SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: Approx. 5 min. (Color)
Presumably to compete with Disney/Pixar, 20th Century Fox opted to create original The Simpsons animated shorts to precede the studio’s theatrical releases. This short’s alternate title is simply The Longest Daycare. Originally accompanying Ice Age: Continental Drift’s 2012 theatrical release, this dialogue-free short is directed by David Silverman. Its producing and writing team includes series creator Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, & Al Jean. Dropped off by her doting mother, Marge, young Maggie Simpson experiences a bleak first day at the high-tech Ayn Rand School for Tots. Despite being terrorized by a sadistic bully, a resilient Maggie might find there is cause for hope.
The Longest Daycare was subsequently Oscar-nominated in 2013 for Best Animated Short Film.
Note: This cartoon is included on the Ice Age: Continental Drift Blu-Ray/DVD.
REVIEW:
It’s tempting to deem The Longest Daycare as overrated. Certainly it’s Emmy-caliber if there were such a category for animated shorts, but an Oscar nod seems a stretch. Primarily, The Longest Daycare resembles a snippet of the long-running TV series, so what then is big-screen special about it? Nothing, in particular – it’s merely like watching The Simpsons on a big-screen TV (that is, presuming viewers saw it in movie theaters). However, standing out are some clever visual jibes parodying elitist daycare mills that any working parent can appreciate. Even more so, the story’s uplifting finish is a gem. To its credit, 20th Century Fox delivers a worthwhile Simpsons short as is – putting it on a movie screen doesn’t add anything more.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
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