The Muppets

Image Copyright Disney

One of my fondest memories from childhood was watching The Muppet Show on Sunday evenings. I felt like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and company were a part of my family and we grew up together. I bought each season of the show as it was released on DVD and love reliving some of my favorite sketches such as Pigs in Space and guest stars like Harry Belafonte singing the Banana Boat Song (Day-O). So when it was announced that a new Muppets movie was coming out, I was cautiously optimistic that some of that comedic magic and poignancy from my youth might be recaptured. Luckily, I was not disappointed.

The first time I saw the Muppets I laughed almost uncontrollably at some of the cameos (ahem, Dave Grohl). While I was apprehensive about the introduction of a new Muppet, Walter, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey we as the audience experienced and the film was as a whole very satisfying. Some of my favorite moments included Animal trying to stay “in control” of his emotions, Pepe and Miss Piggy’s Dirty Dancing homage and the throwbacks to the original show like the theater at the studios and Kermit’s Rolodex.

While the movie is primarily a family friendly comedy, there were some touching moments that did cause me to shed a few tears. When the Muppets first revisit the Muppet Studios as a group and enter the theater, it totally tugged at my heartstrings seeing something I loved so much as a child in such disrepair. The moment that really resonated with me was when the Muppets played Rainbow Connection at the telethon. Being a huge fan of the original Muppet Movie, and many of the subsequent movies, this just was the right amount of a fresh take with a nod to the previous movie to strike a nice balance for me.

And if you are a super-fan of The Muppets like I am, the Wocka Wocka Value Pack is the way to go! Included in the pack is a Blu-Ray disc, DVD, a digital copy of the movie, and a digital download of the soundtrack. How can that be wrong???

Another of my favorite aspects of the film that I appreciated even more on the second viewing was the soundtrack. While I didn’t completely love every single song, I did immediately run out to purchase the soundtrack after seeing the movie the first time. As I mentioned, Rainbow Connection is a huge favorite of mine and has been since I was little. The other song I loved was Life’s A Happy Song. Accompanied by a great song and dance number that reminded me of That’s How You Know from the Disney film Enchanted, it was one of the most memorable moments that bookended the movie. Which is another reason that the Wocka Wocka Value Pack of The Muppets rocks, because it comes with a free digital copy of the soundtrack!!!!

There are so many awesome Bonus Features on The Muppets it is insane. Bonus Features include The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (In Muppet History––We Think),  Scratching The Surface: A Hasty Examination of the Making of Disney’s “The Muppets”, Explaining Evil: The Full Tex Richman Song, and A Little Screen Test on the way to the Read Through. And if you didn’t absolutely love the The Muppets before, you will after watching these features.

Also on the Blu-Ray disc is a feature called Disney Intermission where when you pause the movie the frame doesn’t just freeze, it shows something special…I really don’t want ruin it…It is just that cool!!!

Overall, I loved the Muppets and found it completely enjoyable. I came out of the theater feeling very much like Life’s A Happy Song and wanted to go back for more. The second viewing was just as much fun, and yes, I cried the second time around, even knowing what was going to happen. I hope that you all felt the same sense of nostalgia mixed with a fresh take on some of our favorite characters from the Muppets. Go out and grab this movie on Blu Ray or DVD to experience this great family friendly film with amazing clarity that was not to be found back when the original was released in the 1970s.

 

 

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