Mark Kermode Reviews The Simpsons Movie

[chanceie12]

Murray got it spot on , just a really good long episode , which for me isnt a bad thing .

[lv4ev5]

Sorry Mark i thought the movie was crap a piece of liberal green tosh a bore fest spider pig was one of the few laughs.

[lordtufty]

Just watched South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut again. I forgot what a great film it is

[Kevtb87]

he only watched ONE EPISODE!!!??? whu......bu......HOW!!!! How is that possible!! The man's got taste. Why is he not a huge fan of what is arguably the best TV show ever made?

I've lost alot of respect for you Mark. You'd be best to quit your job so you have time to watch some good TV, instead of forcing yourself through every single (often rubbish) movie of the year.

The Simpsons movie was passable BTW. About a 6/10. Don't judge the show on the movie. It's a shadow of the glory days.

[orkavorn]

On a side note, after recently having watched the latest Futurama season I worry that it too may be dragged out for longer than it's worth after having been resurrected. It was enjoyable, but not laugh out loud funny. One recurring theme I got sick of was Bender worrying about his mortality (which had been done before), which seemed to happen in about three episodes. I didn't buy the continuation from the last film either, "Oh yeah, the wormhole...lead us straight back here" @@"

[orkavorn]

Of all the telly he hasn't watched (and I also rarely watch any) I can't believ he's never watched The SImpsons.

I almost feel compelled to buy the boxsets (yes - just the first 8 seasons! However I do remember liking 'The Joy of Sect' from season 9 and maybe some others...) and mail them to him.

Of the later seasons (and even this is probably about 10 years ago now lol) one funny exchange does stick in my head:

"Why did you think a big balloon would stop them?"

"Shut up, that's why!"

[Supasaiyanfrieza]

The spider pig joke was ruined when they put it in every damn trailer. The film was good the first time, but was terrible every other time.

[babycapone92]

I just wanna be pedantic and say it's Ralph in the 20th Century Fox sign... not Martin

[EpicWINNER1000]

This movie was overrated, and The Simpsons has sucked for awhile now. It's like a pizza, as one Simpsons site said: the first eight pizzas were well-made and aged like fine wine, the ninth was sort-of decent, and the next twelve...well, let's just say those delivery boys aren't trying anymore.

[gibboanx]

South Park movie is a far superior film to the simpsons movie.

[alanwakeish]

somebody should send some dvd boxsets of the simpsons to Dr K.

[morrossey]

I saw mark kermode in a bar in london.

*brushes shoulders*

[joecritch]

Get to the point quiffy.

[ec123456789able]

the simpsons stopped being good in 1998

[ec123456789able]

awful film

[jonny616]

Whoooah.

4:30 - Did the good doctor just ask for somebody else's opinion?!

;-)

[jimmymckooel]

as a fan of the simpsons, I found this very disappointing and not as funny as the series. It was a shame to see the simpsons stoop to dick jokes.

[Hyman74Roth]

I can agree with Mark its not as cinematic but its still funny.

[damselwithadulcimer]

Haha GREAT editing on the Transformers bit :D

[ogfunk187]

One episode????? shame on you mark!!! lol

[Bluehawk2008]

Old Simpsons episodes used to always take digs at Ren and Stimpy.

[wazukacooloongatta]

like seeing that complete edition of this movie from avatz ... net change ... to .

[GoinDownToJunkieTown]

what is kermode smoking to think south park bigger longer and uncut is anything but brilliant.

[GoinDownToJunkieTown]

kermode has just lost some credibility now that hes said hes only seen one episode of what is easily the greatest animated series ever made.

[CwlAsCat]

5:09 wasn't it Ralph in the 20th century fox logo, not martin?

[tobimontana69]

@CwlAsCat you're spot on, comic book guy ;)

[CwlAsCat]

@tobimontana69 Worst. Mistake. Everrr. ;-)

[Filmzie]

Colin Murray shut up and let the man speak.

[kumaraisin]

@Filmzie So agree with you, I hate that guy!

[Filmzie]

@kumaraisin

I love it when Mayo cuts him off and says something pithy. But Murray is a pain in the arse.

[coldasice90]

michael bay is a blithering hafwit

[soundslave]

The jokes were not clever enough. They were on par with current Simpsons writting (i.e. terrible). Matt Groening should have canned The Simpsons years ago.

[51yourtimeisup]

@soundslave couldn't agree more. after season 9 they should have called it a day, then Groening should have put all his energy into Futurama and making the simpsons movie better. if the Simpsons ended at season 9, it would've been remembered as the greatest cultural phenomenon since the beatles, not as the crap drivel which is currently loosing the battle against Family Guy.

[ogfunk187]

@51yourtimeisup yesyes before series 9= legendary!, after= average.

[tristessa56079]

They should have done the movie about 10 years ago when the show was at its peak. The Simpsons Movie, while watchable, is in no way the work of genius that critics claim it to be. In addition to being relatively laugh free, the movie suffers from the fact that the writers have exhausted almost EVERY joke and plot device known to man (South Park satirised this perfectly in the episode 'The Simpsons Already Did It).

[SamHain1031666]

The Simpsons used to be the best show on tv but both the show today and the movie are awful. The series stories dont make sense anymore and that carries with the movie, thumbs down for me, boring

[ekmad]

The Simpsons Movie was diabolical!

[lizardkingsajrs]

did he say that the simpsons movie is better than the south park movie. Mr Kermode u fool

[TheHappydead]

Futurama is much better

[TheHappydead]

the simpsons was great its lost its way recently but the simpson movie is pretty rubbish, the big laugh is 'spider pig' groening and crew have lost there way they started it but theyve been outdone by family guy, south park , life and times of tim, monkey dust are all far better. credit to the simpsons for starting it but its been out classed by its more recent peers and the movie is crap but so's the south parks movie

[SLX10]

Hmmm, sort of a shame that Mark Kermode has only seen one episode. the film was alright, but the early series' of the Simpsons were very, very good, jjustbrilliant and real and smart. Nowadays, drivvel and the film was sort of a mixture of the 2. But the film worked you know.

[Aizen9]

Simpsons sucks now because,

Whenever there's a slightly emotional scene, they blow it way out of proportion for too long.

Too many episodes focused on Bart & Lisa, when are the writers going to get that Lisa is not funny.

Cringe worth writing, for example, a joke in a recent episode where they were making a subtle Gollum joke, and then Homer suddenly went "MY PRECIOOUUSSS", it was so over the top and such an old joke.

Futurama has always been a better show, even when the simpsons was good.

[KuroiVodou]

@Aizen9 Even with the new Futurama episodes?

[SuperYellow1989]

hes only ever seen 1 simpsons episode!? Thats so weird, is that even possible? Its replayed literally every single day on tv.

[natmanprime]

the movie

was

rubbish

end

of

[BigBoss7777777]

This review is absolutely worthless if he never watched the show in its prime.

[rw100]

@BigBoss7777777 - Not true - he isn't reviewing the show in its prime, or The Simpsons as a whole, just the movie. In a way, it's better that he hasn't seen much of the TV show - he can comment on whether the movie stands up on its own.

[Howler15]

i agree its too long maybe a hour special maybe

[fitzy098]

The Simpsons, remains the most accurate and subversive depiction of American culture. Its relevance in pop culture is of the highest order. The general misconception of the series is that because its animated it negates adult oriented material, but up until 1999 when it became a comfortable parody of the subjects it satirized, The Simpsons reflected the social and political strains of America so accurately it was astonishing.

[EllSiefilms]

he's a decent critic is kermode, sometimes i think "you're fucking wrong" but when i think about it, i think actually yeah he's right tarantino is fucking around and should use his obvious talent to do more stuff like "reservoir dogs" "pulp fiction" and "jackie brown" and he's right here too. put him on the bbc's film program.

[jammiedodger]

See I enjoyed the movie because it made me care again. The seen where Marge tells Homer it's over was heartbreaking. It's those real moments that have been missing for the last 10 years

[RobohX360]

Season 7 was the show's peak. 8 and 9 were still good, but a little bit of a drop in quality. 10 was ok but you can see it beginning to get stale. 11 was the first bad season with the first "Jump The Shark" episodes e.g. the one where they train a horse to race, the one where Maude Flanders is killed at a Nascar race or something and the one where they kill a celebrity alligator. Those episodes first aired 10 years ago and the show is still going!

[Oscar301]

all in all, seems fair enough

[PomBare]

I feel disappointed that Kermode's introduction to The Simpsons is current Simpsons, he likes this awful film, but I'd really like to stress to Kermode that this really pales into comparison next to earlier Simpsons

[etocadet]

People insult the simpsons movie endlessly and i have to admit if u go in expecting the most ground breakingly funny comedy u wont get, what u get is a 90 minute cartoon with above average jokes (ull laugh but it wont cause pain) but it keeps it up through out the movie and doesnt get boring or too serious unlike alot of comedy films i saw it on film4 last night and kermode is right it isnt a cinema experience i found it alot funnier the second time round

[hkrogers]

@PomBare it's not an awful movie yes the 2009 and up seasons are terrible but 2007 still wasn't that bad of a year for the simpsons it wasn't tell around 2008 was when they started going down hill.....

[trooperJac]

I agree Route19 - the early series are classics. Even the 1st and 2nd season were great but they really came into their own from series 3 to about 8-9 imo.

It is quite sad to see the forced humour of the later series and I haven't really seen episodes from season 15 on. They really should stop it now and let it's take its place in the annals of TV gold.

[TheRoute19]

Series 4-8 are the best series of any comedy, animated or not. Every show was packed with humour, wit and warmth. To see how shit the new episodes are is just sad. Smug guest stars and plots that make no sense and plots that degrade the characters we know and love. It should have ended many years ago.

[PomBare]

It warms me to see that other people recognise it's decline. Seriously, some people don't know what the problem is. The new episodes are soulless

[GodOfPlague]

@PomBare I don't know I enjoy the new and old stuff, All the seasons for me have been hit or miss. Some episodes have been awesome some not so good. But so far each season has offered me something to like. The movie I found great.

[Fallon144]

@TheRoute19 I agree with you for about 90%. I truly like the pre s4 seasons as well.

[shinypokefan]

haha i loved the movie its hularious also love the tv show

[sauron1984]

If the Good Doctor found this film funny, I'd probably worry about his kidneys falling out if he watched anything from series 1-8.

[rogercheese]

2-8, although it's 3 where it really gets going for me. The first series is poor. And I haven't even checked if 8 is right.

[Regenmacher175]

I like the Simpsons in the context of every episode. I have no reservations and I enjoy all episodes but it's not more than having something funny to laugh about and see how sometimes very serious issues are addressed by these cartoon characters. I still think that the show must go on. there is still some good material out there that can be parodied :).

[ginkgonk122]

Seasons 1-8 are incredible, animated genious. About 9-12 are still pretty good, but a lossing it. After which its pretty meh.

[jazz4]

It went stale because matt groening left to do Futurama, Mike Judge who did King of the Hill used to write for it as well apparently. The simpsons have been terrible for ages, it used to be really cleverly funny.

[simpsonsfan0]

I disagree

[Pierce1991]

seasons 1 - 7 are decent. crap since then. movie useless

[AES90210]

couldnt be more of a sheep... they didnt suck till season 16... and since then only 40% suck

[Pierce1991]

I used to believe that myself. I had a mate who always said it hasn't been good in about 10 seasons and I used to say he was exaggerating. I bet him 5 euro I could find a good episode from the past 10 seasons and I really couldnt. Throughout the past 10 years, the characters have become predictable and in some cases just plain annoying. When the show started Bart was pretty much the main character and everything Homer did was hilarious. Now however the writers focus only on Homer and its boring.

[AES90210]

I have HONESTLY been watching since day one. Then I stopped after Season 3 I guess at age 13yrs old I just lost track of things on TV. I bought every DVD Season as it came out. I then started watching every single on on TV on FOX repeats.

There is only about 1 out of 9 I don't care for. This is all just opinion but i think I have a good idea on whats good and what isnt. I have a good track record.

[Pierce1991]

Well, I was 1 when the show started to be fair but I have seen every other episode. I'm not saying I hate the simpsons (although i do hate the film) but I think its has gone so far downhill it would do the show better justice if they finished it now. If they keep on going and dont improve then the show will be remembered in a negative way I think, which would be disappointing.

[ijustdiditforthelulz]

I'd say seasons 1-2 are decent, and seasons 3-7 are absolutely amazingly, easily some of the best comedy/animation ever seen. Seasons 8-10 aren't that bad, still a good few episodes. Then seasons 11 to now have just been getting worse.

If you look at the old episodes the plots were barely existent, remember Lisa getting braces? Now they have far out plots where the dog joins the police or some shit... Each week they have a guest celebrity and instead of character based jokes they have gags.

[EpicWINNER1000]

@ijustdiditforthelulz You own. I agree. Seasons 11-12 and 17-22 are the worst seasons of the show and the former should NOT be considered "classic" like everyone says nowadays.

[xdirtyburtyx]

lol ren and stimpey gets a mention

[Treblaine]

I didn't like the movie because the jokes were no were near as fresh as even the TV series. For example, when the Simpsons are on the run and they see a wanted poster with their picture on it, I think it was Bart drew moustache glasses and silly stuff on the picture.

That is almost a complete carbon copy of a scene from the little known Leslie Nielsen spoof "Wrongfully Accused" that was actually far funnier.

So many of the other jokes seem like they have been done before and done better.

[lightsanime]

I'm a fan of the old simpsons seasons 1-6 from a time when comedy was witty, intelligent and made sense whereas today the simpsons has turned into a gagfest of retarded pussiness!

The movie sucked so bad and why, WHY is Homer such a pussy crybaby? Why can't he be that old Homer that would get pissed more easily, watching a man act like a pussy is not funny and makes him look gay.

[midgetgirl5]

i loved the simpsons movie i laugh the whole way through. you shoud check out the newer episode they actually have gotten better!!!

[lightsanime]

People have told me that

a- about seasons 14, 15 and up

b- about the movie

now the newer episodes? Can I really afford to waste a second of my life? Sorry , but whenever someone tells me to watch the newer ones, it's usually the guys who like FORGOT the ORIGINALS. So unless I know you're like those people, I guess I will give it a try.

[midgetgirl5]

trust me i have not forgot about the originals. i have got seasons 1 through 10 on dvd. i have seen every simpson episode on a simpsons website that i know about. so i am still a huge fan, but all i can say about the newer episodes is trust me they are good!!!

[Sambaleaf]

Hey man i agree with you! the characters and the writing seem alot more diluted now dont you think?

[RockBottomRiser21]

I reckon Kermode would love The Wire. Who's with me?

[hanshotfirst1138]

I've never watched that, but I've heard great things about it.

[FranBMan]

The Simpsons movie is the best thing they've done in about ten years. But not even close to being as good as a mid-nineties episode. I honestly think the South Park movie is funnier and more cinematic.

[TulseLuper]

The Simpsons Movie is like a great episode from the late '90s stretched out to an hour and a half. Not great but still rather amusing. It's twice as good as any episode they've done since 2000 though.

[verbaluk1]

I wholeheartedly agree; it's good, but still a little disappointing simply because of how good The Simpsons has been in the past.

On an at most vaguely related personal note, Mark mentioned The West Wing twice in this clip, and having watched all 7 series over the last couple of months, I have to say it's possibly the best drama I've ever watched. I've seen Lost, X-files, Sopranos, the Wire etc and it (at least the first 4 series or so) still rises above them.

[RobohX360]

The last time The Simpsons was actually funny was probably 2001 or 2002.

And yes he has definately missed out on Curb. Larry is a genious.

[EpicWINNER1000]

@RobohX360 No it wasn't. Panda rape and elf jockeys, yeah.... Not very humorous. 1997 was in my opinion the last good year because it was when bullshit like Homer and cartoon clown Mr. Burns go the Cuba, Homer gets raped by a panda, and every episodes started focusing on frat boy Homer's WACKY ADVENTURES TO APPELA TO KIDDIES.

[smithhedgehog]

its possibly one of the worst films ever made!!!...and yet the series, clearly not.

[juniorj178]

"blithering halfwit"

[xdirtyburtyx]

wonder why he doesnt watch tv? the simpsons is a classic i could quote entire episodes, he missed out on the office, curb your enthusiasm etc.. what a tit ;)

[crisatunity]

I like Kermodes reviews, but yeah you've mentioned two excellent comedy programmes that he's missing out on. The Office is quite a bit better than Extras in my opinion.

[crisatunity]

I couldn't help but compare the movie to my favourite episodes and it didn't even come close to the likes of Frank Grimes episode, the stone cutters, marges fear of flying, the springfield files and quite a few more. The film did have occasional moments of class, but overall I was disappointed.

[xdirtyburtyx]

yeah the simpsons is nowhere near as good as it was for the first 10 or so series it was the funniest and best written shows ever on tv, and a part of me kinda wishes theyd stopped there, i could of bought the whole dvd collection and it would of been remembered as the greatest show ever, i undersatnd things need to change and the new episodes and the movie has its movie..but..

[wigster1978a]

Batmangreen - completely agree.

I'm a big fan of the good doctor, but can't agree with this review when he starts talking about the South Park movie, which for me worked on every level.

[samsunghy]

the film may be aimed at kids but critics still need to do their jobs. By the way simpsons isn't a kids movie.

[batmangreen]

I hate television a lot in general too, but Kermode should watch The Wire, because each episode is like a new movie, and it progresses the storyline unlike most other television shows.

Other than HBO shows, yeah Television does suck.

[dowling1981]

Did you like the film?

[Scrabble31]

The simpsons is not aimed solely at children. The joy of the simpsons is that anyone can enjoy it and the majority of the jokes you won't get until you're an adult. The simpsons hasn't been good for years. When it is was good it out of this worldly phenomenal. In my opinion the film was utterly embarrasing and light years away from when they were good, on a sidenote

[unrest655321]

I'd be inclined to agree with you there. I think they should have axed the Simpsons a while ago. If it was British they would have. American TV tends to flog a show to death and then flog it a bit more — especially comedy shows. The characters become exaggerated versions of their idiosyncrasies which is what the Simpsons has become and not why it was so brilliant in the early days.

[midgetgirl5]

no keep the simpson alive forever!!!

[tehmode]

It's not aimed at children and neither was the series.

[dowling1981]

Marge's sisters Patty and Selma didn't make an appearance in that movie, I noticed

[project404]

I what sense?

[unrest655321]

If there's one thing Mark Kermode is not, it's ignorant. His knowledge of culture and cultural theory is so vast.

[jackstypewriter]

TV and film are not genres, they are mediums.

[adamvanky]

Media...

[davidburch]

Media is the plural, medium is the singular.

[jackstypewriter]

"Its not what the cinema is there for"

Who died and made Mark Kermode king?

[Experimentalfilms123]

Mark Kermode is a very smart man. He knows when he sees a good film. I agree with him about Transformers. But then again, every one has an opinion.

[ShadowladyBOY]

I like how when Mark said "Blithering Half-wit" at the end, Michael Bay's name flashed on the screen. lol

After thinking about it, Transfomers is a bit of a mindless film. But Michael Bay was never really good at developing characters and storyarchs in his movies.

[ScarranHalfBreed]

This guy didn't like the South Park movie? He obviously holds a taste that I can't relate to, therefore rendering his opinions useless.

[YoungNintendoGamer]

He's say's Martin inside the 20th Centuary Fox logo but it was Ralph in it.

[jjchipol]

It is amazing how blank Mark is about Television, especially in a media, television based world, but a good review of the simpsons movie. Because he was blank about it, he had nothing else to compare it to, so he can see it for what it is.

[vivace119]

I know he's not exactly a avid tv fan but I'm sure that he'd appreciate something like 24.

[unrest655321]

There was an interesting thing in the Guardian not too long ago where they made him sit and watch lots of TV boxsets. He got on quite well with a lot of it. I'm not sure he'd like 24 though. I think he'd find it a bit ridiculous. I'd guess he'd be more of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer man.