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The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Wait for the DVD (minor Spoiler)
It was always hard to do this, to translate one of the most successful TV shows of all time into what is frankly a very different medium. Cinema deals with the grand, things that aren't real life. The reason cinemas aren't totally defunct in a time when we can get the same image quality on our TV screens at home (besides being cheaper) is that sitting in front of a massive screen with amazing surround sound is a different experience entirely, no matter how big your television.
Who remembers the Simpsons at their best? The fact is that The Simpsons when it was good, was good because it poked fun at those small ridiculous things that made up our messed-up western society. Now we can see the writers scraping the barrel, looking for increasingly cheap laughs, just to make that extra dollar. The Simpsons name is now being milked dry, the longer they go on the further tarnished the legacy of what was once the greatest show ever will be left.
This movie, however, attempts to deal with grand events, and partially succeeds. The old story of an ordinary person (usually a guy) coming good and saving the day is a staple of Hollywood cinema. Also is the idea of a superficial plot designed to carry the main content of the film (for a good example of this, See the Jason Bourne series) and this tactic is excusable if justified by the content, but the jokes in The Simpsons simply do not cut it. The flimsy plot shows it's flaws garishly. perhaps the most annoying for me is that, having been kicked out of their hometown, the family deports to Alaska. Then immediately come back. I genuinely feel that this was simply so they could port the funniest joke of them all into the film easily (see the trailer - the huskies gag).
It's true that there are some really funny gags in this film, and it avoids being over-long. What is also true, though, is that the next day I watched a half-hour episode of the show around its peak, where the family visits Itchy and Scratchy land. Everyone, including me, has been to one of those absurd places and it is in this sense that the Simpsons shine most brightly.
Overall, it was shallow, and felt like a series of skits instead of a coherent whole. Get it on DVD rental, it doesn't seem worth a repeat viewing. Plus, Mr. Burns wasn't the villain. I could go on. 2/5
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Can't see the forest for the trees.
One feature which characterised the original trilogy of Star Wars films was it's economy. They were all made on relatively low-budgets and, in episode four's case, a short space of time. This economy is also part of the action of the films themselves: They are marked by their constant action and a refusal to get mixed up in anything they don't need. The wealth of mythology that has since been created for the Star Wars universe is minimal, making the films easily accessible to non-nerds and very easy and a great pleasure to watch. At some point, George Lucas began to lose his spark. The shadow of this is seen in Return of the Jedi. From the no-frills adventure of New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas starts indulging - particularly in pointless, cutsey teddy bears. It is at this point we hesitate to suspend our disbelief. This brings me to Revenge of the Sith. My biggest problem with RotS is Lucas' sense of humour. It is horrible. He can extend himself no further than ridiculous banter between cartoonish robots. This is a jarring and incongruous element prevalent in the prequel trilogy that ruins the experience. This could have quite easily been removed, and I cringe to imagine what HAS been left on the cutting room floor. In the original trilogy, the characterisation is reduced to a few simple archetypes - which Lucas can do. In the new films, however, his biggest mistake in these terms is trying to show the human side of his characters. the shaky dialogue and awful acting is indicative of his limitations as a director. Ah, yes, the acting. I feel I must blame the director for this. Respected stars of serious films such as Ewan McGregor are simply awful. An action film does not demand humans. Sci-Fi is all about escapism, and we want full-on heroes, not normal folks in films. Star Wars gets a very generous rating from me thanks to it's excellent special effects and graphics.
5 out of ten.
Little Britain (2003)
Very good, but with little lasting power.
Perhaps if Little Britain had not permeated popular culture so much by it's success, it would have slightly greater lasting power. What I mean by this is that it has so many memorable sound-bites and catchphrases, that hearing "Eh Eh Eeeeeh!" repeated over and over again by Little Britain's many fans, really becomes quite grating. I feel many of the show's best sketches are overlooked in the face of more simplistic ones. For instance, Lou and Andy is the most visual, but also one of the least original and most likely to wear out, while the least exposed are more original ones like Des Kay. I feel Walliams and Lucas' talents are in recycling the same gag, but through comic detailing, making it funny every time. No matter how well done, however, I feel this cannot last very long. Little Britain may of may not be remembered as a great comic classic, but time will tell.
Beat the Nation (2004)
Best quiz ever
This is one of the most original quiz shows i have ever seen. Points are awarded on the percentage of the public got a question wrong, so the points awarded are truly fair. Played with the light humor offered by Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme garden, it isn't as heavy (or as dated) as those like the weakest link or who wants to be a millionaire? Also, it's very interesting to see how clever Britain's public actually is. It's just a shame that channel four's schedulers have decided to put it on when only the unemployed and those on study leave can see it. The last round is particularly good. The first question is one which 90 to 100% got right, the second 80-90 and so on. If you don't get it right, they carry on from the same set until you get one right.