The Simpsons Movie: Worth the Wait?

After nearly two decades on television, everyone's favorite yellow family has made its way to the big-screen, and I can safely say, as a longtime fan of the series, that The Simpsons Movie lives up to any and all expectations.

You see, I'm hardly what one would call a "casual" fan of The Simpsons. I own the first 8 seasons on DVD, an expansive collection of the merchandise, and way too many of the t-shirts. Needless to say, I was amped (and concerned) when they announced that a movie was finally on the way.

Allow me to explain my skepticism. While there's a decent new episode on TV now and then, the show hasn't been anywhere near the quality of its glory days: Seasons 4 through 8. I figured that, while it was going to be great to see these characters I've known nearly all of my life grace the big screen at the local multiplex, I was ready for a bittersweet realization that they should have done this film years ago.

My concerns melted away like rich creamery butter (mmmm...butter) just moments into the flick. The writers have managed to bring back the former charm of the series, pelting the audience with rapid-fire gags and one-liners. It's far more consistent than, say, other toon-to-film transitions such as South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut.

A plot summary is useless for a movie like this, so I'll just let you know that Homer does something incredibly stupid and puts the entire town in danger. It's up to him, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie to set things right. That's the basic framework, and all you really need to know at this point.

You'll see your favorite supporting characters, with memorable contributions from Ralph Wiggum, Mr. Burns, Otto, Comic Book Guy, Kent Brockman and countless others. There's a new villain from the Environmental Protection Agency voiced by series favorite Albert Brooks, who played Hank Scorpio in the episode "You Only Move Twice." He's basically "Scorpio Lite" here, but he's a good villain with some choice dialogue.

While some choice moments have been shown in commercials and trailers, such as "Spider-Pig" and Bart's nude skateboarding, but rest assured: there are plenty of surprises. The film takes advantage of its PG-13 rating, I'll say that much.

There's really no reason not to love The Simpsons Movie. Chances are, you've seen and like the show, and if you haven't: what's it like living under that boulder? Should I say it? I'll say it. Best. Movie. Of. The. Summer.

Beer and Donuts...Together At Last!

It's safe to say that anticipation for The Simpsons Movie, coming to theaters on July 27th, is at a fever pitch. 11 7-Eleven stores across the country have been converted to Kwik-E-Marts, Vermont has been named the official Springfield to premiere the film, and now Ben & Jerry's have announced a special ice cream flavor to celebrate everyone's favorite fat yellow, loveable oaf, Homer Simpson.

For one day only, residents of Springfield, VT can treat themselves to "Duff & D'oh-Nuts," which will combine the tastes of chocolate donuts, and, well, beer. Unfortunately, this match made in ice cream Heaven will never be available again, so you're going to have to make that trek to New England if you want a taste of Simpsons history.

After spending much of yesterday watching old episodes on DVD, Friday can't come fast enough. See how excited I am in the above pic?

759 pages and two nights later...

...and I've just completed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You won't find any spoilers here, since half the fun of the series is finding out what happens next, but I will say this: You won't be disappointed. For readers that have stuck with the series since the beginning, this seventh book is a fitting, bittersweet end to the Harry Potter story. It's also the best in the series.

Maybe it's because each book matures along with the characters, maybe it's because J.K. Rowling has grown as a writer, but Deathly Hallows has the most gripping narrative of any of the books, with a great deal more action and twists and turns that will make you rethink just about every plot point in every previous book. Not to mention the fact that it's dark as hell, with major characters getting killed off or maimed left and right. Again, I won't spoil a thing.

The final chapters were reminiscent of the final scenes in other fantasy epics: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Return of the Jedi immediately come to mind. Mark my words: it's gonna make for a fantastic movie.

My one gripe? At one point in the book, the plot devolves into Harry, Ron and Hermione tracking down two possible groups of magical objects. That's too many MacGuffins. Of course, the dual quests for Horcruxes and Deathly Hallows resolves itself in the end, but it overcomplicated the plot a bit, and the fact that it takes a whole chapter toward the end of the book to explain all the connections was kind of a letdown.

With two more movies to come, Potter-mania shows no signs of slowing down. And for someone who came into the series pretty late in the game, I'm glad that I got the chance to catch up on what I missed and see it through to the end. It's hard to ignore a phenomenon that's introduced so many children to reading, while at the same time has reintroduced so many adults to a world of childlike wonderment that is often, although we hate to admit it, quite difficult to find these days.