I am fully aware of the tenuous connection between The Oscars and The Muppets. Nominations for Original Song still count as a nomination, dammit. And I won't hear another word about it.
One of the coolest things about summer is the really decent kids movies that get released. Since Pixar really kicked off their worldwide popularity with Toy Story there has been a very reasonable expectation that 'family' movies shouldn't just be about the kids. Shouldn't just be about the cutesy and the quotable and the merchandisable.
And I for one and very grateful about that.
My long standing fascination with The Muppets goes back to a point that I cannot remember. Even as a proper grown up, puppets fascinate me. Story telling through the animation of inanimate objects is an artform with a long history. And Jim Henson really nailed it.
How much do I love them? Let me count the ways.
The Muppet Theme is my ringtone.
One of my most beloved toys when I was a kid was a Rowlf puppet.
The first song I remember learning on the piano is "The Rainbow Connection".
I may well have chased my theatre loves based entirely on a desire to Kermit.
My darling Sparky's nickname in some circles of friends is Kermit.
This latest installment in adventures of furry stuffed creatures is a very self aware, very mature and amusing love letter to puppets. Once again, Jason Segel is involved in celebrating the floppy armed beings - last seen in the very amusing Forgetting Sarah Marshall. One of my favourite lines in that film is "How can you hate him? He's like ghandi. Except better - he's got puppets!"
This whole film feels like old fashioned, Holloywood family film. The kind of stuff I remember form my childhood. Except now I understand all the adult references that sailed over my short little head. Lucky I'm taller now. Because the adults jokes are rich and frequent, post modern, self aware and just plain funny.
There is a very clear Left lean to the whole movie as well. Big bad corporations trying to destroy all semblance of culture, history and joy in an attempt to make the big coin and to birth more crude oil into this world. And I speak here from my position that is firmly on the left - it was possibly a little too much. A belting over the head with the issue in the style of Gonzo slapstick.
The key messages of the film, about the power of unit, the restorative power of friendship, and the importance of performance and cultural expression for the health of a culture are all too true.
And the grand finale performance of "Rainbow Connection" sums all of these up perfectly. The new songs, particularly the Oscar nominated "Man or Muppet" are brilliant and joyful. Which stands to reason given they were penned by the musical and comic genius, Bret McKenzie. His resume includes Flight of the Conchords. Touching characters, dealing with the challenges of the human condition with hilarious lyrics. This is why he has recreated with his Muppets songs. They're fabulous.
There are some people who never got into The Muppets(like Sparky). There are some people that do ot care for the suspension of disbelief required when the characters break into song for no good reason (like my bro). These people will not enjoy the latest installment of Muppets adventures. But if you love major celeb cameos, if you love a little bit of meta-entertainment, if you have the nostalgia for the URST (unresolved sexual tension - staple of all TV shows and series of films) between a pig and a frog (I've still never quite understood it, but I love it anyway) then you will love this film.
I did!
Also - check out the publicity campaign on YouTube. Pisstakes of every genre imaginable. Gotta love a production company with a sense of humour!
One of the coolest things about summer is the really decent kids movies that get released. Since Pixar really kicked off their worldwide popularity with Toy Story there has been a very reasonable expectation that 'family' movies shouldn't just be about the kids. Shouldn't just be about the cutesy and the quotable and the merchandisable.
And I for one and very grateful about that.
My long standing fascination with The Muppets goes back to a point that I cannot remember. Even as a proper grown up, puppets fascinate me. Story telling through the animation of inanimate objects is an artform with a long history. And Jim Henson really nailed it.
How much do I love them? Let me count the ways.
The Muppet Theme is my ringtone.
One of my most beloved toys when I was a kid was a Rowlf puppet.
The first song I remember learning on the piano is "The Rainbow Connection".
I may well have chased my theatre loves based entirely on a desire to Kermit.
My darling Sparky's nickname in some circles of friends is Kermit.
This latest installment in adventures of furry stuffed creatures is a very self aware, very mature and amusing love letter to puppets. Once again, Jason Segel is involved in celebrating the floppy armed beings - last seen in the very amusing Forgetting Sarah Marshall. One of my favourite lines in that film is "How can you hate him? He's like ghandi. Except better - he's got puppets!"
This whole film feels like old fashioned, Holloywood family film. The kind of stuff I remember form my childhood. Except now I understand all the adult references that sailed over my short little head. Lucky I'm taller now. Because the adults jokes are rich and frequent, post modern, self aware and just plain funny.
There is a very clear Left lean to the whole movie as well. Big bad corporations trying to destroy all semblance of culture, history and joy in an attempt to make the big coin and to birth more crude oil into this world. And I speak here from my position that is firmly on the left - it was possibly a little too much. A belting over the head with the issue in the style of Gonzo slapstick.
The key messages of the film, about the power of unit, the restorative power of friendship, and the importance of performance and cultural expression for the health of a culture are all too true.
And the grand finale performance of "Rainbow Connection" sums all of these up perfectly. The new songs, particularly the Oscar nominated "Man or Muppet" are brilliant and joyful. Which stands to reason given they were penned by the musical and comic genius, Bret McKenzie. His resume includes Flight of the Conchords. Touching characters, dealing with the challenges of the human condition with hilarious lyrics. This is why he has recreated with his Muppets songs. They're fabulous.
There are some people who never got into The Muppets(like Sparky). There are some people that do ot care for the suspension of disbelief required when the characters break into song for no good reason (like my bro). These people will not enjoy the latest installment of Muppets adventures. But if you love major celeb cameos, if you love a little bit of meta-entertainment, if you have the nostalgia for the URST (unresolved sexual tension - staple of all TV shows and series of films) between a pig and a frog (I've still never quite understood it, but I love it anyway) then you will love this film.
I did!
Also - check out the publicity campaign on YouTube. Pisstakes of every genre imaginable. Gotta love a production company with a sense of humour!
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