Movie Review: The Simpsons Movie

The Simpsons Movie, Cert. PG, 87 minutes, dir: David Silverman.

The Simpsons finally make the leap to the silver screen...or should that be the YELLOW screen (as they are yellow)?

No, you're probably right.

Anyway, The Simpsons Movie is here at last, is the general gist of what I'm trying to say, and happily I can also add to that the following: it's good. Very good.

When Lake Springfield's levels of pollution reach alarmingly dangerous heights, Springield is put on 'Code Black' . ("Code black? Oh, man. Black's the worst colour," says Lennny, before turning to Karl and adding, "...no offence.") This means that the lake is out of bounds as a dumping ground for the town's inhabitants, but of course, while the townsfolk adhere to this new rule, it only takes one certain Homer J. Simpson to shun the new rule, leaving Springfield to be ruled as an environmental danger and placed under a large dome....cue antics.

This film is a slender 87 minutes long, and rolls along at a fair old pace, never once letting up with it's barrage of visual comedy (especially Bart's nude skateboarding scene), well-written gags, satire and downright stupidity. While it is true to say that it does pretty much feel like a feature-length episode, it's a GOOD full-length episode, thanks to the writers being largely those responsible for penning the show during it's 'golden period', as opposed to those pushing the pens as it gradually declined. So, we get a more emotional story, with a strong, family theme, as opposed to a wacky 'What'll Homer do next???'- type tale that has plagued the later series'. Although, having said that, he does get up to plenty of ker-azy shenanigans.

The animation is excellent, largely eschewing fancy CGI for the rough-and-ready 2D style of the TV series, occasionally enlivened with some 3D effects in a manner similar to Futurama. It looks lovely, and is never overbearing or poorly executed.

The film is not perfect, however and some characters - such as Lisa's love interest - seem superfluous, but then again creator Matt Groening has hinted that events in the film will lead into the next season of the show, so maybe more will become of them then. Also, some of the supporting cast are rather noticeable by their absence. Mr. Burns, for example, is not used as much as I'd have liked, but with such an extensive repertoire of minor players to choose from, there's always going to be someone's favourite who has been sidelined.

Overall then, this does pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a Simpsons Movie: it's The Simpsons, in a movie, and it's top-quality Simpsons at that, with many genuine laugh-out-loud moments. If the movie is anything to go by, The Simpsons have rediscovered their mojo, which is good news for the future of the series.

Best Bit of the Internet Rate-O-Matic: 8/10.

The Best Bit of the Internet reserves the right to change our opinions after further views of the movie, or if it seems everyone else disagrees, and we decide to change our mind to fit in better with the cool kids.

The Carrotty Kid Returns With A Vengance Again

Hello!

Crazy Kids Productions is proud(ish) to unleash the all-new, all-singing, all-karate-ing Carrotty Kid website onto the internet.

Click the banner below for a fine selection of kung-fu comics, games and cartoons.


We hope you get a KICK out of it. Hahaha! Kick.

Popmash: Mr. Benn-y Hill

Watch this, laugh, repeat:



Enjoy more Popmashing over at the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing, all-mashing Popmash site!

Go there, NOW!

The Awardies - Get Nominated!

Hello and welcome to The Awardies! I'm your host, Trip Tingleton!

What are The Awardies, you say?

Weeeell, let me explain.

The Awardies are an all-new award handed out to anyone, for anything...at all!

That's right! YOU could be an Awardie award winner for doing...whatever! You don't have to be the world's greatest actor, or the world's fastest runner...you win by just being you!

Isn't that FABULOUS?

To enter The Awardies, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (you do not have to be a Blogger member), stating who you are, a link to your website or blog and then we'll take a look and decide what you should get an award for, unless you have your own suggestion. And that's it!

All our winners win a BEAUTIFUL picture of an Awardie, with their name and award-winning talent (or lack thereof) written proudly upon it, to place on your very own blog, or MySpace, or Facebook, or website. Or you could even print it out and super-glue it to your face. Here's an example below:
BEAUTIFUL, isn't it? As beautiful as a beautiful rose, held in the beak of a beautiful swan. Winners also recieve a wondeful write up on this very site, detailing their astonishing acievement and also giving YOU some free promotion (including a permanent link to your website/blog) for whatever web-based endeavour you are undertaking.

Isn't that WONDERFUL?

All this could be yours if you nominate yourself - or a friend or complete stranger - for an Awardie Award - today!!

I'm Trip Tingleton, and you've been a SUPER audience.

See you soon...at our first ever Awardies Award Ceremony!

BYEEEE!!!!

Trip xx

Jet Pets: Red Alert

From the makers of The Carrotty Kid comes an all-new, out-of-this-world comic strip...Jet Pets, in their dazzling debut adventure, Red Alert.

To see the full-size strip, just click on the condensed version above. For more information about the Jet Pets, click HERE.

And remember, in space, no-one can hear you BARK.

Anthology of Awful: The Cookie Crumbles

Cookies.

We all love cookies, don't we? Yummy cookies. Yum yum yum yum. Yummy yummy cookies!

Or do we?

For Jonathan Petridish, the humble cookie was far from being a satisfying snack, instead leaving him traumatised for the rest of his life.

Jonathan Petridish worked full-time as a human resources manager at a large insurance firm. It was a job he didn't particularly enjoy, except for the half hour break he got mid-morning which he looked forward to with fevered excitement.

On one such break, Jonathan Petridish decided to enjoy a cup of tea and a couple of cookies, while he took some time out to fill in a crossword puzzle in the newspaper.

Nothing wrong with that, was there?

So you would think. But the tea plus cookie plus crossword equation was to prove to be Jonathan's undoing.

While puzzling over the clue for twelve across in his crossword, Jonathan Petridish decided to dunk his cookie in his tea.

Cookies are normally quite resilient to dunking, and hold their form far better than your common or garden Rich Tea, or Digestive biscuits. But so preoccupied with the crossword was Jonathan Petridish, that he left the cookie dunked in his tea for slightly too long.

Then it happened.

The cookie, now soggy with tea, broke apart, crumbling into poor Jonathan Petridish's tea.

Jonathan heard the gentle splash as the biscuit collapsed into his drink, but it was too late. Not only had Jonathan Petridish lost half a cookie, but by now his delicious cup of tea was ruined as well, awash with tiny, squelchy chunks of cookie.

Jonathan Petridish cursed himself loudly. Then, to add further insult to biscuit-based injury, Jonathan realised that his break was now over, so he could not even make himself a fresh cup of tea.

Thirsty, hungry and dejected, Jonathan Petridish left the staff-room and returned to work, having had his break well and truly ruined by the humble cookie. He never did find out what the answer to twelve across was, that fiendish crossword clue that had played such an important role in this whole, terrible tragedy.

The cryptic clue read, "12 across: This biscuit will save you on the internet."

Do you know what the answer was, dear reader? Are you ready for the big, chilling reveal?

The answer was...cookie.

A desperate warning to Jonathan Petridish, sent by unknown forces from the other side to warn Jonathan about his imminent cookie-related calamity, or a mere coincidence?

You decide.

Sleep well, readers. If you can!

- The Book-Keepr.

The Carrotty Kid: The Pilot Episode

Full-time followers of our web-based wonders will already be familiar with The Carrotty Kid, our semi-regular webcomic about a kung-fu fighting carrot.

For those of you new to all of this, go check it out, and we'll wait here for you.

Done? Good. Now, behold the awesome animated adventure starring the carrotty one, as developed by us and Cosgrove Hall Films, and animated by the ever wonderful Michael Whaite.

LOOK AT IT NOW:



We hope you think it is the BEST thing you have ever seen. Now tell your friends. And your enemies, because then they'll become your friends too as it's so wonderous.

Will this herald a regular series starring CK, on your telly screens? Who knows. But it's still ace.