The Simpsons Movie: The long-awaited film review

(Warning: slight spoilers forthcoming. Do not read if you have yet to see the flick. Read on though if you don’t care.)

The Simpsons have played a significant part of my television watching for a majority of the 19 years it has been on the air. I am known amongst my friends as an expert on the subject and for a period of my life, I received something Simpsons-related every year for Christmas from my friends including a Simpsons chess set, Simpsons dominos, and Simpsons legos.

As with many other things in life, my passion for the program waned and Sunday nights at 8pm are no longer earmarked for watching FOX. Maybe the writing has fallen off, or every plot angle has been retread, or Homer is way too dumb now, or maybe I just simply outgrew it (doubtful), but when I heard that a Simpsons movie was coming out, I was less than enthused.

As many of you know, aside from being a super fan of the show, I am often privy to inside information of the inner workings of the program thanks to one of my closest associates who happens to be a character/layout artist on the program. (The description of my pal is a bit cryptic as he told me that drawing himself or friends into a scene is potential grounds for dismissal, but if you watch Season 13, the “Weekend at Burnsie's” episode closely, you may see your favorite blogger make a cameo or two, so there’s that. I also own a valuable piece of Simpsons artwork, which is only for insiders and is by far the most valuable piece of art I own. Although admittedly the most treasured item on my wall is still my mini-UCLA banner commemorating the 1995 basketball championship. But I digress. )

Thanks to this confidante, I have been able to discuss the process leading up to film release, hear some plot points, and understand better the inner bureaucracy of a show that still is under Rupert Murdoch’s evil clutches. Based on this information, I still felt that a movie based on life in Springfield would be less than enjoyable. I thought that the only way the movie would work would be if the film was simply four episodes, maybe intertwining stories ala Babel or Crash or something, but when I learned of the actual plot, all I could think was that this was going to be a disaster.

Then the hype machine began. Everywhere you looked there were Simpsons movie posters, commercials, magazine articles, internet buzz, and of course the 7-11 stores converted into Kwik-E-Marts. Rather than turning me off, all of this hype increased my excitement for the film and I dropped any sort of weird moral opposition to the movie and embraced it fully. As mentioned earlier, the Simpsons have played a significant part in my pop culture life and I think the show can also be credited with developing whatever comedic spirit I currently have (or don’t have, you be the judge I suppose). In fact, more than anything I slowly began to realize that one of my closest friends is working on a highly anticipated summer blockbuster, and I needed and wanted to support it on opening weekend. We actually had a phone conversation the day before the opening Friday as we tried to predict box office numbers, we both agreed that it would not eclipse Aquaman, but should land ahead of Medellin. (Entourage reference for those not in the know.) $80 million was my prediction.

Making things even more interesting was the fact that I was going to be in Kauai during opening weekend with Natalia and my family, making it difficult to know whether the movie would even be playing anywhere on the island. Fortunately it was and my two cousins, cousin-in-law, the chica, and I were able to catch an opening night showing. One last thing before I give my actual thoughts of the flick. I’m glad we went to an 8:30 Friday night showing. This gave us a chance to see what being a teenager living on Kauai was all about since every kid on the island seemed to be in the theater. I guess they’re just like any other American teenage group, but more mellow. It must be the absolute gorgeous vistas that they deal with every day. Also, we realized that taking a date to a movie in Kauai is still completely affordable. The tickets were $8. Popcorn was $2.50, and candy was $1. You can actually bring a date to a movie and get all the fixin’s for less than $20. That alone gives me reason to move there. Well, that and the aforementioned vistas.

So the movie. I left the theater thinking that the Simpsons movie was probably as good as it possibly could have been. The overall story was kind of lame (but they usually are), but the interactions and side vignettes were very strong (which they usually are as well). I also thought that it looked amazing. There was way more attention to shadows and depth and even more unique camera perspectives than is usually incorporated on the t.v. side, which gave it a strong cinematic feel, unlike say the South Park movie which was visually, just like watching the show on a super large television screen.

There were a handful of laugh out-loud moments including the Bart nude scene, Homer flipping off all of Springfield, and Moe yelling at Green Day. All memorable and hilarious. I thought they did a good job of incorporating a number of the plethora of side characters into the movie as possible, although I did wake up the next morning and came with a list of significant characters that surprisingly did not get enough air time or any at all. The list includes: Principal Skinner, Superintendent Chalmers, Patty and Selma, and Disco Stu. A quick shout out somehow to Troy McClure would have been nice as well. (DVD extras, perhaps?) But again, I do like that a majority of the film was dedicated to the five Simpsons that we have all grown to know and love. I have yet to gauge the pulse of other folks who have seen it, but our party of five seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

Also, I was glad to learn that it landed atop the box office, proving its relevance with the American public and making the whole endeavor worthwhile in my opinion. The final numbers were in the $72 million ballpark, which is great. Until this week, when Bratz makes $73 million and I will again be forced to think that our world is crumbling at an alarming rate.

Island Hopping

I just got back from Beijing this past Saturday and today I'm headed off to Kauai for a week's vacation with family and Natalia. Super stoked about it.

I've been dealing with major league jet lag since I've returned, so hopefully I can catch some zz's on the flight over. It will be much easier to sleep if they are showing the flicks, Music and Lyrics and Catch and Release. They showed these movies on both legs of the China journey and nothing cures insomnia like Drew Barrymore's tired act of playing the ditsy but "charming" urban dweller, who struggles to fall in love, but eventually finds it where she least expects it. The peak of her career was as a drunk 5 year old in E.T.

The blog will not be updated while I'm in Hawaii. I decided to leave the laptop at home. Until then, enjoy this great series of webisodes that I enjoy. http://www.clarkandmichael.com/

Its stars Michael Cera aka George Michael Bluth from Arrested Development. I enjoy it thoroughly.

Aloha!

More than A Game

Fortunately for me, my last few international trips have coincided with international soccer tournaments. Currently, the Asian Cup is in full swing and the games have helped me get through some jet-lagged evenings. What is interesting about these games is that the countries featured are definitely not your traditional soccer powerhouses. Korea and Japan are among the better squads, but its great to watch games featuring Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Qatar. (Alas, the Philippines is not represented. I guess if its not boxing or billiards, there is no chance for them to compete. If there were a text messaging competition, the Filipinos would dominate.)

The other night I watch Australia play Iraq while I was at the hotel gym. I was surprised that Iraq was even able to field a squad considering the obvious turmoil happening in their country. Even more surprising was that Iraq defeated Australia 3-1. This was the same Australian team that brought Italy to the brink of defeat in last summer’s World Cup.

I found myself rooting pretty hard for Iraq. For a nation in absolute disarray, I imagine that this game and tournament is one of the only galvanizing events for the country to rally around. I’m not sure how many folks are even able to watch the match, but I’m sure they knew about the result somehow and a tremendous sense of pride that has been stifled for so long came out.

This is definitely one of my favorite things about soccer and these international tournaments. Whatever political, economic, or social disruptions are occurring in their home nation, all is equal on the field. If only for a couple of hours, or even just a few minutes, Iraqis had visible proof that their country had the ability to come together as a single unit and emerge victorious. I’m sure they were quickly returned to reality and the dangers of their daily life, but its gratifying to know that Iraq coverage on the international news included this victory and not simply a death toll or other negative story about the war.

Getting Artsy in Beijing

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day in Beijing’s 798 art district. If anyone’s been to Paris, it was reminiscent of St. Germain, with streets full of art galleries and artist workspaces. Guide books and local magazines call it the SoHo of Beijing and there is definitely a unique artist vibe happening there that is palpable. What was interesting about 798 is that it utilizes the space left in this area from old factories that once flourished there. It is a great concept and I feel a hidden gem for someone like me who has seen the more traditional sites that Beijing has to offer (Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square).

I am having problems uploading my pics to Flickr, so here is a brief sampling of a couple favorites.

(Update: 8/4/07- More pics can be seen here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youngkye/sets/72157600833917951/)

Lingo

So, it appears that accessing this blog while I'm here in Beijing has proven to be difficult. On the surface, it is almost impossible to recognize any differences between life here and in the West, but things often sneak up on you that quickly make your realize things don't quite work the same here as they do in the US (e.g. with regards to open accessibility of the web).

Anyways, wanted to give a brief update. I haven't done or seen much thus far, mostly due to jet lag, work, and the stifling heat. I have gone out to get my meals and was amazed by the proficiency of English in many of the places. For example, I picked up a Subway sandwich last night and was fortunate that the staff there spoke English. I can't imagine that making sandwiches at Subway in China holds any more esteen than it would at home, but it would appear that the job requirements for working here are much more rigorous with regards to language proficiency. Subway workers at home often barely speak English let alone two languages coherently. Maybe they fund language courses here in lieu of Jared advertisements.

Also, SpiderMan3 DVDs here are only in Chinese. bummer.

From the Bay to Beijing

I arrived here in Beijing on Monday night at about 7pm. Since then I've just checked into the hotel, caught up on email, and chilled.

I did go on a short walk though. The hotel, St. Regis, is located near the embassies so there is a ton of shopping and Western chains nearby including Sizzler and TGI Friday's. Nothing says Chinese food better than curly fries and mudslides. I doubt I'll try it.

The bright side of being close to the embassies is that the street vendors are nearby and dudes selling DVD's are always easily found. I picked up Spider-Man 3, Ratatouile, Shrek the Third, Letters of Iwo Jima, and Fantastic Four. All movies I would see for about $1, which is what they cost.

This is my third time here in the last 22 months, so I feel pretty comfortable rolling around, but the one thing I can never get used to is the absence of the term "personal space" or cordially waiting in line. This time the first intrusion began before I even got off the plane. I had a aisle seat, but somehow the 60-something couple sitting in the middle and window seats were able to get past me and off the plane before I did. It was like some shaolin magic trick or something. I gotta learn that one.

The Blog World Tour Continues

I'm packing my bags and hitting the road as the next blog chapters will be written from the city of Beijing, China. I will leave SF this Sunday and will be there for two weeks. Per usual, I will post my observations, stories, thoughts, etc. similarly to what I did during my last trip to Kabul.

This week is extremely busy as I'm in a wedding on 7/7/7 (no, not Eva Longoria and Tony Parker's) and have related festivities surrounding the event for most of the week. Therefore, I doubt I will post much if anything this week.

I'm bummed I'll be missing the All-Star game next Tuesday which will be played right here at AT&T Park. I don't have tickets, but I had a couple of strategies that would have gotten me into the ballpark for sure. Oh well. Maybe next time in 2030.