and 13) and it's funny to see how everyone approaches each gag differently and still has a great time. Bravo! (17/01/2008)

In spite of the fact that the last few seasons are going on inertia and lack any good comedy (the first eight seasons are absolutely unbeatable), the first “feature length episode” is proof that the people around Matt Groening have not yet run out of ammo. Especially the first half the film is lethal in the number of jokes and references, even the (bellow)average ones. But it’s still true, as with Asterix, that the Simpsons are not primarily for small children and their humour is appreciated by a more mature and informed audience. Also thanks to the funny references to anything, starting with Arnie's ambitions, ending with the current global warming phenomenon (I was probably the only one to laugh in the whole cinema at the reference to Al-Gore's forklift during Lisa's lecture). Best joke? The change of personnel at Moe’s Bar before Armageddon, when the pansies go drinking and the drunks go praying :o) (31/07/2007)

The best episodes of The Simpsons have always been based on simplicity – things went downhill when they started going too over the top or relying on Homer's endless stupidity. As expected, the film avoids neither, gluing together disparate themes, trying to give space to too many characters (who don't move the plot along) and making the most of Homer's intellectual Neanderthalism, but it's not bad. There are plenty of really good jokes, and the story thrives where the show has always been very strong: in the interaction and personal development of the family members, who are first separated and then more tightly bound together by some crazy event, most often caused by Homer. This pattern is then quite skillfully fitted with both the mandatory outcomes of the side characters or the emergence of new and entertaining characters (the head of the EPA is pretty good), as well as the standard moral and social lessons. I certainly would have liked to see a more coherent and cohesive film that stuck to a simple concept in the style of the early episodes, but even as a die-hard Simpsonsphile, this one pleased the hell out of me and didn't disappoint. (03/05/2011)