A familiar family in a somewhat unfamiliar place...

Can you believe The Simpsons have been on television for over 18 years? It's hard to imagine that we've been enjoying the antics of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie for over half of my lifetime. What started out as a filler in between skits on The Tracy Ullman Show is now a national icon that has managed to become one of the most irreverant satires on American families, religion, values, and pop culture. So it's amazing to think that it took the suits at 20th Century Fox this long to make The Simpsons Movie a reality.

Now I'm more of a casual fan of The Simpsons. Unlike some here in the Gang, I caught an episode here and there, but I never watched it religiously enough to be able to quote too many lines from the show or to be able to tell you what Bart had to write on the chalkboard that week. As funny as the show always ended up being, it was still a cartoon with self-contained episodes with no real continuity, and perhaps this aspect of the show is why it never caught on into my "can't miss" television viewing. That being said, I was still looking forward to seeing The Simpsons Movie, which I did this weekend.

And the result of this translation to the silver screen? Actually, it felt like a really good episode of The Simpsons on TV. Maybe a little grander. Maybe a little more freedom to stretch their creativity in this medium (and with a PG-13 rating that means a little brief nudity and a bong). But otherwise, I kind of felt at home. About the only thing missing was my couch. The basic premise of the film involves the local lake that has become a waste dump for the community that is so toxic that the U.S. government (led by the Director of the EPA pulling the strings for President Arnold Schwarzenegger) orders the city to be isolated and quarantined. Just like an episode from the television series, Homer has a hand in creating the whole mess, forcing the Simpsons to flee to Alaska. Meanwhile, the EPA concocts even more devastating plans for the town of Springfield, and, of course, Homer must save the day in the end.

For any Simpsons fan, I don't think the movie disappoints at all. Just about every memorable character from the television show makes an appearance (including my favorite, Comic Book Guy). There's plenty of laughs throughout the movie, and a little bit of heart with Bart coming to terms with the fact that his dad isn't perfect and Homer realizing what it is to do the right thing. And to complete the full feeling of the TV series, they even throw in a couple of celebrity cameos.

But, unfortunately, that may be the biggest flaw of this movie. It almost felt too familiar. As I said before, I'm just a casual fan, not a fanatic. I enjoy The Simpsons when I catch it on TV, but it's never been one of those shows for me that I keep thinking about weeks and months after I've seen an episode. So I left the theater feeling the same way--like I was well amused for the entire hour and a half running time and that I got my money's worth. However, I can't say I'll be thinking about this movie for years and years to come.