Originally Posted By utahjosh Over the last several years, Disney has been on a shopping spree. Recently, Pixar was purchased by the mouse and now Marvel is owned by Disney. But back in 2004, Disney acquired Kermit and the gang. Since then, the attempts to bring the Muppets back to mainstream have fizzled with duds like “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa” and the awful “Muppet’s Wizard of Oz.” Jason Segel, who also co-wrote The Muppets, stars as Gary, a happy, simple small town guy. Literally. He’s from Smalltown, USA, population 102. Gary’s brother, Walter, is a very manly muppet and Gary’s best friend. Their adventure begins when Gary takes his long-time girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) on a trip to Los Angeles. Walter, the world’s biggest Muppets fan, is ecstatic to join them - only because the Muppet Studios is located in LA. Amy Adams brings the same charisma and charm she brought to “Enchanted.’ And like in Enchanted, musical numbers seem to pop up around her like a flash mob. The giddy, joyful opening number “Life’s a Happy Song” lets you know right away that this movie is not for cynics. It’s for the happy-go-lucky Muppet inside each of us. While visiting the Muppet Studios, Walter is traumatized when he overhears plans of the evil Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to bulldoze the studios and drill for oil. Walter finds and warns Kermit the Frog of the impending disaster, and after Kermit’s moving song “Pictures in My Head,” Kermit agrees to try to do something about it. Together with Kermit, the Smalltown trio set out to get the old Muppet Gang back together again and save the studio the only way they know how - by putting on a show, this time, as a telethon. This is when the movie gains the wackiness, heart, and humor in the tradition of the classic Muppet movies. In keeping with that tradition, a road trip ensues as they find Gonzo, Fozzie, Animal several star cameos and eventually Miss Piggy. Not only do they find the most popular Muppets, but it seems by the end of the movie every Muppet that ever existed finds its way to the telethon. I did miss seeing more of my favorite two Muppets, Pepe the King Prawn and Rizzo the Rat, but I understand why these wisecracking, more edgy characters were given background roles. This Muppet movie aimed to share a feeling of warmth, nostalgia, and unbridled optimism, with just a touch of the edginess the Muppets are known to exhibit. The Muppets indeed captures the feeling of the original Muppet Movie. With winning music, laugh-out-loud moments and the heart of our favorite fuzzy friends, Disney may just get the new franchise they’ve been shopping for.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>The Muppets indeed captures the feeling of the original Muppet Movie. With winning music, laugh-out-loud moments and the heart of our favorite fuzzy friends, Disney may just get the new franchise they’ve been shopping for.<< Great to hear! (er... read!) I think the first Muppet Movie best captured the heart, soul and humor of the Muppets, so if this movie is along those lines, that's good news to me. Thanks for the review, Josh!
Originally Posted By DlandDug Hmmmm. So, a Muppet who lives with a human family sets off to seek the near-mythical Muppet Studios, finds it about to be purchased and razed by a cynical villain, goes on a picaresque road trip to reunite the original Muppets (all of whom have since gone their separate ways), and runs into a plethora of star cameos while doing so... Someone should do the same treatment with the Country Bears. Oh wait, they did!
Originally Posted By leobloom My thoughts: The most annoying part of the film were the "Cars" billboards. I believe the TV exec also had on her desk a picture of her daughters in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. Whoopi Goldberg and Selena Gomez further served to remind me that this is a Disney product. Distracting, but not damning. Overall, I enjoyed the film. It was a clever script, and the songs were good. A few times Fozzie's voice sounded off, but I wasn't distracted by Kermit's voice. Chris Cooper did a fine job. Segal and Adams, too. Walter was likeable and didn't overshadow the classic characters. I thought the celebrity cameos were kinda weak, generally, although Mickey Rooney was a good surprise. The fart shoes joke didn't really blend with traditional Muppets humor, and I thought the film could have used a few more gags. But the commentary on on culture's appetite for nostalgia was an interesting dynamic to include (and perhaps to promote) -- at the end of the film I was left thinking how much Disney would like to profit from that kind of revival of Muppet fandom.
Originally Posted By magic0214 I really enjoyed the film Party for One was the best tune, could have lasted longer MAHNAMAHNA ending was very cute Good songs, good script, great movie Welcome back Muppets, we missed you!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I agree that the Cars billboards were annoying. There was an audible groan in the theater (AMC at DTD in Anaheim), so I know I wasn't the only one who thought so. I did like how they walked past a street lamp with Jim Henson banners on it; I thought that was a clever touch in the background. Overall, I thought it was really good, and very much in the spirit of the original. I could have used some more time/character development with Mary, but I understand she wasn't supposed to be the focus of the film. I was impressed with how they were able to recognize that the Muppets aren't famous any more, and actually build a story around it. It managed to seem traditional and fresh at the same time.
Originally Posted By basil fan I enjoyed it, especially the Man or a Muppet song. Gotta get that soundtrack. I also heard Fozzie flub his voice in one scene, but, over all, the voices were quite good. My main problem with the Muppets has always been, and will always be, that Kermit is so cool, Miss Piggy is simply not worthy of him. I was glad to see that Gonzo and Rizzo didn't steal the entire show away.Nice to see Wayne and Wanda, too. And that bit with the tote board was great! Definitely worth seeing.
Originally Posted By Portsgrebie The Muppets was just okay. Expected more. And I for one think that Kermit isn't good enough for the Divine Miss Piggy.
Originally Posted By leobloom The Kermit-Piggy relationship is a lot more entertaining and humorous than the G-rated, bland Mickey-Minnie relationship. Maybe that's because Piggy isn't "good enough" for Kermit. But at least she has an identifiable personality, unlike Minnie Mouse.
Originally Posted By markymouse I really liked this movie. And strangely, so did my three kids. For me it was a walk down memory lane. Heck, thirty seconds into an old video on Youtube of Kermit singing It's Not Easy Being Green and I'd be crying like a baby. So I'm an easy sell. But it was really enjoyable. I liked Party of One and Man or a Muppet. I loved the wholehearted embracing of big old dumb musical numbers. Thank you, High School Musical and Glee. I actually thought Piggy came across as much more sympathetic than in most story lines that deal with the two of them having issues. My kids didn't get half the jokes, but I don't even mind. There was something there they liked. As for the overblown idea that everything from back then is long gone and forgotten, they went a little too far with that. I mean, that Cunningham kid sure is doing pretty well for himself. And when's the last time you had to explain to a kid what Star Wars was? So, I liked the movie, enjoyed sharing that part of my childhood with the kids, and liked the straight up willingness to go all musical. Now I think I'm going to watch Kermit on Youtube. Somebody pass the tissues.
