Film Review: The Simpsons: The Fourteenth Season (2011)

SYNOPSIS:

Kang and Kodos invite you to add this Emmy Award winning season to your collection filled with your favorite guest stars (Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Tony Hawk, Blink 182, and more) and exclusive features that will satisfy your hunger. The Simpsons Season 14 is available on Blu-ray and DVD.

REVIEW:

The Simpsons have seemed to stand the test of time now celebrating the release of their 14th season on this new Bluray release. The whole gang is here finding themselves in one weird situation after the other. At the summit our anti-hero Homer rises to the loony occasion every time. This release caught my eye in particularly as it seems to have a slight leaning towards the horror genre of things. We have those hungry ever watchful aliens carefully monitoring the activities of Earth waiting for the prime moment to overtake and conquer (and eat for that matter) which lays a foundation in the background of the season.

Horror fans will relish in the inclusion of the famed (and annual) “Tree house of Horror” episode. This of course has been a mainstay as a Halloween traditional release that arrives into our living rooms every season. Homer and family are wrangled up in a variety of scary but oddly hilarious tales.

Homer discovers a hammock which clones who ever lays within it. Of course, the ever plotting homer wastes no chance in having his clones do all the work while the real Homer takes the glory. It’s somewhat macabre but still silly enough to entertain the family. In fact I love the portion where he asks “Does any of the clones know their way home?” and shoots everyone who raises their hands. We also get the spoof on the “Island of Dr. Moreau” and the weird hybrid genetically changed human/ animal creations. There are some great moments in this piece making it one of my all time favorites. Other episodes deal with ghosts, aliens, zombies and son on.

Some highlights from this set include the animated piece “Large Marge, where a botched liposuction turns into a accidental breast enlargement (and to Homer’s delight). In “Helter Skelter” is a hoot when the Simpsons face termites and must fumigate the house. As an alternative, they manage to become contestants on a reality show that has them living in conditions of 1895. In episode “Pray Anything”, Homer notices that his neighbor Ned Flanders seems to be doing quite well for himself. This creates depression for Homer who turns to prayer and a whole turn of events, one being suing Reverend Lovejoy. A party, a flood….and a little bit of faith rounds this one off. In “3 Gays of the Condo”, Homer lives up to his name by moving in with a gay couple as a result of an old letter from Marge. In flashback, Homer reflects on a instant where Marge professes her love which brings him back to reality. In episode “Brake My Wife, Please”, Homer grows a quick attraction to new gadgets especially with his vehicle. Marge runs him over with her car (by accident) which begins a conflict ending in marriage counsel and reconciliation.

The picture on this release as being bluray is super clear. Stark for that matter. The framing itself is left at its true 4:3 standard meaning you get small black borders on the right and left sides (if you are in wide screen mode). This didn’t bother me much as the alternative is off course cropping some of the picture and losing some of the image composition in the process.

In research, the set (or season for that matter) won 2 “Prime time Emmy Awards” with claim laying to “outstanding animated program”. The details go on to further claims to various associated awards, simply making this a “must-see” set.

In short, this is a keepsake set that any fans of the series should grab up right away. It’s packed full of features and is packaged in an attractive set. The humor is typical Homer humor that should open up a world of comedy to new viewers, while fans can just sit back and enjoy the zany episodes of this broken misfit family.

The Simpsons: The Fourteenth Season (2011)