D'ohn't believe the hype

IT'S NOT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

Yes, the film 18 years in the making (except not really 18 years in the making) has arrived, and it's quite good.
I remember the makers of the show (or one of them, anyway) saying that if they made a film, it would have to end the entire series, and bring closure to all of the characters and threads. That guy got fired or something, as this definitely isn't what they've done here. A lot of the minor characters are ignored or only given a few lines, and very few reach the conclusions that they've been trying for through the years. The reason for this, really, is that there are just too many characters. Putting them all into a film makes you realise just how big The Simpsons is. At one point, the camera shoots forward through a massive torch-bearing crowd, and you realise that you can name almost every character seen in the shot; that's a testament to the show's power.

The film is essentially a very long episode, albeit with grander ambitions and more nuanced character arcs. I might normally respond negatively to this kind of thing (like with the Family Guy "movie"), but it really worked here. It deflates a lot of the hype surrounding the film, which is a good thing, as it just reminds you why The Simpsons is so good: the brilliant writing. There are very few fancy animation tricks, and a low celebrity cameo count; the writers have been wise to stick to a formula that has given them an unequalled amount of success. It makes you glad they've waited so long to make a film; this only works because we know the characters inside out.

Above all else, this film is funny. Very funny. Like, classic Simpsons funny. There's broad social satire, OTT slapstick and a soon-to-be-classic nude skateboarding scene. Yes, some of the jokes don't quite hit, and some are stolen from previous episodes or even other films, but the humour ultimately undermines any sentimentality or plot. A sequel will very likely be on the way, hopefully with Mr. Burns as the antagonist this time. Come on. Look at him. Please?

So, the biggest TV show ever and definitely not the biggest film ever. Because, really, it would just be too long a film.

Also, giving Homer a pig was a stroke of genius. Whoever thought of that should get knighted.

Ruin your fun.

I love YouTube. You love YouTube. We all love YouTube. It's a great thing. It just is.
It's a dream come true for many, many people, myself included. Countless clips, of every sort, at your fingertips, with no need to download or wait very long.
Aah.

However.
I'm also worried about the other effects of YouTube. I have been spending a fair amount of time on there, both discovering new things and re-discovering my apparent love for musicals. In this time, there has been a dramatic drop in the number of actual feature films I've watched. It's not like I'm without them - there are always DVDs that I haven't watched, or at least special features. Lately, though, I can barely manage an hour-long feature. I suspect that the favourite-bit mentality of YouTube has affected my attention span, so when faced with the choice of Barry Lyndon or that trippy bit from 2001, I opt for whatever's shorter.

Now, I don't want to stop using YouTube. As I said before, it's very, very good. I HAVE been a bit busy lately, but I'm always a bit busy. It probably also has something to do with the closure of Cinephilia and a general reluctance to spend money. As good as YouTube is, though, I think it's a definite danger that we could just end up watching all of our favourite bits over and over again, instead of looking for anything new at all.

SoulSonicCinema #3

Last night was SoulSonicCinema's third night of retro film fun, at the Rainbow pub in Digbeth. Although armchairs and sofas weren't provided as promised, it was free and friendly. After a DJ set, playing soundtracks from exploitation hits such as Cleopatra Jones and The Thing With Two Heads, we were treated to a selection of trashy 70s trailers, including the decidedly monotonous Massacre: Mafia Style :-



I know what you're thinking. Why are John Candy and Bruce Forsyth shooting up the Rotunda? It's best not to ask.
This was followed by an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show - this show is great. Way ahead of its time and absolutely hilarious. The dialogue is minimal, and often non-sensical, so the animation can have a free range that delves to a worrying extent into the psychosis of the characters. Some people have described it as being 'too gross', but...well, yeah, okay, if you don't like cartoon violence then you'll find it too gross. Really, though, it's no worse than Itchy and Scratchy. Just drawn better.
After this was the main feature - Point Blank, starring Lee Marvin.


I was actually surprised by this film - given the trashy nature of everything else, this was damn good. It captured that specialist fashion and visual flair that could only have belonged to 1960s LA.
Marvin stars as Walker, a thief who gets double-crossed and left for dead. Then he returns, a dead man walking, looking for his money, and vengeance on those who pulled the strings...
It was very stylish and sexy, and refreshingly free of unintentionally funny moments. The more 60s/70s crime films I see, the more I realise that people will never be as cool as they were.