Your Thoughts: "The Muppets" Theatrical Film

[ryhoyarbie]

Eh.....I'll give my review of the movie.

-The Muppets tells the tale of an avid muppet fan named Walter who grew up watching the old Muppet Show. He loves the muppets, has lot of muppet items, and even went as Kermit the frog for Halloween one year. His brother, played by Jason Segel (nice gag reference going back to Kermit and Fozzie being brothers in The Great Muppet Caper), decides to take Walter and his girlfriend for 10 years (really, that long!!!!!), Amy Adams, to Los Angeles.

They decide to take a tour of the old muppet theater located smack dab in Muppet Studios along with the never before scene office of Kermit. Walter hears that Tex Richman, played by Chris Cooper, is going to tear down the theater and drill for oil. Walter goes in panic mode and he, Adams, and Segal decide to tell Kermit and to see what he can do about. Kermit thinks he can put on a show to raise 10 million dollars to save the theater but has his doubts since he hasn't seen anyone in years. But being the ever optomistic frog, Kermit decides to track down his friends and put on a show with the help of Walter, Segal, Adams, and Kermit's butler 80's Robot by car since Kermit said that's how they did it in the first movie.

They locate Fozzie working in a casino in Reno with a tribute group known as the Moopets, get Gonzo from toliet corporation (nice reference back to Gonzo and being a plummer in the first movie), grab Animal from being in an anger management class along with Jack Black, and snatch the rest of the gang. How Kermit got Rowlf was classic, as what Rowlf even said. Of course they try to get Piggy from Paris but she doesn't want anything to do with them since she has managed to do well for herself on her own. So Kermit decides to get a Piggy replacement (Miss Poogy).

After going through several networks to showcase their telethon, they struck gold with one that Rashida Jones is an executive of. She insists that Kermit and company get a celebrity host as well. After looking through all of his contact lists from the 70's and 80's, Kermit can't find a celebrity host, which leads to the kidnapping of Jack Black and various muppets in ninja robes and their names plastered with japanese subtitles on screen for laughs.

Miss Piggy decides to come back and that leads to Miss Poggy's depature (for now as she states she will be back), and says she didn't do it for Kermit but for the rest of the muppets (ouch Kermit!).

Kermit also tries to plead with Tex Richman into giving them back the theater without any problems but Tex says no deal and says he has found the perfect replacements for the muppets, the moppets, in which Miss Poogy, a moopet Fozzie a moopet Kermit, a moopet Rowlf, and a moopet Janice come strolling. Kermit decides they have to now put on a show which leads to an all out Muppet Show filled with the original theme song and the classic characters doing new skits (no Pigs In Space or Vets Hospital in this movie folks, sorry!)

In the end Kermit and Piggy make up after Piggy seeing an old photo of them that was taken in The Muppets Take Manhatten that Kermit kept with him all that time, and Kermit even admits he needs her, not everyone, but him.

Walter, Gary, and Mary help out with the telethon and Walter tries to figure out if he should work with the muppets since he doesn't know if he has a talent or not, while at the same time Mary wants Gary to propose to her and to give all of his attention to her and not share that attention with Walter (women, bunch of babies!)

At the end of the movie, the telethon raises all but 1 cent of the money needed to buy back the theater but Tex Richman has said he has won the day (maniacal laugh). As Kermit and company decide to leave the theater for good, they are soon surrounded by lots, and lots, and lots, and lots.....(did I mention lots yet?) outside who are glad Kermit and company are back. Because of seeing all of the people outside supporting the muppets, Tex decides to give Kermit and company the rights of the theater back.

The End.......

-The Goods:

-References to the Muppet Movie: Sweetums working at the car dealership from the first movie and saying wait for him again, Kermit saying they'll travel by car to get the muppets like he did in the first movie, the standard "rich and famous" contract Kermit signed in the first movie as pointed out by Statler and Waldorf, and of course the Rainbow Connection song sung by Kermit, Piggy, and then later joined by various muppets who hold their hands together and come on stage

-Reference to Muppets Take Manhatten: Uncle Deadly and Bobo sing "Together Again" a few hums before being cut off by Tex Richman, and again when Walter is playing a few notes on the piano trying to figure out what kind of talent he has towards the end of the movie

-References to various Muppet Show episodes including the opening of the Steve Martin episode and Bob Hope

-Uncle Deadly (never appeared in a major movie before until now and does a good job)

-Jack Black: he doesn't want to be on the telethon and says to he people watching that he's being held against his will while the audience seems to think it's all a joke, and him being apart of the barbershop number. Black says they're destroying a classic song.............

-Smells Like Teen Spirit barbershop number featuring Link, Beaker, Sam, and Rowlf

-Seeing and hearing Link

-Kermit giving hosting duties to Scooter for a short time and Kermit telling Scooter to picture everyone naked

-Seeing an all new Muppet Show with the theme being played again

-Scooter doing his back stage duties

-Scooter opeing a closet and seeing Beauregard cleaning it with an exchange by the two

-Gonzo and the bowling gag he was doing (there's an end and it involves Tex Richman)

-Wayne and Wanda and a gag they had when the lights came back on

-Chris Cooper: he's great and loved his maniacal laugh gag

-Jerry Nelson as the announcer

-Life's a Happy Song and finale, along with Pictures In My Head

-the gags that was thrown in the movie such as thinking Mary was singing when there's rain but it's only someone watering the plants, to a choir singing while riding in a bus when Kermit meets Gary, Mary, and Walter for the first time

-the end with the crowd outside cheering for the muppets

-seeing Bobby Benson, Sam the eagle, Sweetums, and the Newsman (he has several lines) doing the telephones along with various celebrities

-seeing Marvin Suggs (he also has several lines at the end)

Final Grade: A-

 

[Chris Graham]

I have to say, I absolutely positively loved “The Muppets.” It had the charm of the original movies, without the splenda sweatiness or going over the top ness some of the more recent Muppet projects have had. Many of the early concerns about that Segal and his crew were going to take this I the wrong direction I think were unfounded. I can understand concern, this was the first Muppet project to have a totally new creative team and no involvement from the Henson family, but you could tell that they loved the material. I mean Wayne and Wanda, Marvin Suggs, Beauregard and Uncle Deadly were in the film. It is obvious Segal is one of us hard core Muppet fans. The only weakness of the film I thought was the songs. Beyond “Muppet or a Man” I wasn't humming along with any of them. But when you consider how much love and care went into this its only a minor issue. The only reason this is a PG movie is because of a few fart jokes and who cares about them, they were funny. Here is to hoping it dose monster numbers this weekend like it is predicted to do. By far the best post Jim Muppet project, and I'm very hopeful for where Disney takes The Muppets into the future.

 

[CensoredAlso]

The only reason this is a PG movie is because of a few fart jokes and who cares about them, they were funny.

I do. That's one thing I'm really dreading frankly, lol. I'm hoping to overall enjoy the movie, but just saying. I'll have my copy of The Muppet Movie close by just in case as soon as I get home. You know the movie that didn't need to rely on jokes like that.

 

[Chris Graham]

Also another thing that needs to be mentioned is the level of homage paid to Jim Henson in this film. You see his face several times in the film, including on a few light polls on Hollywood Blvd, which were actually on Hollywood Blvd for some time. I also if you look close you can see a cameo from Lightning McQueen (Granted on a billboard) and Whinie The Poo on the window of the Disney store at the El Capitai..... i man Muppet Theater. Also being someone who lives in LA i got a kick out of thinking the Muppet Theater was across the street from The Chinese Theater and Kodak Theater.

 

[Chris Graham]

I do. That's one thing I'm really dreading frankly, lol. I'm hoping to overall enjoy the movie, but just saying. I'll have my copy of The Muppet Movie close by just in case as soon as I get home. You know the movie that didn't need to rely on jokes like that.

There is nothing more or less offensive then what was in "Its A Very Merry Muppet Christmas" in fact i'd say the use of the innuendos was more over the line then anything you see in this film.

The thing is with the ratings board the way they are now, all of the Jim erra "The Muppet Movies" would have been a PG movie if it was made today. I mean Dr. Hopper hires someone to kill Kermit. In "The Great Muppet Caper" Charles Groden pulls a gun on The Muppets. In "Take Manhattan" Kermit is hit by a car. These are all the minor things that back 30 years ago were ok in a G rating, but by todays standards would give you a PG.

You will want to keep that copy of "The Muppet Movie" close cause after seing this you will want to spend more time with The Muppets and rewatch everything. This is a very good movie.

 

[CensoredAlso]

The thing is with the ratings board the way they are now, all of the Jim erra "The Muppet Movies" would have been a PG movie if it was made today. I mean Dr. Hopper hires someone to kill Kermit. In "The Great Muppet Caper" Charles Groden pull a gun on The Muppets. In "Take Manhattan" Kermit is hit by a car. These are all the minor things that back 30 years ago were ok in a G rating, but by todays standards would give you a PG.

I wasn't really referring to the ratings system so much as relying on cheap fart jokes.

You will want to keep that copy of "The Muppet Movie" close cause after seing this you will want to spend more time with The Muppets and rewatch everything. This is a very good movie.

I don't need this movie for that to happen. But thanks for the thought. : )

 

[Slackbot]

The only reason this is a PG movie is because of a few fart jokes...

Actually, it looked to me like there was a crotch-wallop when Jack Black was captured, but because of the angle it wasn't that obvious. I'd have to see it again to be 100% sure, though.

 

[mupcollector1]

This movie was definitely way better than Muppets From Space.

 

[mupcollector1]

Actually, it looked to me like there was a crotch-wallop when Jack Black was captured, but because of the angle it wasn't that obvious. I'd have to see it again to be 100% sure, though.

Jack Black getting tyed up by The Muppets was probably my favorite part of the movie. I always found Jack to be very annoying and when I heard he was going to be in the movie I originally thought "Oh God", then when I see what The Muppets did to him (The whole John Cleese treatment) I was laughing. Cheering silently thinking I was dreaming. LOL Plus Jack in Anger Management, excellent.

 

[Slackbot]

Other random comments...

'80s Robot. I just didn't see the point of the character. Who built him? Why? The only funny thing about him was the sodas on his tray and his modem gag. If Kermit was supposed to be in a mental time warp to the days of TMS, fine, but he wasn't. He'd let go of that and felt poorer for doing so. If there was any purpose to the character, I have a feeling it was left on the cutting room floor.

Fozzie's face looks a little off to me. Maybe it's because he's so hairy, like his winter pelt has grown in.

I loved the Sweeney Todd gag. I expected Animal to raise the drumsticks and roar "At last my arms are complete again!" But since he didn't, I'll have to draw it.

I was hoping for a "Scoooooter" gag, considering where he was working.

I may be the only person in all of fandom who was pleased when Gonzo announced to the "people of Earth" that he was back. A callback to MFS? Cool!

I was also very pleased that Camilla actually had a meaningful line. We're used to her just being Gonzo's arm candy. Since I'm a Gonzo/Camilla 'shipper (Stop laughing! MOM!) I liked seeing her actually help change Gonzo's mind.

The ninja turtle line was cute. I remember seeing, not to long ago, a discussion thread somewhere else in which some Ninja Turtle fans were spitting mad over Kermit's disrespect to their characters. Huh??

Don't worry about The Swedish Chef flaming the fridge. The spoiled food inside was seen later on, fresh once again. Which doesn't make much sense, I admit, but neither does your nose falling off after you eat paper clips.

What was with the balls velcroed onto Jack Black during the ninja scene?

Speaking of the ninja scene, I hope someone can post the pictograms by the character names. I can read kanji, but not that fast.