Your Thoughts: "Muppets Most Wanted" Theatrical Film

[beaker]

I want to jump back in here and comment about a couple of things. The first thing I want to say is this: this is not a contest between the last two movies. It is possible to like both--both are like-worthy--and it is not necessary to pan one to promote the other. My concern here is that, if the world is watching (Disney certainly is), then I don't know if it helps our cause or our muppets if we keep trying to make one of the two Disney Muppet movies (and there are ONlY two of them so far) the "bad" one so the other one seems better. Just saying.... Plenty of love to go around for both--don't you think? I DO, however, love it when fans say/write what they specifically liked or didn't that. That's food for thought, I believe, because we might inform each other's opinions.

I really liked the first movie. I'll bet you I've watched it more than 40 times. Really. There is always something new to see. My best friend really liked Muppets Most Wanted better, which restored my faith in the appeal of this movie, since I did not prefer it.

What bothered me about MMW was the real lack of family-feeling between/among the muppets characters. Even Kermit and Piggy's relationship seemed strangely devoid of passion. Don't you think Kermit wants to know EXACTLY what Constantine has been up to when he's been in the gulag? Taking his place with the cast is one thing, but taking his place with Piggy-- THAT'S another thing entirely. I see the comments along the lines of "if they had realized it wasn't Kermit then they wouldn't have had a movie plot." Yes. I agree. I think that THAT should have spurred them to rethink HOW they could have plotted a script involving a Kermit look-alike who is also a criminal mastermind.

There are good elements in both movies. There are things that could be improved. Let's hope the THIRD new Muppet movie uses everything they've learned to make an even BETTER movie next!!!

You're absolutely right. Both films should be celebrated. I mean the opening scene of Walter captivated by tv, and then he gets to the Muppet show on vhs tape...I want to cry just thinking about it. Gives me goosebumps. The whole thing of Walter going to the real Jim Henson Company Studios, but seeing the Muppet's faded glory...it was so meta because it hits close to home(the public isnt ready for the Muppets again....least not yet) My main issue with 2011 TM is mostly the odd flow with Segal and Adams, and the overly Truman show sappiness of them as well as some of the cinematography choices. I think it was a necessary film, and there's a lot in there I like(just like I also love Letters to Santa) but watching MMW I just felt like I was truly watching a classic Muppet film. And I like the darker tone. I think it's why everyone(but me) loves Empire Strikes Back and considers it the best SW film

 

[beaker]

Disney didn't send the film to a lot of theaters? What, is MMW an indie art house film? lol

Haha @Dr Tooth...MAYBE WE NEED Dominick Badguy to bribe people to see MMW

 

[beaker]

I am very impressed with the movie. I definitely was more excited after this one than the last.

I'm glad they realized that they had too much story with the humans and stuck with more Muppety plot lines this time (i.e. the whole "Gary & Mary on their anniversary thing. It wasn't much, but it made me lose touch for a bit and I got bored. I'm sure we were all thinking "alright great, back to the explosions & chickens please"). So glad to see old familiar faces like Annie Sue & Mildred in the background, and the fact that the put the Flying Zucchini Brothers in the opening sequence was a big plus for me. There was so so many little things to huge Muppet geeks would be really excited to see and that made it all the more better for me. And my big thing before seeing the film was if I was going to like Constantine or not, but he was great. I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu) was by far the best song, to of both movies.

Theres so much more I could say, and I don't want to get into negatives, but I'll just end it here. Overall, I give it 2 huge thumbs up. Or 4 if you're Pepe.

I do have ONE question: since when is Gonzo purple? I know the hairs on op of his head or and his nose has a tinge of it, but they mention it twice, in the opener when suggestions movie plots, and in the Interrogation Song. I was thrown off a bit...

When the 2011 film came out, I remarked how we're used to the Muppets breaking the fourth wall and having somewhat of a fantastical nature...but the 2011 film just ran wild with abusing the fourth wall and creating this unrealistic fantasy world with Gary and Mary. For me the magic of the original films was that it mostly took place in real world locations, and felt like the real world. Whenever I see the Muppets juxtaposed against real locations(like Muppets @Walt Disney World special) it just feels more fun.

Aww, Pepe is still my favorite...but alas, he again was barely in it. I'm just glad Gonzo's eye proportions are somewhat back to normal. Ha, I thought Gonzo was blue, but maybe I'm colorblind

 

[minor muppetz]

I think it's why everyone(but me) loves Empire Strikes Back and considers it the best SW film

I've read that when the film was first released, many of the fans disliked it or hated it. And now almost everybody likes it the best. The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite of the original Star Wars trilogy (though in part because it has the most Yoda of the original trilogy, and when I first saw the original trilogy, I kinda wanted to like Return of the Jedi best just because I thought that was the best title of the movies), and my favorite of the prequels is Revenge of the Sith, the two movies with the most unhappy of endings.

 

[goldenstate5]

When the 2011 film came out, I remarked how we're used to the Muppets breaking the fourth wall and having somewhat of a fantastical nature...but the 2011 film just ran wild with abusing the fourth wall and creating this unrealistic fantasy world with Gary and Mary. For me the magic of the original films was that it mostly took place in real world locations, and felt like the real world. Whenever I see the Muppets juxtaposed against real locations(like Muppets @Walt Disney World special) it just feels more fun.

Didn't the 2011 film have the Muppets running amok through Los Angeles? (and France)

 

[Drtooth]

When the 2011 film came out, I remarked how we're used to the Muppets breaking the fourth wall and having somewhat of a fantastical nature...but the 2011 film just ran wild with abusing the fourth wall and creating this unrealistic fantasy world with Gary and Mary. For me the magic of the original films was that it mostly took place in real world locations, and felt like the real world. Whenever I see the Muppets juxtaposed against real locations(like Muppets @Walt Disney World special) it just feels more fun.

I can see what you mean, but it really seems that it was done with a touch of sarcasm and irony. In the context of Muppet fandom, I took it as a metaphor. The sunny, happy, internal world of the Muppets being this huge, popular thing, and the cold dark reality of them being under-appreciated and neglected (something the box office of this new one showed... seriously... I had an awesome weekend that made me forget about the mountain of problems I have... the BO take news hit like a sharp kick to the groin). It works on that level as well... but yeah... the studio stage world, as satirical as it was, was very artificial. Thankfully they got out of there as fast as possible in the film.

But I honestly feel that by sheer comparison Elmo in Grouchland is far worse, compared with FTB. FTB was beautiful. Shot in those farm fields and stuff... and EIG just looks plasticky and TV quality by comparison.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I was personally waiting for something similar to TMM when Fozzie hands Dr Teeth the script. Except this time Fozzie hands Kermit the script when he is upset that it took them so long to realize it wasn't him.

 

[Ruahnna]

I admit I am genuinely baffled by the number of people who preferred MMW because they felt that the humans in TM's had too much screen time in the story. Of all the things that might be used as a point of comparison between the two most recent movies, that seemed like a strange thing to use. For what they are worth, these are my musings/observations.

I've heard a lot of snarky comments about Gary and Mary. I've been a little surprised about the vehemence of the dislike. Frankly, one of the things I found attractive in the original Muppet movies was the childlike appeal of the human characters--Max and Jenny and Ronnie, for example, are rather naïve and full of sometimes graceless charm. Even Lady Holiday and Nicky Holiday are whimsical characters. Each of these characters interacts believably with the Muppets--none of them sing solos or try to take center stage. Center stage is already occupied--or should be. When a human takes that role in a Muppet movie (MWoO), then the story tends to lurch.

I felt like I spent a LOT of time watching people instead of muppets in MWW. Point in fact: we saw more of the gulag review than we did of the muppet performances, which was a shame. I would much rather have seen more of Scooter's awkward "Moves Like Jagger" than lots and lots of shots of gulag prisoners in union suits and tutus. While musically pleasing, "The Big House" seemed to go on for a long, long time, and while Kermit is in the shots, he's a passive listener instead of an active participant. In contrast, in GMC, although there were lots of bathing beauties, Piggy took center stage. You never forgot for one moment who the real stars were. In this movie, Tina and Ricky compete with our felt friends for the limelight. I do NOT include Ty in this category--he did an amazing job of becoming one with the muppets--playing off of Sam, flirting with Piggy, making squinty-eyed eye contact with the other Muppets. He blended beautifully. In contrast, Tina and Kermit don't really seem to interact--they just share screen time. Jean Pierre's emotion at the thought of saying goodbye to Sam was in all ways more believable than Nadya's supposed infatuation with Kermit. Ricky's character might have been more appealing if he had--even for an instant--fallen under the Muppet's spell and showed some genuine delight in their presence. If Kermit had been there instead of Constantine, then he probably would have eventually won Dominick over with his friendliness and sincerity.

"We're Doing A Sequel" was very reminiscent of the big production numbers in Aladdin and The Lion King, but instead of being full of muppety goodness, what we sortof got was a line of performing muppets in the front and all of the spectacle was the humans performing in the back. At the end of "We're Doing a Sequel," our guys were basically lined up in the front with the really interesting stuff happening behind them. I was uncomfortably reminded of the Gaga Thanksgiving special. The more I thought about it, the more this seemed like a Disney movie with Muppets in it, than a Muppet movie made by Disney.

Still, I have seen the movie twice, and hope to see it again while it is still in theaters. I only wish the movie could have centered on something the Muppets wanted to accomplish instead of having the plot shang-hai'd by an evil frog.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

For me it was the opposite in TM's I felt like I was watching more people then Muppets. But everyone is entitled to their opinion I personally didn't dislike Gary and Mary but I did feel towards the end they were overly used. I didn't mind so much time with them in the beginning because it was basically introducing them and once they were they did just kind of become background characters and let the muppets take over. And it felt like their relationship was competing with Kermit and Piggys and I didn't like that either. But and I've said this so many times on here I understand why they needed to be used the way they were.

At no point in MMW did I feel I was watching a Disney movie I felt like I was watching a genuine Muppet movie.

 

[beaker]

I can see what you mean, but it really seems that it was done with a touch of sarcasm and irony. In the context of Muppet fandom, I took it as a metaphor. The sunny, happy, internal world of the Muppets being this huge, popular thing, and the cold dark reality of them being under-appreciated and neglected (something the box office of this new one showed... seriously... I had an awesome weekend that made me forget about the mountain of problems I have... the BO take news hit like a sharp kick to the groin). It works on that level as well... but yeah... the studio stage world, as satirical as it was, was very artificial. Thankfully they got out of there as fast as possible in the film.

But I honestly feel that by sheer comparison Elmo in Grouchland is far worse, compared with FTB. FTB was beautiful. Shot in those farm fields and stuff... and EIG just looks plasticky and TV quality by comparison.

I just been out partying a lot, but still trying to rope friends into seeing MMW. Truth be told the poor turnout just makes me realize The Muppets are meant for a more select few. I know, super hipster of me. But part of me likes how our furry pals aren't meant for the general mainstream plebs.