The Simpsons Movie

At the opening of this long-in-gestation feature film version of the 18-year-old, 400-episode-strong animated series The Simpsons, idiotic Homer and his clan are at the cinema when suddenly he turns to the camera saying he can't believe they are paying for something they get to see on TV for free. Pointing his finger at us he exclaims, "Everyone is a giant sucker!" Not quite. This funny, acerbic flick is a roaring success, even though it really may not be that much different than a really good episode of the series. In fact, The Simpsons Movie even comes complete with a Fox network promo crawl advertising bad upcoming shows like Are You Smarter Than the Average Celebrity just to make sure we know the filmmakers know they haven't lost sight of their roots. The basic politically tinged plot sees Springfield become a haven of pollution after Homer, with the help of his new pet pig, carelessly screws up the local lake. The government (now under the leadership of President Arnold Schwarzenegger) orders the entire community to be quarantined and placed under a giant dome. This outrages Marge and throws the whole place into a living nightmare zone. All the characters Simpsons fans love are here, including Bart, Lisa—who finds love with an Irish singer who's "not Bono"—and so many others. There's even an amusing cameo from Tom Hanks, who is around to lend his "credibility." It had to happen. The Simpsons have finally become bona fide movie stars; and this hilarious, clever, irreverent film proves it was well worth the wait.