After 30 years, the most controversy The Simpsons stirs up anymore is about whether it should still be on the air. But lately, the chatter about the animated series is a little more heated thanks to The Problem with Apu, a fascinating, funny documentary from comedian Hari Kondabolu. Kondabolu takes The Simpsons to task for its character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the blatantly stereotypical Kwik-E-Mart manager—and the fact that he’s voiced by Hank Azaria, a white dude. The bulk of the film concerns Kondabolu’s attempts to interview Azaria, but its most compelling moments come from his conversations with his fellow East Asian actors like Aziz Ansari and Sakina Jaffrey, about what Apu represents to their community, and a prickly chat with Simpsons writer Dana Gould, who doesn’t seem to get what the problem is. Maybe this documentary will help change his mind. (dir. Michael Melamedoff; available on TruTV)
The Portland Mercury‘s Super Cinema Strikeforce™ had a bunch of other favorite movies in 2017, too! Check them all out here.