Your Thoughts: "Muppets Most Wanted" Theatrical Film

[Twisted Tails]

Hi-ho Muppet fans! Colette Clark here and I am back to tell you that I saw the movie for the second time. I will point out that I can handle 2-hour movies (sighs) but never ever 3-hour movies.

There was more people at MMW thank goodness. The attendance was terrible last time and there wasn't much enthusiam like there was the second time.

I will be nitpicky that the script is okay, but the performers and the human cast blew me away. The Madrid, Spain showing was awful, but even it was so bad, it was still funny.

I thought Tina Fey was the spotlight of all the rest of the human cast, but so was Ty Burell. The chemistry of Sam the Eagle and Ty was SO good, I am wondering... why does this plot remind of AMERICAN DAD?

Now I really LOVE the music than I did the first time I saw it. My favorites are: "We're Doing A Sequel", "Something So Right", The Interrogation Song" (I love songs that speed up and sound so Muppety), "The Big House", (I can't help but love prison numbers), and "I'm Number One."

I will definetely see this movie again when it comes to dollar movie theaters.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

You know what it reminded me of? The infamous Star Trek V. The villain was a guy good at manipulation who ends up taking over the group. The shining hero, Captain Kirk (or in this case Kermit or Walter) is the only one who sees through him. Meanwhile the crew (or in this case, the rest of the Muppets) are made to look like gullible fools or pathetic comic relief. Painful. Come on, these are the Muppets who saw through Murray Plotsky! And they fall for a bad guy named Badguy? Really?

Thankfully it's not Star Trek V most fans tend to remember.

Well, Sybok did ease the crews' pain (I'm guessing not all of the crew had their pain shared with Sybok which in that case I was surprised there wasn't a mutiny happening with those not affected versus those that were affected). To move the plot along, I guess that's why the crew went along with him except for Kirk....and Spock and McCoy even though their pain was shared with Sybok.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well, Sybok did ease the crews' pain (I'm guessing not all of the crew had their pain shared with Sybok which in that case I was surprised there wasn't a mutiny happening with those not affected versus those that were affected). To move the plot along, I guess that's why the crew went along with him except for Kirk....and Spock and McCoy even though their pain was shared with Sybok.

And in much the same way, Constantine entices the Muppets by letting them do whatever they wanted, regardless of how it affected the show. The script for Star Trek V was a mess (writer's strike) and there was a lot of complaints behind the scenes that everyone on the Enterprise seemed to fall for Sybok. In an earlier draft, even Spock and McCoy embarrassingly betrayed Kirk. I kept getting the same uncomfortable vibe from MMW that these characters just felt hijacked by people who don't understand them.

Like I said, the Kermit and Tina Fey scenes were a lot of fun. I will cling to that memory.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

And in much the same way, Constantine entices the Muppets by letting them do whatever they wanted, regardless of how it affected the show. The script for Star Trek V was a mess (writer's strike) and there was a lot of complaints behind the scenes that everyone on the Enterprise seemed to fall for Sybok. In an earlier draft, even Spock and McCoy embarrassingly betrayed Kirk. I kept getting the same uncomfortable vibe from MMW that these characters just felt hijacked by people who don't understand them.

Like I said, the Kermit and Tina Fey scenes were a lot of fun. I will cling to that memory.

I think the writers understand the Muppets. They just didn't write a good movie in my opinion.

 

[beaker]

I think this movie has become a strange sort of rorschach test for fans. It also proves we don't all blindly love something just because it's Muppet related. For those that disliked it or were disappointed, all I can say is I'm sorry you didn't appreciate it as well as I did. Just like I'm sure I wish I could enjoy TM2011 like many of you did. Though...I'm surprised I'm the only one commenting on the cimematography. Which I thought was aces better than the last one. It just felt this time around, like you were watching a real Muppet movie, something I haven't felt since TMTM 30 years ago. Everything else has felt like extended ABC tv specials.

 

[Drtooth]

With all due respect, Mr. Stoler shouldn't say writing for Fozzie is easy because the bear is stupid. It seems he's gotten stuck with that label since MTI with the addition of Mr. Bimbo who lives in his finger—which to this day I still don't understand the "ha-ha" behind that when Mr. Bimbo could have been a character himself.

Oh, man. Yes! In MTI it was forgivable, because he was playing a character. But then came MFS. Wow.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

When Dominick walks in and suggests the Muppets go on a world tour, I'm thinking back to Fozzie's comments at the group reunion in TMTM... "Who's this guy? And why is he approaching the Muppets as if anyone can just come in to suggest a movie plot with no need of security clearance?" Guess Bobo wasn't available that day

I like to think that Ricky Gervais was still hanging around back-stage after his scene in the last movie got cut. If you've seen the scene featuring him, you'll remember he's talking to someone on the phone. I like to think that he was talking to Constantine, who was probably still in the gulag at that time. Quite possibly the only reason Gervais showed up to the Muppets' "Strip Mall Awards" was to kidnap Kermit or to infiltrate the Muppets in some other way. Once they were greenlighted a sequel, he suggest they go on a world tour so he can fufill his plan to steal the Crown Jewels.

Just a theory....

 

[CensoredAlso]

Oh, man. Yes! In MTI it was forgivable, because he was playing a character. But then came MFS. Wow.

And then came Fozzie in this movie. Double wow.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I like to think that Ricky Gervais was still hanging around back-stage after his scene in the last movie got cut. If you've seen the scene featuring him, you'll remember he's talking to someone on the phone. I like to think that he was talking to Constantine, who was probably still in the gulag at that time. Quite possibly the only reason Gervais showed up to the Muppets' "Strip Mall Awards" was to kidnap Kermit or to infiltrate the Muppets in some other way. Once they were greenlighted a sequel, he suggest they go on a world tour so he can fufill his plan to steal the Crown Jewels.

Just a theory....

I did laugh when he suggested the world tour to Kermit after the song was over. The human cameos were all top notch to my surprise and delight. I just wish they'd let the Muppets borrow some of the funny lines once and awhile. The writers seemed very comfortable writing for the humans and then confused when writing for the Muppets.

 

[Drtooth]

Though...I'm surprised I'm the only one commenting on the cimematography. Which I thought was aces better than the last one. It just felt this time around, like you were watching a real Muppet movie, something I haven't felt since TMTM 30 years ago. Everything else has felt like extended ABC tv specials.

While it is debatable which film is better on the merits of tone, plot, and concept, I'm shocked that not one other person has commented on how much better the filmmaking aspects of the follow up were. I'll agree, the last film bounced around from looking like a film to looking like theatrical aspects shot for television. And since it was a TV director who made both, I'm willing to say it was a learning process. Cinematography, editing, pacing... the last film, and I'll give them huge credit for this they tried to shove too much into a 100 minute film. Huge scenes were cut, everything felt rushed around... they didn't resolve the plot until the credits. And not in a Marvel Comics movie sequel hook/eating shwarma bonus scene type way. In a "they're rushing us out of the theater" way. Worse, the resolved plot line resolves something cut! A vital, important cut.

And while I did really really like M11, MMW kept the momentum. While I have to admit, I liked what they did with Smells like Teen Spirit more than what they did with Moves like Jagger, I like what they did with The Muppet Show in this film a LOT more. Giving us a taste of what's on stage, instead of stopping the film to do Muppet Show stuff. Not to mention Me Party. No denying it, it stopped M11 dead cold. Like "The Love is Gone" in MCC dead. The weakest number in this film (I'll say it's "God, I Hope I get it") didn't even slow anything down.

Just overall a better film in terms of film making. A Brisk, but not sonic fast pace that was consistent, and it felt more like a movie than an anniversary project.