Your Thoughts: "Muppets Most Wanted" Theatrical Film

[Drtooth]

Whatever Disney decides to do with the characters (which hopefully means other things), I really think the time is right for a Pigs in Space something. Link had a surprisingly big role in the movie (several lines and scenes... not even the original movies did that), so it's time to use the character outside of the movie and QVC. Strangepork's been rebuilt (supposedly)... I say, go for it. Viral video, DTV, special... whatever. Pigs in Space and Bear on Patrol.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

That's it! I give up! There's a question that's been burning in the back of my mind for a week and I can't wait two weeks to find out for myself!!

When Kermit gives Piggy a kiss, is it just a sweet little peck on the cheek or is it an enthusiastic on-the-lips job?

Anyone want to put me at ease?

It was on the lips and in my opinion I don't know if passionate is the word but I felt it was more heartfelt and meaningful then in the last film.

 

[minor muppetz]

It's interesting how the credits note Carlo and Alonzo Flamingo.

I was wrong, one of them is named Monolo, not Alonzo.

The Muppets felt like one of the most modern of the Muppet films (along with The Muppets Take Manhattan), but Muppets Most Wanted doesn't feel too modern. For example, when Constantine watches Kermit footage, he watches VHS tapes instead of DVDs, and he watches them on an old "fullscreen" TV, as opposed to a widescreen one.

 

[Ruahnna]

Warning: kissing spoiler/review ahead. You have been warned.
Warning: Frog/Pig relationship dissection ahead--adult emotions will be discussed. If that frightens you, please feel free to hide until the scary parts are over.

Kermit has just rescued the day (and Miss Piggy). Piggy has just whacked the ever-living tar out of Constantine, who finally realizes what an amazing woman she is, prompting Kermit to jealously declare, "Yeah--my woman!" A lot has happened in the last few moments--tons of revelations and lots of heroics and our two romantic leads are a little shy with each other. Kermit apologizes for ruining Piggy's wedding--a cheeky, bold move, full of sass and self-confidence because he now knows that Piggy doesn't just want a wedding--she wants him. Piggy is a little flummoxed in the face of Kermit's declaration of Mine-mine-mine, but she manages to tell him how glad she is that he came to the rescue. They are incredibly proud of themselves, and incredibly proud of each other, and there is nothing to stop them smooching but a seriously-smacked-around frog passed out on the floor of the helicopter, so they do. It isn't a "Gone With the Wind" moment--not by any stretch--but it is a good start on more of the same.

I liked the vibe I got off this kiss--it was honest and self-assured and more love-of-a-lifetime kiss than a heat-of-the-moment kiss. Also, I'd like to point out that Kermit never says "No" to Piggy's question about marrying her. He says "I would' among his other babbling. Before, when they argue about the wedding, it doesn't sound to me like Kermit is actually arguing over whether or not they should get married, but the whole "event" of it. He complains to Piggy that he hasn't even proposed yet, and says that, based on the current "bridezilla" conversation (my words, not his) he's not sure....he doesn't finish that thought. This fight also had a realistic feel to it. It sounded like two people who are very different trying to plan a huge, life-defining moment. I read Kermit's protest this way--he is going to come to this marriage and this proposal under his own steam, and not be pushed along. Mostly, it sounds/feels like he wants to be a part of the process and have a say in when and how it happens--not just be shoved to the alter like a stage prop. In the junior novel (Is there a senior novel?), Kermit actually tells Piggy "I love you" during this argument. (Apparently, the sorry script gods do not allow actual, honest confessions of strong feelings--unless, of course, they are made by characters we don't see again.)

Also, almost immediately after he yells at Piggy, Kermit apologizes--something he has never been good at. He is still getting used to the idea that Piggy is back--that she came back for him, and is staying for him. He made a huge mess of everything before, and when that happened, Piggy left. When Piggy left, he sort of lost his ability to manage things. Eventually, the other muppets left him, too, and his argument with Piggy was the catalyst for that. I see his natural caution emerging--he certainly doesn't want to mess things up again. The MMW junior novel says Kermit says it this way: "Love isn't about doing what everyone wants. Love is about doing what you know is best."

In October of 2011, I wrote it this way:

Piggy stared at Jimmy in astonishment for the second time in this conversation. The thought that Kermit might cave in, might give over to her and let her have her way—whether it was good for her or not—was astounding.​

Kermit is what turned this ragtag band of performers into a show that people might actually want to see, so in a sense, Constantine is correct--nobody wants to see their show--at least, not in the state that it's in. A real show--a good show--takes practice and planning and discipline, and they need Kermit for that. Which is why, to me, the idea that they wouldn't notice the difference between Constantine and Kermit felt not just silly but wrong. But then, I've obviously thought about this a lot....

If you've thought about this a lot (or if you're just a dabbler)...wade right in. The water's fine.

 

[Ruahnna]

Re: Flamingos--I assumed they were two of the three flamingos from "Kiss the Girl" in The Little Mermaid. Weren't they? Only muppetized?

 

[The Count]

You mean Carlos and Manolo? Yeah, apparently they have names, Disney does that sometimes.


Reading through this thread reminds me of my old literature courses. Sometimes there are times where I listen to comments by people who admittedly "think way too much about these things" and feel that as much of a fan I am I must have missed something for my sheer simple enjoyment of having read/seen the movie straight through. Oh well, it's good to get other people's opinions. After all, peoples is peoples.

*Decides not to post thoughts on frog/pig wedding so as not to make certain authoresses mad with me.

 

[Ruahnna]

Post away, Sweetie--your thought are welcome! We don't have to agree to get along, dearheart!

 

[The Count]

Is not just you Aunt Ru, is... Well, I kind of prefer it when a fic either works from the angle of Kermit and Piggy as individuals or when it's implied they're already married. I tend to at another frog/pig wedding as the crux of a story, unless it's handled in a believable approach such as Somebody's Getting Married? in the 2014 FLI thread.

Also, the end joke with Nadya... It reminds me of the gag in that Futurama episode where Hermes Conrad has to sort through all the red tape at the bureaucrats' HQ to retrieve Bender's brainfiles. And then at the end of the episode, when Dr. Zoidberg starts his own song... Fade to black. "Aaaaw."

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I actually while was happy about another wedding when I first heard it I also grumbled a lot too I mean as I've said it's been beat, stomped, kicked, and dug up again way too many times. If they were gonna do the wedding thing again it should've been legit otherwise they could've thought of other ways for Kermit to come to the rescue.

 

[The Count]

Agreed, if we're having a wedding, then let it finally be Kermit and Piggy's real wedding so we don't have to deal with this plot device in future depictions. After all the hemming and hawing, Kermit knows he and Piggy belong together, he just wants to be the one to propose and do it right as he's a bit of an old-fashioned traditionalist. I knew the London wedding would have one of two endings, I'm kind of let down they went with the non-marriage ending. Oh well, c'est la viv.