THE SIMPSONS

MOVIE

The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress MacNeille and Pamela Hayden. It features Albert Brooks as Russ Cargill, the evil head of the Environmental Protection Agency who intends to destroy Springfield after Homer polluted the lake. Because the townspeople exile him and his family abandon him, Homer works to redeem his folly by stopping Cargill's scheme.

Al Jean described the film's message as being "a man should listen to his wife". In addition, the film parodies two major contemporary issues, religion and environmentalism. The theme of environmentalism is present in Homer's polluting of Lake Springfield, Green Day's cameo, and Lisa and Colin's romance. The villainous Russ Cargill is head of the EPA. Reviewer Ed Gonzalez argued the plot was a satire of the government's reaction to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. Ian Nathan of Empire magazine criticized this focus, believing it gave the film an "overt political agenda" and that it "border[ed] on polemic."

Religion is focused on in Grampa's momentary possession, and Marge believing what he said to be a message from God.Groening joked the film "posit the existence of a very active God", when asked if he believed it was likely to offend.Mark I. Pinsky, author of The Gospel According to The Simpsons, said the film "treats genuine faith with respect, while keeping a sharp eye out for religious pretension and hypocrisy of all kinds". Regarding the scene where the tenants of Moe's Tavern and the Church switch locations, he believed it took the "chance to unmask everyone's human fallibility". In analyzing the role of Ned Flanders, he wrote, "It is willingness of The Simpsons to depict all the different sides of us that makes it so rich and funny on our complicated, relationship with religion."The animators inserted an apple tree behind Lisa and Colin during their initial meeting, a reference to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Trees were implemented in every important or emotional scene throughout the film.