Your Thoughts: "The Muppets" Theatrical Film

[MrBloogarFoobly]

Well, if it was Brian Henson, he really is the last person who should be complaining about degrading the Muppets' integrity. "Stuffed and Unstrung" is hardly high brow humor.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I'm actually seriously considering starting up Muppet Freak again where i finally tackle the series of articles i've wanted to do since the beginning comparing the movies script to scene....starting with The Muppets...debating some personal things/issues surrounding that...but yeah, i really want to explore something along those lines.

Yeah go for it! I hope more fans comment on the film on their Blogs. Whether they like the movie or not, it would get some attention for the Muppets in general.

 

[beaker]

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

Im guessing cgi motion capture(mo cap)

I thought 80's robot was funny...I totally remember Tab and New Coke.
I thought the "montage" scene would have been better had they not mentioned it was a montage...something about all the super unrealistic gags took me out of the movie a bit but thats because Im used to the more grounded first three films

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.

Trust me, the 'fart shoes' are not the issues to have with this film, if one is to have issues. Also I thought it was PG because of some of the more serious tone at times?

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 think like Tron Legacy, this film is a primer for things to come. Muppet Movie is so perfect...the pacing, the fact it takes place in the REAL world...I prefer TMM and TMTM as they are more rooted in the real world unlike Very Muppet Christmas Movie. But yeah, this new one is pretty incredible and is its own thing.

 

[beaker]

Wait a second...I just remembered something. Werent the Muppets in jail at one point?

The more Im letting it sink in, the more I am getting the feeling I did from seeing other films that were good...but had an even greater film within had the editing been different. (One Hour Photo, AI, etc) I think if deleted or extended scenes are ever released, I'll have to make my own edit

And of course, the actual stage show... the movie plays out in some cases like a superior quality VMX, without the rapid fire pop culture bits. It moves fast, but not so fast you don't get to digest what's going on. I tell yah, great movie and it made the Hour and 45 minute runtime fly by. Even the existing music worked beautifully.'

I give it 5 Wows! Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow!

I also feel I must touch upon the Toy Story short. I liked it better than Hawaiin vacation. Maybe cuz Zurg was there...

It's funny you should mention VMX, some of the theater stuff reminded me of it...just more cinematic.

But I have to disagree...I feel the film was way to speedy and needed to be more fleshed out. I think in this post LOTR world, audiences for even family films can handle 2 hour plus films. Some movies lag, this film went way too quickly.

Oh gosh, that Toy Story short was simply astonishingly. Totally makes up for my utter lack of wanting to see Cars 2 or Brave and for the sour taste Toy Story 3 gave me.

But yeah there is something about this movie Im failing at words for...its a very special film, the opening alone almost had me in tears. It had a lot of "moment out of time" parts, like the Rainbow connection. Also yes! The Piggy/Kermit dynamic was handled in a very real, adult way. Loved that.

My thoughts - which are soooo hard to put into words right now.

So I turn 30 in two days.

Happy pre bday! And hey, Im almost 34...so no need to feel old! Heck, I feel younger, look younger and feel more full of direction than I did ten years ago. The Muppets keep us young^_^

 

[beaker]

Hobo Joe sang it in the same voice as the soundtrack.

I thought that was Joanna Newsom?(credited in the song production I think?)

Just about lost it when the Muppets were joining hands before going on stage!

Yeah the rainbow connection, Kermit's final speech/walk out at the end, the opening intro and Paris night time conversation were some of my favorite parts. Also the part with Camilla speaking.

Not sure if anyone else will mention this, but I got choked up right off the bat when you see Walter playing as a kid, then having to realize he's different, and then discovering the Muppets. I'm sure all of us can relate to that.

I wasnt ready for it, definitely was quite a piercing amazing moment. I just wish that feeling had been consistent, as right away it's like this "whoah" moment when he pops in the vhs tape...I felt like I was the only one in the theater for that moment. And that's powerful.

Im now kicking myself for not going to see this in a bigger city with people who had more of a vocal reaction to certain parts. Ill definitely have to see it again

 

[Puckrox]

I'm in the midst of typing up a super long review of the movie for my Muppet tumblr. Once it's wrapped up I'll make sure to share!

All together, I loved it. Was it perfect? No. The beginning felt rushed, you can definitely tell a lot was cut out, and the lack of Gonzo and Rizzo was less than disappointing. But besides that? I laughed and I cried. I'm seeing it two more times in the next two days, so hopefully by the end of this weekend I'll have a very well thought out, verbalized perception of this film.

 

[dwmckim]

Was Uncle Deadly's past association with the Muppets addressed in the movie? It's never mentioned in the junior novel, and when Walter first sees him (hiding when he learns of Tex Richman's plans) he doesn't seem to recognize him as a Muppet. Ditto with Bobo.

This irked me a bit. To get everyone up to speed, Adding Uncle Deadly was Bobin's idea (he was more a Muppet Freak than Segel/Stoller) and after Bobin suggested it everone agreed it was a perfect place for him. It was a VERY inspired idea...but they didn't take full advantage of it by giving any kind of acknowledgement or nod as to why/how he was there...he (and Bobo) just come across as Random Muppet Henchman. Deadly has his own history with The Muppet Theatre that predates any of the other Muppets so i would have liked to have seen that brought out. At least Bobo did get his line to UD: "Do ya wonder if we're helping the bad guys?" so at least you got a semi-idea of Bobo's position (I was kind of hoping he'd get a line like that....i had initially envisioned "I really need to start seeking jobs with a different employment agency")

 

[TripleG]

The thing about Uncle Deadly is that he was so underutilized that the only ones that seem to remember him are us die hards. So I think they just approached him in this movie as if he were a new character and see if anyone outside of the truly obsessed Muppet fans would like him.

Overall, Deadly was one of my favorite parts of the movie. His big scene at the end was awesome.

 

[beaker]

This was Bobin's first foray into directing a feature film and like i say, while in most regards the film can be measured a Success, Bobin makes it painfully obvious where his beginner's weakness is...the edit/construction. And this is the audience's loss.

Again, i'm being pretty hard in this aspect of criticism because the potential for greatness was fully present and Bobin/the editing team could have easily created something masterful. And if there were only one or two elements that got lost, that wouldn't be so bad. But instead of a couple, there were dozens of Story Elements that were left out ... not to mention such a wealth of amazing fun "non-essential" bits and scenes and jokes and payoffs shot but not ultimately included. When all is said and done, this should not have been the final edit.

Hopefully given that we live in the age of dvd's, we'll see a further opportunity to later "correct" some of those missteps down the line with perhaps a different extended or alternate edit.

Well we're on a similar page. Im kind of coming from this film from a different angle than a lot of people...the trailers showed this goofy slapsticky film. Sure theres that, but theres also a devastatingly, deep emotional and important film in there. But more and more Im feeling like it's like a magnificent book with some chapters randomly ripped out, or a dream you can only remember parts of.

This film will be shocking to some, for the depth it shows. Again yeah, there's a bit (I think too much) random VMX type slapstick gags but burning bright is this important film...I just, like you feel its been heavily neutered.

Imagine the punch this film would have packed had it had its scenes in tact, better editing and the pacing was more natural?

 

[dwmckim]

Since i see a lot of people citing Me Party as their least fave song in the movie, i'm going to declare my love for it. But then again i always felt that if i was to write an autobiography it would be titled "Table for One" so maybe you need a certain experience/perspective level to fully appreciate. Thematically i relate so much stronger to this song than i ever could Life's a Happy Song because that's a flat out bold faced lie in any other context outside a Muppet movie.