The Simpsons Movie

To paraphrase Brian Lowry's Variety review, "The Simpsons Movie" is everything I wanted it to be. It transports us back to the glory days of "The Simpsons" (Seasons 1-7), when almost every joke worked, and when its depiction of the archetypal American family was ironic, critical, and yet so true.

The result is 87 minutes of laugh-out-loud entertainment. The ratio of successful jokes to misfires is impressive, and spread throughout the picture are tiny visual gags that fans of the show will appreciate (after Homer and Bart jump Springfield Gorge, a certain vehicle is exactly where I remember it being).

Certain scenes are pure brilliance. I don't want to spoil any, but suffice to say that a lengthy reference to Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Bambi" had me in stitches.

And most surprising of all, the movie reminds us of how much we actually love these characters. There's a heartfelt moment, when all seems lost, that we find ourselves caring more about these crudely-drawn people than, heck, almost anyone else.

And, thank God, the movie doesn't overstay its welcome (which was my one complaint for "Knocked Up"). "The Simpsons Movie" is brisk, filled with way more jokes than is probably medically recommended, and well, I loved it.

Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)