It’s time to put on makeup…
So, “The Muppets” opened yesterday, which I didn’t realize until just now. I had thought that it was opening Friday, but I forgot that (American) Thanksgiving is tomorrow. The Rotten Tomatoes rating stands at 97% as of this writing, and I don’t think our ol’ buddy Armond White has weighed in yet. There are, however, three folks who didn’t care for the flick, whose reviews have been quoted above. They are: Panel 2: Melissa Anderson (Village Voice), Panel 3: Rick Groen (Globe and Mail) and Panel 4: J.R. Jones (Chicago Reader).
It sure looks like we’ve got an exciting weekend of movies ahead of us. Scorsese’s “Hugo” is opening, along with “Arthur Christmas” and the aforementioned “The Muppets”. Lots of family-friendly entertainment, which will unfortunately probably split the youth demographic, thus giving sparkly vampires another week at the top of the box office.
My favourite Muppet movie is the same as my partner’s: “The Muppet Christmas Carol”. Michael Caine is the actor that comes to mind when I think of Scrooge, and it’s a very sincere version of the classic story, smoothly incorporating all your favourite Muppets. Check it out. I’ll see if I can scrounge up a copy of the original “Muppet Movie” in preparation of the new movie this weekend. Get myself in the mood.
Google Led You Here: “Garfield Comics” Nope. Though I have been meaning to incorporate more lasagna-based jokes. And I really need to get on the orange feline character bandwagon. It seems to be mandatory these days. Sidenote: Did you know Jim Davis is worth more than a billion dollars? With a “B”. The mind boggles.
Say, why not click on the “Like” button above? I’d be awful grateful…
Lol, that was great.
Muppets Christmas Carol is the best! I’ve watched it at least twenty five times.
I’m sad to say, though, that the naysayers are right about the new film… it was really dreadful.
Really? That’s a shame. I was going to have a “Muppet Movie” (at home) and “Muppets” (at the cinema) double bill tonight. Any particular areas of concern?
Given that you thought “Muppets Christmas Carol” is the best, a movie that Jim Henson fought tooth-and-nail against being made, and was only greenlit after his death, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that you don’t like this.
I didn’t know “Muppet Christmas Carol” had such a controversial history.
Frankly, if we want to make an evidence-based prediction about whether you’ll like the movie or not, we should admit that you’re likely to love the film. The overwhelming critical and popular consensus is positive.
One of the particular problems with the script is its meta jokes. The Muppets has always toyed with meta humor: they’re puppets pretending to be actors putting on shows about their pretend lives. And that’s a great tradition. In this movie, though, the meta jokes are like premature, preventive apologies for the shallowness of the movie. There are constant references to the musical numbers people have just sung in, references to the montages the film is about to engage in, and jokes that stand in for jokes that ought to have been actually written.
The story seesaws back and forth between emotional cliché after emotional cliché, winding up ultimately and inevitably in a recreation of the original muppet show. It seems like that’s good enough for most people: they’re like, “OMG, that’s a reference to something I love! YAYYYYYY” And, hey, if they’re remembering something they love and feeling some joy, that’s great. But they would be better off just watching the original – and still great – show on Netflix.
The humans – Jason Segel and Amy Adams – feel particularly tacked on, there mainly to be zomg wow fans getting to be part of the story. The whole movie, in fact, feels like fan fiction.
So: again, you’ll probably like it. Everyone does. But ask yourself whether the movie and its story really contribute to the good feelings you have about the Muppets, or whether its principal tool is exploiting your existing feelings. Will any of those new songs warm your heart in twenty years? Or is the best song the cover of Rainbow Connection, a song written by someone many years in the grave?
Yup, this movie was really all about getting money out of those with fond memories of the Muppets (like me). The story was bad. There was no real effort put into it. They couldn’t decide if it was a kids’ movie or grown-up movie, tried to do both and failed at both.
All I could think was how sad I was that they put this movie together to make a few bucks.
Paul Williams isn’t dead!
Why are you guys bashing this movie like it’s a total abomination? It was made to give the people who watched the muppets as kids another laugh which it accomplished very well according to 97% of reviewers. Also you act like a couple of slightly flat jokes completely ruin the entire movie. What’s up with that?
Don’t let these people ruin the movie for you if you want to see it. I highly recomend it.
I saw the movie on Friday and thought it was very strong. The first half hour is especially good, with some quick, snappy jokes and a sweet, very sincere tone.
Kelly, please don’t engage in juvenile chest-beating. Eric and I expressed our opinions about the film and did not in any way force you to agree with us. I’m glad you enjoyed the movie. Consider my arguments (if you wish) and either agree or disagree with them. Either way, I hope they help you understand just a bit more clearly what it is you like about films. That’s the point of talking about things.
Amanda: damn, I’d been operating under the unresearched assumption that Rainbow Connection was a Jim Henson original. Thanks for the correction!
The movie was amazing, funny and great. Not perfect but 97 percent describes it perfectly. Anyone bashing this is doing it because they are dead inside and want attention.
Be cool, guys. Don’t forget the lessons of Kermit, a peaceful frog who just wants to make people happy.
Nate-How are you getting the Muppet Show on Netflix? I haven’t found it on there yet.
Via optical media discs, a method that will strike my future children as being incomprehensibly old-fashioned. But I agree, it’d be great if they could get it for Instant Watch.
Am I the only one who lives for “Muppet Treasure Island?”