The Simpsons

When I was growing up, like any other well-functioning American household, I had a couple routines. The obligatory get up every day to go to school, take a shower (at night so I could use as much hot water as I wanted!!!), playing street hockey or power rangers, and of course, from 5pm to 6, my siblings and I were watching two back-to-back episodes of The Simpsons.

I'm not sure what was so appealing about the show. I didn't get half the jokes I do now. Oh wait, now I remember- Homer dismembering himself in every other episode. And the occasional "DAMN IT!" that would pop up.

I'm such a rebel.


I would watch that show every weekday, and of course, every Sunday when they'd have a new episode on. You think you know more than I do? Go ahead. Try me. I can answer any plot question. What's the only time Maggie spoke (that's right, Maggie speaking in the end credits wasn't the first time)? In the episode where Homer is reminiscing about how she was born. At the end of the episode Homer lays her in her crib, says "I hope you never say a word," because Bart and Lisa were arguing, and Maggie, in the sweetest baby voice ever, says "Daddy." Awwww!

I. Know. The. Simpsons.

I'll beat you at The Simpsons trivial persuit.

With all that said, I've been pretty skeptical about the new movie coming out. Don't get me wrong, I'd see it alone if I had to, but I was going to see it opening night. But honestly, I thought it was going to be a dark stain on an amazingly funny, and amazingly groundbreaking, pioneering genre (Simpsons did it!). So I saw it last night, and luckily I didn't have to see it alone. And I eat my words, here and now.

The movie was something like 80 minutes long, and it's a damn good thing, because I laughed for the entire 80 minutes. I would have gone into shock had it been any longer.

Honestly, I can't remember a movie I laughed harder in. It's not that it just had one or two really funny jokes, though it had that. It's not like it just continued it's "edgy" humor, though it did that too. It's not that it just had Homer Simpson going through all kinds of painful, impossible torture... though it had that too.

Seriously. This movie had everything. No recycled jokes (from the series). Amazing animation (for The Simpsons). And it. was. funny.

So bravo Matt Groening. Your series started to dip, but people are going to watch the final seasons. Hell, I might even watch them.

One final thought: Homer flipping people off was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

I will sleep well knowing that when it comes out on DVD, I'll laugh equally as hard after the 30th time I've watched it.