At the end of the day, the underlying subject of this movie is: "We are The Muppets: If modern society decides we are no longer funny and popular, we're ok with that. We are just here to entertain for those who will appreciate."I'm not a professional critic, so there's no need for me to bore everyone with an over-analyzed, granular review. What I can say is I (like many folks) have been a die hard Muppet fan since I was a kid in the early 80's. Jim Henson was a genius and the world became a slightly darker place when we lost him. I lost touch with The Muppets over the years as they tried to re-envision themselves and relate to a new generation. Though still popular, it wasn't the same to me. This ne w film is the closest thing that I have seen in attempting to return to their truly zany days when you had Henson, Oz, Hunt, and Nelson leading the charge.Jason Segel (who co-wrote the screenplay) didn't have to do his research. It's obvious he has been a fan of the Muppet-brand of humor for a long time. There were so many subtle homages to the classic essence of Henson and The Muppets that will fly under the radar of many, and yet they still managed to write a genuinely, caring story that will hold the attention of a new generation. Also, in the tradition of classic Muppet movies, keep your eyes peeled for "blink and you'll miss them" cameos by movie stars of all generations.Additionally, I would like to point out that it was refreshing to see a plethora of classic, overlooked Muppets from the past getting their time in the spotlight in this movie: Lew Zealand, The News Anchor, Marvin Suggs, Uncle Deadly, along with the ALWAYS hip Electric Mayhem just to name a few.I will c lose this review by saying, the absolute best part of seeing this movie was NOT looking around and seeing adults and kids in the theater laughing together at the same moments, but sitting next to a woman about my age with her two kids. (**Very minor spoiler) - - During a scene in which Kermit is looking around the old Muppet theater, old pictures on the wall featuring Jim Henson and other Muppet history came into view. I heard the mom next to me sniffle, and I too wiped a few tears away. Her daughter leaned over and whispered, "....why are you crying?". Her mother turned to her and said, "...you wouldn't understand." I couldn't have said it better.
By
R. Ree - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
As someone who is a huge fan of film(many would say im a film snob). I have seen all the classics, I see all the indie films, all the blockbusters, and foreign films. Movies are my passion. So if you told me, that a Muppet movie would end up being my movie of the year, I simply would not believe it. But this film simply works. Its a perfect movie, and their are very few movies i can say that about. Do i think its one of the best movies of all time? No, but it set out to do be a happy, fun and simple movie, and it did it succeeded one hundred percent. Never have i walked out of a movie, feeling so utterly happy about it. I saw this with my girlfriend and she agreed, it just makes you feel happy. The songs are great, the writing is great, the pacing is perfect, it never ceased to entertain me. This is a must see.
By
freeismylife (Detroit) - See all my reviews
On Saturday (11/19), my son and I attended an advance screening of the new movie "The Muppets". From the moment I received the invitation, I started going back in time to when my entire family would gather in the family room to watch The Muppets on TV. I remember the show format being similar to "Laugh In" and 'Sonny and Cher" (if you are old enough to remember back that far). I was in love with Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog and Fozzie's silly jokes cracked me up. Everyone was rooting for Gonzo to finally do one of his hair brained stunts right and the dancing chickens were the hit of the evening. And each show was always hosted by one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. When I told my son that I was a few years older that he is now when the show first came on TV, he said "Dang! The Muppets are that old?" Don't you just love kids...The movie "The Muppets" starts out back in the day when the TV show was still a major hit. A little boy (well, more puppet than boy) named Walter who doesn't fit in with the rest of the kids in the neighborhood discovers The Muppets Show on TV and lives and breathes everything Muppets related all the way into adulthood. His brother Gary (played by Jason Segel) it very protective of Walter, much to the chagrin of his very, very long time girlfriend Mary (played by Amy Adams). What was suppose to be romantic getaway to LA for Mary and Gary, turns into a trip to the old Muppets studios by the threesome. The Muppet Theater is now in major disrepair because the gang has all gone their separate ways. Kermit is in seclusion. Miss Piggy is now a Vogue editor in Paris. Fonzie Bear is living foul doing bad theater in Reno and Animal is in a mental institution with actor Jack Black. When a evil oilman plans to take over the Muppet Studios and tear it down, Gary talks the Muppet gang into getting back together to raise enough money to save the studio from ruin. The movie is a totally cute vehicle for introducing a new audience to The Muppets while also taking the people who grew up watching the show in the 1970's back down memory lane. My son thought all the silly gags and fart jokes were great and I was singing The Muppets song and totally enjoying getting re-acquitted with all the characters from my youth.My favorite character is still Miss Piggy and she was adorable with all her clothing and hair changes throughout the movie. My son was rolling when Miss Piggy started karate chopping everyone. And when Kermit started singing "The Rainbow Connection" I was singing right along with him.Just like in the original series, his movie had cameo appearances from major Hollywood stars like Mickey Rooney, Alan Arkin, Selena Gomez, Whoopi Goldberg, and Neil Patrick Harris.If you were not a Muppets fan before, you will be after seeing this cute movie. And don't say I d id not warn you when you start singing "The Rainbow Connection" and "Mahna Mahna" on your way home :)"The Muppets" opens in theaters Wednesday November 23, 2011 and is rated PG due to signature Muppets fantasy violence.
By
Jesse Willey - See all my reviews
When I was really little some of my earliest memories were of my whole family, and sometimes our friends, gathering in front of the TV with some popcorn and Kool Aid to watch The Muppet Show. I remember being four years old jostling around in the back seat of my dad's Ford Fiesta as he raced us down a bumpy road in order to get us home so we wouldn't miss the opening credits to a TV broadcast of The Muppet Movie. Unlike the rest of America, we didn't have a VCR in 1984. I remember being at Grandma's and my cousins introducing me to Fraggle Rock which I couldn't see at home because we didn't have cable. Consequently it is only been in the last year or so that I finally saw that whole series. Most of those memories of the Muppets involve laughter and surprisingly-- my family. As we got older, around the time I was eight or so, my sister and I didn't agree on much. She was the one who gave me the news on May 16th 1990. I remember crying until I thought my head would explode. The Muppets films after that- which I didn't like at the time but I found grew on me when I gave them more of a fair shot-- were not quite the same. Okay, not Muppets from Space. Let's forget that one. I accepted you could do a good Muppets story without Jim Henson and Frank Oz. What I worried about was what would the loss of Jerry Juhl mean for the Muppets? I went to The Muppets expecting a middle grade Muppets film that my niece and nephew would probably enjoy more than I would. Only there was an omen. My brother in law had to race to get us to the theater on time. I wobbled in my seat a few times. When the movie started-- I felt the years evaporate and I became almost the same age as my nephew. I enjoyed as much as they did. Okay, I lied. Probably more than they did. I went home convinced I was a very manly muppet.
By
Jason Waldman (Laguna Niguel, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
As much as I love Jason Segel, I wasn't entirely sure how he would do with "The Muppets" given that he usually works in more adult territory. After seeing the movie in theaters, my apologies to Mr. Segel, because he did an absolutely amazing job bringing "The Muppets " back to the big screen!You can tell how much of a labor of love this movie was for Segel. "The Muppets" are treated with a reverance that most "re-launches" of franchises don't have. All of the characters have the same characteristics and features (both physically and emotionally) that they did in the original "Muppet Show". Even the situations that they find themselves in now are believable, from Fozzy performing in Reno to Gonzo owning a plumbing company to Miss Piggy editing a fashion magazine. Even the minor characters are the same as they once were.The best part about this movie is that the Muppets really are the centerpiece. While there's the backstory about Segel's "brother" (who is a Muppet) and the relationship between Segel and Amy Adams, the focus is on how the Muppets are going to save their theater. Even with all of the celebrity cameos (and there are a ton), you never get the feeling that Segel wanted to make a blockbuster with an all-star cast. He knows that the Muppets are big enough stars in their own right.The movie isn't perfect, with Chris Cooper's villain being just a little too over-the-top (the "maniacal laugh" joke falls flat the first time out, and doesn't get any funnier the next five) and Segel's brother being just a little too obsessed at times. But these are all minor flaws in what really is an excellent movie."The Muppets" isn't so much a movie as a tribute to a group of characters that we all grew up with. There's a great feeling of nostalgia throughout the whole movie that adults will appreciate, with more than enough laughs to satisfy young and old alike. Segel's homage is a very moving tribute to characters he obviously adores and also a nice way to introduce an entire new generation to the magic of the Muppets.
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