There are so many films that come out every week let alone every year, aren’t there? We can get so caught up with trying to keep up with the latest awards contenders, box office hits, and culturally relevant pieces that we just don’t have enough time to turn back the clock and check out films from the past. But it is so important to expand our horizons and experience the art that has set the stage for today’s cinema. You might need to find the time, so it is important to make wise choices with what you spend that time watching. Whether we head back 10 years, 50 years, or even 100 years, there is great cinema throughout the years. But let’s rewind the clock and here are some reasons why you should check out… The Muppets (2011)
Walter
What did this puppet crew need to bridge its popularity to a whole new generation of fans? Have a character just for them. We needed Walter. He starts as just a Muppet boy but becomes the force that brings the whole gang back together. He is charming and kind. Walter is the character we can get behind and his dream is ours. We all want to meet the Muppets and that is the core to The Muppets. Amongst all of that, he is just a fun character! He is charming, funny, and silly. He fits right in with his Muppets friends.
The Muppets
They are all back! And we love it. Each Muppet gets a chance to shine in The Muppets. Obviously, Kermit will be at the center and be the lynchpin for the whole project. But Fozzy, Piggy, Gonzo, and others each get a chance to earn a laugh or commit to a gang that will live. On. We get Muppets of every size from all generations of the show and movies. There are even some newer ones who get to lay out their own path and leave things open for them in the future. They are just as fun as when the first episode of The Muppet Show aired.
The Celebrities
There are so many famous people in this movie! Jason Segel knows the job and performs to perfection as basically a Muppet-of-a-man (or a very manly-Muppet). Amy Adams is sweet and charming even if she is sidelined a lot. Chris Cooper and his literal maniacal laugh are devilishly evil antagonists who work so well. But we also got the likes of Jack Black, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Mickey Rooney, and so many more. There are celebs from every generation and that makes this film just a wonderful experience.
The Music
Who do you get to create all the original new music for a Muppet movie? You get one-half of Flight of the Conchords, of course! And it is not Jemaine. Brett Mackenzie. This was a pairing made in heaven because Mackenzie knows the ins and outs of their music and was able to apply that knowledge. Each song sounds like a Muppet song but that listen has the personality of Flight of the Conchords. But it is “Man or Muppet” that will live on in the minds of fans for years. This song is just a jam with deep philosophical messaging and a wonderful duet from Segel and Walter.
The Commentary
Would you believe me when I tell you this film is filled with layers? Richman represents the destructive greed of capitalism. Walter goes on a moving and relatable search for his meaning in life and where he fits in. The bullying at the beginning of the film hits hard! You even see bad Muppets having awakenings about being played against their own kind. Yeah…and this is a family movie.
