The Simpsons Movie

Exclusive deleted scene: "DMV"

The big-screen debut of America's favorite yellow-skinned family plays like a supersized episode with gags crammed into every verbal and visual nook and cranny of the wide-screen format and an afterthought of a story. Thanks to the typically thoughtless behavior of Homer, Springfield is rated the most polluted city in America and the EPA (led by a character voiced by Albert Brooks) drops a dome over it to contain the toxic town. Homer pushes the envelope of stupidity, obliviousness and self-involvement to such a new low here that Bart turns to the next-door neighbor, okely dokely Ned Flanders, for a sensitive father figure, and even Marge turns her back on Homer after they escape into the wilds of Alaska. It's as puckish and irreverent as the television show, but with PG-13 parameters (resulting in, among other things, an inspired gag sprung during Bart's naked skateboard ride through town), awfully funny and fairly unmemorable. Along with the familiar voices of the TV cast (Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer and others) are guest appearances by Green Day and Tom Hanks.

The single-disc edition features two commentary tracks: one with creator Matt Groening, producers James L. Brooks, Al Jean, Mike Scully and David Silverman, and actors Castellaneta and Smith (who drops by to say hi and sticks around to talk), and one with directors Mike B. Anderson, Steven Dean Moore, Rich Moor and Silverman. Both discuss the development and reworking of the script and the gags, both are full of good-natured joking and laughing, and both agree that the biggest challenge was to keep Homer from becoming too much of a jerk. Also features five minutes of deleted scenes, a "slightly alternate ending" (all of it finished and most if it removed after test screenings), and a gallery of "special stuff," including short bits with Homer on "The Tonight Show" (delivering a monologue to a stone-faced audience), the Simpsons on "American Idol," and Homer taking a bite out of the "Let's All Go to the Lobby" refreshment ad. Also available in Blu-ray format.