TomiusJ

The Simpsons: "And Maggie Makes Three" (6.13) (1995)

It's obvious that the best episodes of "The Simpsons" are the ones with an equal blend of comedy and heart -- the episodes that are driven by characters instead of over-the-top, wacky and generally thin plots. This is why the earlier seasons of the show are far superior to the current seasons, because they seem to have removed that "character" element. This episode is one of the finest episodes when it comes to character development and jokes, because it tells the heart-warming story of Maggie's inclusion to the family whilst being one of the funniest episodes of the show ever.

The plot is quite simple but extremely effective -- Marge calls for an hour family time which leads to the Simpsons kids questioning why there is a complete lack of photographs of Maggie in the photo album. Homer goes on to explain why, which is all linked together with the story of Maggie's birth.

The jokes are spot-on, from the opening Knight Boat gag to what happens to the bowling pins when they're knocked down. It's crammed full of so many good jokes, it makes you miss how great the Simpsons used to be in the prime seasons (in my opinion, 3-9). The greatest moment of the episode comes at the end, I feel -- and it's not a joke, it's a simple, heartfelt moment that really pushes the episode into five-star territory. All I'm going to say is, "Do it for her."

RATING: A flawless, perfectly-balanced episode. Funny, heartfelt and classic Simpsons all at once. You really can't get television better than this. (5/5)

I call myself a movie buff, but I'd never seen Jaws up until a few months ago. I'd always put myself off of seeing it and I'm not sure why, I just never found the right time to start watching it. Eventually, I thought I had to see it and I purchased the 30th Anniversary Edition DVD.

I was literally "blown out of the water." Why had I waited so long to see this film? Everything about it is perfect - characters, dialogue, special effects, action, setting, everything! I hate myself for waiting to see Jaws, as I've seen thousands of movies and never considered that this could become my all-time favourite.

Everybody knows the plot, so I won't get into it, but the entire story is told magically, thanks to Steven Spielberg and his crew. I am a traditionalist when it comes to film (classic stories, characters and endings) and Jaws delivers everything I could ever want from a film. The pacing is perfect and I cannot fault it at all.

The music by John Williams is now legendary, but it really is much more than the classic "Jaws" theme that people recognise today. The entire soundtrack is both thrilling and wonderful, especially towards the end as the final battle ensues. Williams establishes himself as the best composer of all time with his score, here.

The acting is perfect. For the film that reeks "Summer Blockbuster", you probably wouldn't expect the acting to be anything special, but everybody gives memorable performances (especially Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw) - and anyway, we shouldn't forget that this is the "original" summer blockbuster.

Overall, I cannot say anything bad about Jaws. It is a remarkable film with some of the greatest characters ever committed to film. The story is inventive and glorious, and keeps you on the edge of the seat throughout. I know what kind of film Jaws wanted to be, but it turned out to be so much more - Steven Spielberg really is the world's greatest director. His ability to turn (what could of been) quite a mundane story into an epic tale of good versus evil is simply amazing. Oh, and I can't forget the magnificent ending - seriously, it's the best ending ever committed to cinema.

Jaws could be my all-time favourite movie, and even if it isn't, it's pretty darn close. See it - you won't be let down.

(5/5)