A day of anticipation

If December 7, 1941 was "a day that shall live on in infamy" then July 27,2007 is a day that shall live on in famy, whatever that is. It is a day I have looked forward to for a couple of years now. It is a day that will bring smiles and joy. Today the Simpsons movie debuts.

Now, as a general rule I am not likely to be found at opening weekend showings of popular movies. I might show up to an opening week showing of You Kill Me (2007) but seldom something like a Star Wars, Transformers (2007), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), or other blockbuster. Frankly, no matter how much I anticipate and look forward to a movie it just is not worth fighting the crowds to get a decent seat with space to move and silence to hear the movie. I am, of course, making an exception for The Simpsons Movie (2007), an event so colossal it even has its own Wikipedia entry!

For me, this is one of the few movies I look forward to so much I will not only show up on opening weekend I will even show up during the full price hours. That is an upset of epic proportions. And as such, it can hardly fail to be a disappointment.

I am not such a Simpsonaholic that I quote episodes by their creation titles (IE Episode 2F13), though I may or may not know a few by their titles...I know the general storyline for stuff like Bart Vs. Australia. I am, however, enough of a Simpsonaholic to have several Simpsons quotes on my phone as ring tones, be wearing a Homer Simpson shirt today ("Springfield Unathletic Department" with a picture of an underwear clad Homer laying on a couch), and have numerous quotes buried in my memory. For example, a week or so ago Emily & I had dinner with long-time friend and fellow Simpsonaholic Alan. Poor Emily...for way better than a half hour we just spewed quote after quote (I wore my extra-loose pants for nothing....) and discussed our favorite episodes. And exploded in laughter at each one, even though we know them completely, know the setting in the show, and several in-jokes related to several of them. But we still find them funny.

With anticipation like that the movie can hardly fail to disappoint. To meet my expectations practically every line would have to be hysterically funny, completely memorable, have several references and instantly enter the lexicon. It would have to be, simply put...the best movie........eeeeeeevvvvvvvvveeeeeeerrrrr. (Simpsonaholics will catch the in-joke; this is a spin-off of Comic Book Guy's "Worst. Episode. Ever." crack-back on an episode that was itself a crack-back on Simpsons Internet fans cracking on a Simpsons episode. Layers within layers.)

So here is hoping it meets half my expectations. With lines like, "Spider Pig, Spider Pig, Does whatever a Spider Pig does." already out there...be prepared for a sprinkling of Simpsons quotes for the next few months. Fair warning.

Excellent.