Cast: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper
Director: James Bobin
Genre: Comedy/Musical
Language: English
Release Date: 8 December 2011
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Its time to play the music
Its time to light the lights
Its time to meet the muppets on the Muppet Show tonight
Its time to light the lights
Its time to meet the muppets on the Muppet Show tonight
Well, only if you were born during the 1970s to 1980s! (If you are wondering, that is an excerpt from The Muppets Show opening theme song!)
And yes, like what the lyrics say, it is time to meet the Muppets because Kermit and his gang are returning with a full length movie after a decade-long absence!
This ought to be the greatest news for all longtime Muppet fans!
The story begins in Smalltown where two mismatched brothers, Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter lived.
Walter is a muppet who has stopped growing since he was seven. Being different from Gary and everyone else made him feel like he do not fit in anywhere and it has given him much issues with his self-confidence.
His only consolation in life is watching The Muppets on TV with Gary and there is nothing more he could ask for to meet them just once.
Gary and his girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams) were planning a trip to LA for their 10th anniversary. Being brothers and best buddies, Gary could not leave Walter behind alone so he invites him along to visit the Muppets Theater much to Mary's displeasure though she was too polite to voice out.
While at the defunct Muppets Theater, Walter discovers that the theater has already been sold to Oil Baron, Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) who, on the pretext of turning it into a Muppets Musuem actually plans to demolish it to drill for the oil.
However, all is not lost.
According to a clause in the contract, if the Muppets could raise $10 million within a timeframe, the theater is theirs to keep. Failing which, not only do they lose the theater, they also lose the rights to use "The Muppets" name - forever!
It is now up to Walter to bring the disbanded Muppets together again to put up a telethon show to raise the $10 million needed to save their theater from destruction.
But only one thing stand in their way: The Muppets are no longer famous and no TV network is willing to telecast their telethon.
Will the Muppets Theater be saved? Will Walter discover his self-worth and find out where he truly belonged?
While waiting for the movie to start, I looked around and realised that majority of the people in the audience were adults like me. There were kids too, of course, but it kept me wondering were we the generation who grew up watching The Muppets Show on TV during our younger years?
It does not matter if the storyline is predictable or the jokes cheesy. Having been gone from the limelight for such a long time, what really matters to me is to see old friends back on the big screen again.
Now, what is a Muppets movie without a song and dance?
There were several new musical numbers written specially for this movie.
Man or Muppet - Oscar nominated for best original song
Pictures in my head
This song brought tears to my eyes as Kermit sang it reminiscing the old Muppet Show days around the portraits of his Muppet friends.
It hit me hard was because he is singing exactly how I felt inside. My generation of kids who have grown up watching The Muppets would have felt the same way as I do.
Other than new songs, the old classics are a must-have too!
The moment that gets to me real bad was when the banjo starts playing - and you should have guessed it - was a duet of The Rainbow Connection between him and Miss Piggy (after having reconciled) with the rest of the Muppets joining in for the grand finale.
This is a song that's close to our hearts which many of us have grew up humming along with even if we do not know the lyrics by heart.
I guess there are certain things in life which we will never forget and will always have a special room in our hearts.
Do watch out for a few celebrity cameo appearances which I shall not divulge but if you really wanted to know, there is Jack Black and Whoopi Goldberg just to name a few.
The Muppets is the first and only movie I had ever seen when everyone remained glued to their seats while the credits starts rolling.
That, is the magic of The Muppets!
This is a great show for all ages, especially folks like me who had a pre-existing relationship with the characters. Afterall, we are watching characters that we have lived with for over a quarter of a century. It is very much like a reunion with old friends.
Special thanks to Nuffnang and Disney Studios Singapore for the invitation!
This movie is so drenched with nostalgia, humor and heart that I cannot wait to see it again when The Muppets opens on 8 December in the theaters.
*The Muppets scored 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. 135 critics can't be wrong?