Film Review: The Muppets (2011)

As regular readers of Thom's House Of Words know, I was very worried about pretty much every aspect of a new Muppets movie being released. Could the charm and innocence of the late 70's and early 80's films still work in cynical and selfish 2012? (or more accurately, 2011, which was when the film was released in the States), do we really need a new Muppet? And what about there being several big roles for actors, surely that would take up Muppet time?

On all fronts, I had nothing to worry about.

Slightly echoing real life, The Muppets are no longer famous, and have each gone on their separate ways. But a lifelong fan Walter, his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary's girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) help persuade Kermit to put on another show with the original gang to help prevent their old theater being destroyed by the evil oil baron Tex Richman (Chris Cooper.)

Obviously, just the first part of the plot rings true. A whole generation of kids, up till now, didn't even know who The Muppets were! And only people who grew up with them remembered, even though that memory had been slightly tarnished by some not-brilliant DTV efforts, but we always had the original movie and Christmas Carol, personally, I never thought anyone would make an attempt on another big screen outing.

Thank god then for Jason Segel. He was the guy who took the idea to Disney, and they let him run with it (he also co-writes and co-produces), and it's clear that it's a labour of love. Unlike so many other people, Segel, and co-writer Nicholas Stoller (Yes Man, Get Him To The Greek) make no attempt to reboot, or in any way contemporize the Muppets. They are exactly the same as you remember them.

There's also zero innuendo, or any kind of cynicism or attempts to be smart-alecy or flippant about the Muppets, the film is warm, fuzzy and innocent (except of Chris Cooper's bad guy, and hilarious tribute act The Moopets, but that's kinda their point in the movie.) When reviewing the original Muppet movie, I wondered with the same kind of innocent charm could ever be replicated. Yes it can, and is on display throughout.

There were several times during the film where things get quite emotional, such as Kermit's melancholy song 'Pictures In My Head', and pretty much most of the stuff between Kermit and Miss Piggy, and later scenes with Gary and Walter, which will bring a tear to your eye almost. The fact that you can connect to these characters so easily says so much about their enduring appeal, and the writing. I found Gary, Mary and Walter to be just as important to the film as the rest of the gang within minutes.

Another important part of any Muppet film is the songs, and with Flight Of The Conchord's alumni Bret Mackenzie involved (FOTC creator James Bobin also directs the film), we are treated to some of the best Muppet songs ever. 'Life's a Happy Song', 'Me Party', 'Man or Muppet', and the aforementioned 'Pictures In My Head' are all instant classics that will remain lodged in your head for weeks. And the evergreen 'Rainbow Connection' is revisited in grand style. Heck, there's even a couple of Muppet-charged covers thrown in for good measure.

The cameos are also there. There's no huge names to distract from the business at hand (arguably, the biggest star that shows up is Jack Black), but they are fantastically placed and work well. Probably the best would be the one that takes place during the 'Man or Muppet' song, in fact, that was the only cameo that wasn't revealed before the film came out! But I won't go into any other appearances, just in case.

There are some faults of course. The voices of the Muppets are slightly different now, due to some of the voice actors have passed away (Muppets creator Jim Henson and Richard Hunt), or just passing on the project - Frank Oz read the script and didn't want to do it. I have a hard time believing that, because everything that makes the Muppets great is there.

The possible induction of a contemporary song (Cee-Lo Green's 'Forget You') to be clucked along to by the chickens was another minor quibble. Not for the content, it was another funny moment, but putting a song like that in this, or any, film has a habit of dating it. Just hope people remember that song 30 years down the line.

But these are tiny, minuscule complaints. The Muppets is a fantastic film for all ages. I've been to see it twice now, and the screenings combined had all age groups. Kids, teenagers, adults and everyone loved it. It makes no attempt to try and be different or trendy, sticking to what the Muppets do best. It's a heartwarming hug of a movie, and a movie that has had an impact. In just the week after it's UK release, I've seen kids with Muppets shirts, with Animal toys, and singing 'Mahna Mahna' loudly. The Muppets are back, and it's all thanks to Jason Segel et al. Huge praise for all involved.

****1/2
The Muppets return in fine form, with a witty and touching script, great cameos, some of the best Muppet songs ever...look just go and see it OK?

Film Review: The Muppets Take Manhattan

As you may have read in my reviews of the first two Muppet movies (The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper), one of my big fears for the forthcoming (unless you live in the States, where it's actually soon to be released on Blu-Ray!) Muppet movie was that it wasn't going to include a key feature for me, namely, the characters knowing it's a film (apparently, this isn't the case.)

But way before now, this had already happened, and my fears were for naught. While it doesn't reach the spectacular heights of The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan is a hugely enjoyable film in which the fourth wall is never broken.

Directed this time round by voice of Piggy, Fozzie, Animal etc. Frank Oz, the story involves The Muppets newly graduated from college, and deciding to take their successful college play to Broadway. But things are tougher than they seem when they hit New York, and before long they have to go their separate ways.

All the key elements are there, the songs (which are superb this time round, after being a bit forgettable in the previous film, especially 'Together Again' and the rather emotional 'Saying Goodbye' and 'He'll Make Me Happy'), the cameos (although these are definitely more aimed towards an American audience, Joan Rivers, Elliott Gould and John Landis were the only ones I actually recognized) and the great dialogue.

There's a few things that didn't work well for me however, the Muppet Babies cutaway was a rather blatant advert for the TV show which was soon to begin, cute as it was. And the amnesia story line that effects Kermit was both an easy way to pad the film out a bit and slightly disturbing, the sight of him being hit by a car was a bit much for what is essentially a kids film.

But the emotional connection with the characters was what made it for me. After being unable to connect on any level with War Horse, I was shocked at how sad I was when the gang failed to make it in New York and went their separate ways (the aforementioned song didn't help in the slightest) and the wedding scene at the end (complete with pretty much the entire Henson universe singing along), well I think I might have had something in my eye. That says a lot about both the failings of War Horse, and the likability of The Muppets.

After watching these first three Muppet films, I am still a bit worried about how a new one can be pulled off in this day and age. In the late 70s and early 80s thing seemed a lot simpler, and the world has grown into a more selfish and cynical place. I just hope that cynicism doesn't spill over into the Muppets, because the innocence, silliness and heart of films like The Muppets Take Manhattan towers over everything else about it.

***1/2
Not quite as good as The Muppet Movie, better than The Great Muppet Caper. Save for a useless storyline element (amnesia...ergh) and essentially a short advert for a TV show, The Muppets Take Manhattan is great fun on all levels. The ball is in your court Bobin, Segel et al...

Film Review: The Great Muppet Caper

Following on from my review of the first Muppet Movie (see here), comes the second original film that was released. The Great Muppet Caper came two years after, in 1981 and was helmed by the creator of all things Muppet himself, Jim Henson. But while the film retained a lot of what made the first film great, there was something missing this time round.

Again, everyone in the film knows they are in the film (something I love about The Muppet Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol, although it's more just Gonzo and Rizzo in the latter), so we are introduced to proceedings by Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo, with a nice song and the whole set up that they will be playing newspaper reporters who travel to London to interview the rich victim of a jewel thief (Diana Rigg.)

Once there, they find the Happiness Hotel, where most of the regular Muppet gang are staying, and Kermit 'meets' Miss Piggy, working for Lady Holiday (Rigg), and obviously, they fall in love.

I just couldn't get used to the 'fictional' storyline. The Muppet's playing themselves, but not themselves. It's clear that this is meant as a film the Muppet's made after they hit the big time in the first film (in fact there's one scene where Kermit and Miss Piggy break character and have a domestic!) but I just couldn't click with the story from that point of view.

But the positives, the songs are all good (although not quite as good as the first film), and there are some absolutely brilliant sequences. they may seem a bit ropy now, but the level of effort that would have had to go into a scene where all the Muppet's are cycling in a park, or a lavish underwater musical number at that time, must have been off the chart.

As usual, there's some great one liners, and the usual procession of cameos, with Peter Ustinov, John Cleese and Peter Falk being particular highlights, especially Ustinov whose appearance heralds another cameo from a different Henson show (no prizes for guessing that one!)

Also worth noting was an incredibly young looking Charles Grodin, hamming it up (no Piggy pun intended) as Holiday's dodgy brother, who is holding a candle for Miss Piggy too! He is great fun in the role.

It's not the greatest Muppet story ever told, but it's still highly enjoyable stuff. Just a shame about the story within a story stuff. Although, the next film is Muppet's Take Manhattan, where they drop the 'they know it's a film' factor entirely. Slightly worrying!

***
Another entertaining slice of Muppet fun, although inferior to The Muppet Movie that came before it. It still contains the charm that I don't know if the new Muppet film can replicate. Time will tell!

Film Review: The Muppet Movie (1979)

In the run up to the (belated) release of the new Muppet movie here in the UK, I've decided to take a look back at the original three films, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet's Take Manhattan, and try and get sorted what Jason Segel, James Bobin et al need to do to give us a proper Muppet film, and even if that's possible in this day and age.

It had been a long time since I last watched The Muppet Movie, probably not since I was a kid, and it just instantly draws you in. In fact, it made me kind of worried already about the new one, because I honestly don't know if it could replicate the silliness, the heart and the charm of the original.

The film (kind of mirroring creator Jim Henson's rise to fame) tells the story of how Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the rest of the gang became famous. Starting with Kermit sitting in his swamp singing The Rainbow Connection (a song that went on to be nominated for an Oscar) before leaving on the road to Hollywood, meeting his new friends along the way, everything about the film is a treat.

A air of danger is introduced with Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), a evil frogs legs restaurant owner who is relentlessly pursuing Kermit with eyes to make him his companies new spokesman/main course.

As is standard with Muppet movies, there's tons of cameos from the world of entertainment. Most kids today wouldn't have a clue who any of them are but it's generally amusing seeing the likes of Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Bob Hope and even Elliott Gould show up. They don't all hit the mark though, Mel Brook's appearance gets pretty tiresome, and it's frankly bizarre seeing Orson Welles crop up near the end. The best cameo, though, is saved for a cousin of the Muppet universe, let's just say.

But it's a minor quibble, everything else about the film caused a massive smile on this reviewers face throughout, the fantastic songs, the in-jokes (if the new Muppet movie isn't aware that it's a movie, then they are seriously doing it wrong) and the hilarious one liners ("Ah, a bear in his natural habitat - a Studebaker")

Another thing I hope the new film has taken from this, is that the film is about the Muppet's, not humans, they are incidental players in the whole story. Every human character in The Muppet Movie, bar Doc Hopper and his hapless sidekick, is just a cameo, and that is what makes it work so well. But time shall tell.

The Muppet Movie is fantastic fun for young and old alike. Sure, some kids won't get some of the dated references (I didn't get them all!), but there's loads here to recommend it. If you haven't seen it, and you want a crash course before the new film comes out, it's the only place to start.

****
A few ropey cameo appearances aside, this is a great film for kids and adults, who remember the Muppet's from when they were kids. Great songs, jokes, and tons of heart. You'd have to be made of stone not to get on with this.