The Muppets (2011)

[InformationGeek]

So I just got back from the movie and what can I say, it was a lot of fun.  Next to Rango, the best the kids' film I saw that came out this year.

I'm not the biggest fan of the Muppets to be honest.  I think they are good, but I never been a die hard fan or anything.  I've enjoyed their movies but was never in love with them like others are besides the Christmas Carol one.  I've never seen the original Muppet show, but did see the one in the 90's.  So, I walked into this one with no particular bias and I got to say, I had a great time.

It's a bit of a cliche story, but they so knew it and they were so playing it tongue-and-cheek that it made the whole thing great.  All the actors were great, with the villian being so cheesy that I had a blast seeing him everytime he stepped on screen.  The humor was great, with lots of 4th wall breaking that was great.  The songs were solid (except for one rap number by the evil businessmen; though it was saved by the reaction shots from everyone looking at him with shock) and quite catchy.  Also, for you 80's music lovers, they used a bunch of 80's songs in there for fun and great effect (the cleaning montage was set to We Built This City).

Outside of one number musical number and some jokes that fell flat, I think this is a wonderful film (Even comes with a great animated short from Pixar).  I haven't had this much fun in a theater for quite a while.  Fans of the Muppets, you got to see this, you are going to enjoy this a lot.  I give this an easy 4.5 of 5.  I had a blast and I hope you guys check it out.

[Kaseykockroach]

I think the key to the movie's success is that real _fans_ of the characters were intimately involved. Not some pie-eyed exec or flash in the pan celebrity getting a chance to "reboot" them. In spite of Segal's track record (who can forget his schlong prominently featured in the abhorrent "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), he's a real Muppet FAN and knows what makes these characters tick, what other fans want to see, and how to tinker them like Henson did to change with the times.

I liked this movie more than "Muppet Christmas Carol", "Muppets from Space", "Muppet Treasure Island" (which I can't remember ever sitting all the way through), and even "Muppets Take Manhattan". Most of the recreations of the voices were very good, particularly Kermit, though like Henson, there'll never be a true replacement for Frank Oz.

[Flick James]

I don't have a problem with Jason Segal. Out of everbody who is a part of the Judd Apatow brand of film-making, I think he seems to have the most talent, and he's a decent writer. When I saw that he was prominently involved in this movie and saw the trailer, I immediately thought of the puppet Dracula musical bit at the end of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and smiled.

I plan to see it.

[tracy]

Big Muppet fan here....I fully plan to go see it.

[HappyGilmore]

Planning on seeing it this week. Huge Muppet fan, and quite like Jason Segel.

[Mofo Rising]

I liked it quite a lot. It wasn't the second coming of the Muppets that I hoped it would be, but it was pretty good.

I will say it is a large step above the children's film ghetto the Muppets have spent the last few decades in. It seems clear that the people behind the movie got most of their inspiration from the original television show. That show was a pretty sly production that pushed the boundaries of being a children's show that also spoke to adults.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSJc72OC7Dg
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I like Jason Segel. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was much better than I was expecting it to be. "Dracula's Lament" is constantly hovering around the "most played" on my iTunes list.

The Muppets is good, but also kind of formulaic and schmaltzy.

My favorite line: "I just wanted to make a difference!"

[Hammock Rider]

I loved the original Muppet tv show, so I plan on checking this out. Jason Siegel is good and Amy Adams is A-OK in my book.

[Jim H]

Quite enjoyed this one.  It's biggest downfall for me was I thought the opening all the way through the first musical number was so note perfect I didn't think the film could maintain it, and indeed it couldn't.  But it's still quite good - the tone and feel of it is quite a bit like the original Muppet movie, actually, though I think the general level of writing and the humor level is higher.  A lot of fun.

Also, I greatly appreciate seeing an old franchise come back in a way that respects the central characters.  Jason Segal and Amy Adams are the stories that get pushed to the side at times - not the muppets themselves.  Which is how it should be.  Compare that to, say, Transformers, where boring human characters dominate the storylines of all three films.

The only major snub as far as muppet fans go is probably Rizzo the Rat - doesn't get a single line.

An 8/10 from me.

[HappyGilmore]

Quite enjoyed this one.  It's biggest downfall for me was I thought the opening all the way through the first musical number was so note perfect I didn't think the film could maintain it, and indeed it couldn't.  But it's still quite good - the tone and feel of it is quite a bit like the original Muppet movie, actually, though I think the general level of writing and the humor level is higher.  A lot of fun.

Also, I greatly appreciate seeing an old franchise come back in a way that respects the central characters.  Jason Segal and Amy Adams are the stories that get pushed to the side at times - not the muppets themselves.  Which is how it should be.  Compare that to, say, Transformers, where boring human characters dominate the storylines of all three films.

The only major snub as far as muppet fans go is probably Rizzo the Rat - doesn't get a single line.

An 8/10 from me.

Really? Not much Rizzo?

I remember back in the late '90s and early '00s, Fozzie Bear wasn't featured as much.  Notably, in the tv show Muppets Tonight, the movie Muppets in Space, and a couple other projects.  I think, though, that was mostly due to Frank Oz somewhat retiring from the Muppets to focus on his directing career.  They've since found new people to do his characters, although, from what I've read he's still involved on a limited basis and pops up on the set of Sesame Street as his schedule permits.

[tracy]

Quite enjoyed this one.  It's biggest downfall for me was I thought the opening all the way through the first musical number was so note perfect I didn't think the film could maintain it, and indeed it couldn't.  But it's still quite good - the tone and feel of it is quite a bit like the original Muppet movie, actually, though I think the general level of writing and the humor level is higher.  A lot of fun.

Also, I greatly appreciate seeing an old franchise come back in a way that respects the central characters.  Jason Segal and Amy Adams are the stories that get pushed to the side at times - not the muppets themselves.  Which is how it should be.  Compare that to, say, Transformers, where boring human characters dominate the storylines of all three films.

The only major snub as far as muppet fans go is probably Rizzo the Rat - doesn't get a single line.

An 8/10 from me.

Really? Not much Rizzo?

I remember back in the late '90s and early '00s, Fozzie Bear wasn't featured as much.  Notably, in the tv show Muppets Tonight, the movie Muppets in Space, and a couple other projects.  I think, though, that was mostly due to Frank Oz somewhat retiring from the Muppets to focus on his directing career.  They've since found new people to do his characters, although, from what I've read he's still involved on a limited basis and pops up on the set of Sesame Street as his schedule permits.

Luckily,we got to see plenty of Rizzo in Muppet Treasure Island.

[BoyScoutKevin]

"The Muppets" w/ Jason Segel and Jack Black.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the Muppets. Even Miss Piggy, who by far is my least favorite Muppet.

Of course, the laughs for me came in seeing who were the cameos: Alan Arkin, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, and Mickey Rooney. There were, of course, more, but that was the ones I recognized.

I also enjoy in any film set in the present or the future, looking to see what are the product placements. And those included Air France, Cocoa Cola, Conde Nast Publishing, "The Economist," Google, Pixar, Tower Records, and Yellow Cab. There again, I am sure there were more, but those were the ones I caught.

And if one has ever been to Disney Studios at Walt Disney World, one should have recognized that at least some of the first song and dance number was filmed there.

Now that it is the highest grossing Muppet film of all time, people are giving alot of the credit to the publicity department of the Walt Disney Company. Who took an idea which was basically moridbund and made it a success.

Of course, I also credit Jason Segel for much of its success, as for many years it was his one man effort that brought the Muppets back to the big screen.

Now what do you do with them? Well . . . as interactive games are now all the rage. There is a "Kim Possible" interactive game at EPCOT. and "Phineas and Ferb" have another interactive game at another of the Disney theme parks, when the "Disney Fantasy" first sets sail next year, the Muppets will be featured in an interactive game onboard the ship.

[HappyGilmore]

I would like to see some sort of new Muppet show on tv. Disney owns them. It would be a good fit on Sunday nights.

[InformationGeek]

I would like to see some sort of new Muppet show on tv. Disney owns them. It would be a good fit on Sunday nights.

I would check it out.  I still have great memories of the Muppets Tonight when I was younger.