Original release date: July 27, 2007. A premiere was held in Springfield, Vermont on July 23.

Rating: PG-13

Length: 1 hour, 27 minutes

Background:

A little known animated show called “The Simpsons” spawned a movie. Crazy, right?

We’ve all heard of “The Simpsons.” With 31 seasons and counting since 1989, the yellow characters that debuted on a short on “The Tracy Ullman Show” have become icons. Matt Groening’s universe of characters (The Simpsons Cinematic Universe) have entertained billions across the world for decades while selling tons of merchandise, advertising Butterfingers, and causing controversy here and there.

After years of success and many attempts at writing a movie, “The Simpsons Movie” finally became a reality in 2007. A promotional blitz preceded it, most notably with several 7/11 stores being transformed into Kwik-E-Mart stores. Burger King, which had done several promotions in the past, had kids meal toys.

The movie debuted at #1, in the end bringing in over $527 million and becoming the second-highest grossing traditionally animated movie of all time (knocking “Aladdin” down to #3 but still $400 million behind “The Lion King” at #1).

It debuted to mostly good reviews and, while not receiving any huge award nominations (MTV Movie Awards do not count as a huge award, sorry), it found a place in pop culture just as the series it is based on had before.

Review:

I’ve been a fan of “The Simpsons” since the show started. I watched the first episode as it aired and kept the tradition alive more often than not up until I finally cut the cord a few years ago. Even then, I’d catch the new episode as soon as I could on Hulu. I’ve slacked in the last few seasons – I haven’t seen any of the last season yet – but the love is there.

I saw “The Simpsons Movie” on opening night in the theatre. Of course I did. It’s one of my favorite movies and one I watch, with joy, once a year or so. This review is biased.

The storyline of the movie is, coincidentally, similar to the Stephen King book “Under the Dome” (a great book with approximately five million pages that I’ve read the first half of three times). Let’s see if I can summarize it here.

Hijinks happen. Homer ends up with a pig, the beloved Spider-Pig. Homer stores the pig’s poop in a silo that pollutes the waters of Springfield.

EPA – the Environmental Protection Agency – not only come after Springfield but put the entire city under a dome, making the city “disappear.”

The family escapes through a sinkhole and travel to Alaska (“The Simpsons are going to Alaska!”). Homer and Marge face marital issues, something they’ve done roughly 85949383 times in the series, while Springfieldians fail to escape the dome.

Thanks to a Tom Hanks commercial, the Simpsons learn the government is planning a new Grand Canyon on the site of Springfield. The Simpsons head back to try to save the town, which… yes, they save it. The show is still around fifteen years later in Springfield.

The movie hits on all the great Simpsons notes. The humor is witty and funny, with clever lines hidden all over. The character work is great, with popular characters, even if reduced to a line or two, hitting their notes. Celebrity guest stars are present, including Green Day performing their version of the theme song and Tom Hanks as Tom Hanks.

“The Simpsons Movie” might be the most controversial movie to hit Disney+ this far. Besides Ned Flanders and the Flanders sons uttering the word “penis,” Bart’s animated member makes a five second appearance on screen, something surprisingly not censored on Disney+.

Extras:

“The Simpsons Movie Trailer” is a minute and is, yes, a trailer.

“Commentary” is a commentary track synced up with the entire movie featuring Matt Groening and the writers and team behind the movie. It’s fascinating.

“Deleted Scene: DMV” (44 seconds), “Deleted Scenes: Emperor Moe” (23 seconds), “Deleted Scene: Levels” (1 minute), “Deleted Scene: Sausage Truck” (36 seconds), and “Deleted Scene: Springfield News” (36 seconds) are all very short things cut out that don’t really add much.

“Deleted Scene: Slightly Alternate Ending” is 42 seconds and is worth a watch.

“Director’s Commentary” is a second full-length commentary featuring the directors of the film. Again, fascinating if you’re into behind the scenes looks.

“Extra: The Simpsons Judge American Idol” is 52 seconds is a fun dose of Fox synergy, as this aired as part of a cross promotion with fellow FOX show “American Idol” (now former FOX show and current ABC show). Simon Cowell, then a judge on the show, is the focus and does voiceovers.

Should you watch it?

Yes, watch it. It’s a fun, witty film that breezes by quickly while showcasing great animation. It helps to be a fan of the show, though you can walk in not knowing Homer Simpson and still enjoy it. Parental guidance is suggested due to language and Bart’s little Simpson appearing.

Original release date: March 6, 2020

Rating: G

Length: five minutes

Background:

When the gigantic megacompany that is Disney purchased 21st Century Fox in 2019, a lot of assets came with it. One that had everybody talking was the Mouse’s sudden ownership of “The Simpsons.”

Homer, Marge, and the gang all immediately became part of the Disney Universe. The movie and the many seasons of the show would be on Disney+ upon launch.

With the debut of Pixar’s “Onward” in 2020, Disney decided to do something a little different than the norm for Pixar releases. Most Pixar movies have a Pixar short before them when they run theatrically. “Onward” instead started off with Maggie Simpson.

Thanks to the coronavirus taking over the world shortly after the movie’s release, “Onward” and its theatrical run were cut very short as theaters across the world temporarily closed their doors. With that, both “Onward” and its Simpsons short came to Disney+ just a month after release.

Review:

The “Simpsons” team has always been clever with their pop culture references, and you get that immediately with the classic Mickey head silhouette… which turns into Homer with two donuts.

The short itself is very cute and packs a LOT into its short timespan. The colors of the Springfield world look vibrant and pop off the screen, from the yellow of the characters to the purple of the family car.

Maggie, the mostly speechless infant of the Simpsons clan, meets a boy at the playground. She falls for him quickly, and they have a lot of imaginative fun… then the boy’s mother picks him up.

Maggie goes through withdrawal, as young lovers do, and shows many comedic signs such as chugging her bottle like beer.

Thanks to Homer, she gets driven to a train track where the boy loads on a train… and she can’t catch him. He’s gone.

Except he isn’t because it is a circular track. Happy ending!

There’s a bonus Disney reference in the “Gracie Films” tag that follows the short as well.

Extras:

No extras for you.

Should you watch it?

Yes, watch it! “The Simpsons” actually worked well in this short format with no dialogue. I’d like to see more shorts like this. While some of the more recent episodes can be a struggle to get through, this flew by even faster than its five minute runtime promised.