Your Thoughts: "Muppets Most Wanted" Theatrical Film

[Pinkflower7783]

I just said in another thread The Muppets seem to be liked more abroad then domestically. Kermit said in an interview he really would love to do TMS again but he said how well this film does would depend on it or the whole world writing letters to Disney.

 

[jvcarroll]

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That's my facebook banner and it's pretty much how I felt about the film. 4/5 stars. I love the music, the wit and the irreverent antics. It was about ten minutes too long. A little tightening would have helped and that's why I took away half a star. The other half is just because there was still a little room for improvement.​

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I've got to be honest, this film is struggling this weekend. If there are any fans here waiting for home video, well then your complicit to the film's weak opening. Go friggin see it!​

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I could break down the good and the bad and nitpick this to death, but my only real criticism is that I'd rather see the Muppets in a weekly show than pin their entire franchise on a film.​

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My plan: I still firmly believe that ABC should knock America's "Funniest" Home Videos to Friday nights (YouTube exists now and the audience that still watches the program has followed it to that time slot before) and relaunch an abbreviated version of The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights from 7-8pm. Teens, college students and families are back from their weekend outings around that time and often gather around the television. That hour before prime time could be used as a promotional tool for Disney's many brands including behind the scenes, previews, short subjects and, some weeks, a Muppet Show. It's the perfect soft-testing ground for new things Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Muppets and there's no pressure or shame of cancellation of these specials. That hour, as it stands, remains a wasted opportunity for the greatest marketing company in the business. ​

 

[Oscarfan]

AFV is actually coming to an end in the 25th season (I don't know what season they're in now).

 

[LamangoNumber2]

Anyone else see Blind Pew as one of the Gulag prisoners?

 

[AlittleMayhem]

I just came back from seeing this flick and it was awesome!

Mostly.

I think I'll write my thoughts later since everyone has said what I thought, but yeah.

Mostly awesome!

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I would see it again today if I could but being a new mom I can't just up and go whenever I want. I really hope the theaters were more packed today but it's not sounding good. Yesterday at the theater I went to it was just pathetic. When you can count how many people are seated that's bad.

 

[muppetlover123]

When your by yourself in the theater its pretty bad...

 

[antsamthompson9]

I just got back from seeing the movie. It was amazing! The songs were great, I can't get enough of I'll Give it to You, Constantine is awesome, and the movie focuses on the Muppets instead of humans like the last film. A critic said this movie was better than the last one? Well, I agree! Don't get me wrong, I still love the 2011 Muppet movie, but this one is much better.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

When your by yourself in the theater its pretty bad...

Yeah you win...

 

[beaker]

My goodness...my goodness. Where do I even begin to write a review? I left the movie feeling shocked at how GOOD this was. I sitll have goosebumps thinking about it.
While I felt the 2011 film felt all over the map, overly sappy, wayyy too liberal with the 4th wall stuff, and cringed every time Segal mugged for the camera...oh and the worst part: it looked more like an ABC two hour special than a real film....this thing from beginning to end felt like a Muppet FILM. the cinematography is amazing, the voices/puppeteering is top notch(Fozzie/Piggy/Animal and Scooter felt like indistinguishable from Hunt), the songs were actually charming and felt like the classics, the chemistry of the muppets felt so real. While the film is mostly centered on Constantine, Piggy, Tina Fey, Ty Berrel and Eagle, I felt Fozzie really shined. And I liked the limited but key role Walter played. But Muppets Most Wanted from opening to ending felt like the classic original films...something I felt the 2011 definitely did not.

Here's the things that I really really loved especially

- all the Sesame Street references(Constantine mistakenly calling the Muppet show a show about numbers, sharing, etc and his watching of Kermit on Sesame...why couldnt they just have a Sesame cameo?)

- Rizzo protesting the lack of screen time he and Robin got in the last film(genius! He should have also protested lack of merchandise and lack of Season 4/5 dvds!)

- We FINALLY get to see the answer to one of the biggest questions of the last 35 years: What would Kermit and Piggy's kids look like? Havent seen Muppet Babies puppets in awhile

- Speaking of babies...holy goodness, who knew Bobby Benson and the Baby Band would have such a key pivotal role?

- the cinematography. My god, the cinematography. The scenes on the train especially, or when the muppets are introduced to Dominick

- seeing the muppets in the REAL WORLD. And despite some meta references, like the original films this FELT like the real world. Unlike the 2011 one and that out of place 1950s fake Truman show town Segal and Adams were from

- the darker tone. Gone is the sappy vibe of 2011, and it finally felt like a serious film
Unlike that horrible misplaced and tacky ninja scene in 2011, there felt like real danger in this one

- Kermit's temper tirades are back...in several key scenes!!!

- because of the amazing cinematography, the amazing craftsmanship of the puppet builds, especially the rebuilds, looked exquisite. Seeing so many obscure muppets from TMS was jawdropping

- felt like we saw a LOT more Muppets this time around, and especially in random background roles

- the music. Again felt in the spirit of the original one

- Seventh Seal and Silence of the Lambs references!

- Jerry Nelson!

- Lots of Link!

- Lots of the Mutations!

- Carl and Behemoth!

- Return of that weird yellow alien creature in the disco montage!

- Scooter sounds 100% like Scooter again

- Gonzo looks somewhat back to normal, as does Fozzie.

- No scene ruined by human actor oversaturation(and hardly any Disney channel tween show actors)

Probably a lot I'm missing, need to see it again. And unlike the 2011 one, this is one I feel I could see over and over and enjoy different things each time.

Yes, they spend a lot of time on the gulag...and yes, Constantine is in most the film, but I also understand the contrast of why it is. I also love that we get to see a lot of different live iterations of the Muppet Show production.

My only complaint is that I wish they would have brought back the movie parody commercials...how amazing would a Muppet spoof of a Wes Anderson trailer be?
There needs to be a new Muppet calendar and more Muppet merch, but thats a side issue.

My only 5 complaints:

- No Sesame cameos. This would have made it 100% like the originals
- a little too much time in the gulag, but again I understood this
- not enough rowlf/rowlf speaking scenes
- not enough pepe
- needed jim henson hour and muppets tonight era muppets

So yeah, not many actual complaints. NO IDEA what some critics are smoking by saying this fall short of the 2011 one. to me it blows that one away