Your "Muppets Most Wanted" Experiences

[LouisTheOtter]

Okay folks...We've had wonderful conversations about Muppets Most Wanted's content, promotion, box-office take and the future of the characters, but I thought it might be worth setting up a separate thread to talk about our experiences in actually going to see the movie.

Some of you have shared a few great stories already (I especially love Slackbot's description of the young moviegoers' reaction to the Skeeter puppet) and I thought we should have a thread to celebrate how the arrival of this movie goes far beyond what was actually up on the screen.

Mrs. Otter and I were already planning to go see MMW on opening weekend and we thought it might be fun to replicate something that we did with TM2011 - set up a road trip with the Christian youth group she runs in our hometown. This time we were even blessed with a special vehicle from one of the parents, who drives the bus for our local Junior B hockey team. (So yes, it smelled a little like hockey equipment but it was still the closest we'll likely get to riding the Electric Mayhem bus.)

I brought along three different Kermit plushes (bean-bag size, 12-inch-high and three-feet-high), my Fisher-Price Rowlf hand puppet, and a small Cookie Monster. ("Me know me not technically in movie, but me still hold out hope for brief cameo.") They passed through several of the hands of our eight young bus-riders (and even some of the adults) - in fact, I had to mediate between one brother and sister to see who would sit with "Big Kermit" at the theatre. (Amazingly, they wound up sharing him for an hour each!)

Somewhere, there is video of me and Mrs. Otter in our matching Kermit T-shirts singing "Movin' Right Along" together as we pulled out of the church parking lot and hit the road (one of the parents had her iPhone going, shortly before her seven-year-old daughter snatched it away so she could excitedly show me the Swedish Chef "Popcorn" viral video).

When we got to the theatre, located a 90-minute drive away from our town, the theatre manager (an old friend of ours) took a group picture of all 15 of us in front of the MMW poster. I may actually get that picture printed and framed after Mrs. Otter and I move into our new house in a few weeks.

The kids (and adults as well) really seemed to enjoy the movie, with laughter filling the theatre (there were another 10-15 people there by my count, including a birthday party for a kid from the same town as the multiplex). At one point I could hear multiple whispers of "Ross Lynch!" - these, of course, came only a few minutes after Mrs. Otter gasped, "Hugh Bonneville from Downton Abbey!!!"

On our way home, one of the youngest of our charges, a seven-year-old girl, asked me to draw Kermit for her, and when I did, she coaxed several other Muppet doodles out of me (Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Beaker and Bunsen - the last one came after she eagerly asked me to "do the guy with the glasses and no eyes!"). She excitedly told me she wanted to put that paper up on her bedroom wall when we returned home.

So, to recap - a great movie, a fun trip, and the possibility that the Muppets have a whole new generation of fans. Yeah. One of the best days I've had in a long, long time.

 

[sarah_yzma]

I work in a mall with one of those fancy AMCs with ticketed seats and reclining seats (seriously done with all other theaters now). Saw it the first time with my husband. Bought the tickets early in the day and only two seats were bought and we sat behind them. Theater was probably 75-85% full with lots of kids, even though it was a 10pm showing. Was happy to sit behind the two I did, it was an older gentleman and someone mid twenties (father and son?), the older man was a clear fan and clapped at all references an throwbacks to the old days. Was hoping to catch him after the show and say hello, but I didn't get the chance. Kids sitting beside me were obviously pleased and parrot-ing every clever line back at the screen. Probably because it was midnight, but everyone cleared out right at the beginning of the credits.

Went the second time with my brother and his GF. We went to a weeknight 7pm showing and the theater was probably 60% full. Still plenty of kids, but more adults in this showing. Audience was less audibly into it, but stayed for the credits this time. Had a great meal afterward with my brother, the only other crazed Muppet fan I know in person.

 

[Aaron]

(Good to see you Sarah)
Went to a 1:15 showing. It was about 85% full exclusively with parents and kids (Save for my friend and i). The reaction was pleasant but pretty subdued. When the Rainbow Connection clip came on a child screamed "I WATCHED THAT" Biggest laugh was Piggy slapping Constantine aganist the helicopter.

 

[sarah_yzma]

(Good to be back around!)

I don't remember what would have been the biggest laugh. The second showing I could hear and see some awkward cringing during the Rizzo and Robin joke (may have been during the first showing, but I knew what to look for!)

 

[CensoredAlso]

When the Rainbow Connection clip came on a child screamed "I WATCHED THAT"

Lol! Thanks for sharing that, made my day.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

I was at a pre-screening for this movie, and they always give away prizes out to audience if they call on you and you answer a question correctly. The questions were so easy, I really wish I was called on.

The question was (no kidding here):
"I'm the Bear. Who am I?" and the guy up there had no idea, then twenty seconds later, he said "Fuzzy Bear?" The next question was "I'm the Frog. Who am I?" Seriously folks.

If I was called up and they asked me "I'm the Frog" I would've asked if he was talking about Kermit or Constantine or Robin, Timrek, Gill, Bill, Jill, Kermoot, etc.

 

[TheWeirdoGirl]

I saw it on opening day at 7:30 pm with my dad and one of my brothers (which is pretty amazing considering that my dad doesn't like Muppet movies). The large theater was almost completely full, with mostly families and some couples both young and older. If we had arrived a few minutes later than we did, we have been forced to sit uncomfortably close to the screen.

It seemed like the whole audience really enjoyed it. Out of all the laughs, I think Piggy hitting Constantine was probably the biggest. Even my dad seemed to sort like the movie. He said that the scene where Constantine escapes from the gulag was "the best Muppet scene he's ever watched," and we've been quoting Constantine's lines to each other daily (mostly "Hi-lo, Kyermit the Frog hyere," the "spacebar spacebar spacebar" line and "Sure Zongo, who cares?"). Plus he's spent lots of time in England and Germany, so he appreciated all the European stuff.

Oh, and as we were leaving, I overheard a mom explaining to her kids who Celine Dion is.

 

[LouisTheOtter]

The second showing I could hear and see some awkward cringing during the Rizzo and Robin joke (may have been during the first showing, but I knew what to look for!)

I liked that scene - very well-written and self-aware. Rizzo's line about "other beloved characters" not getting more screen time simultaneously cracked me up and broke my heart.

It was also responsible for the only time that any of the kids with us asked "Who's that?" It happened when Robin crossed the screen to leave with Rizzo. Which shows you how little Robin has actually been used in Muppet productions as of late.

These stories are putting a big wide smile on my face. Thank you for sharing, everybody. Keep it up!

 

[ConstantineFan]

Did you overhear any teenager, dads or moms explaining to little kids who Ross Lynch is after the showing of Muppets Most Wanted at your movie theater?

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Did you overhear any teenager, dads or moms explaining to little kids who Ross Lynch is after the showing of Muppets Most Wanted at your movie theater?

I went with a friend, he seemed to know who he was.