Tag: Muppets Most Wanted

Muppets Most Wanted: A Disney Parks Blog Meet-Up

On March 8, the Disney Parks Blog held a meet-up at the AMC theater at Downtown Disney to see Muppets Most Wanted. I am definitely a Muppets fan and have always loved the movies so getting the opportunity to see this new movie before its release date was exciting!

Muppets Most Wanted

After checking in at the theater, we were given vouchers for drinks and a bag popcorn. Soon, Thomas Smith and Jennifer Fickley-Baker from the Parks Blog started a trivia contest, giving away things like Muppet t-shirts and puzzles. Then some guests were brought up on stage who had shown their Muppets Side by coming dressed in costume. Finally, a very special guest arrived – Sweetums! We were told that after the movie, we would have the opportunity to meet Sweetums and get our picture taken with him!

 

Blog readers show their Muppet Side
Blog readers show their Muppet Side
Sweetums makes a surprise appearance!
Sweetums makes a surprise appearance!

 

The movie started at 3:00 PM and opened with a hilarious Monsters University short.  I heard several people say that this short would be worth the price of admission alone. It’s about the brothers of Oozma Kappa throwing a party. I liked Monsters University, but I think this short was funnier than anything that was in the movie.

 

Finally it was time for the main event: Muppets Most Wanted. I’ll put my review a little further down in the post. No spoilers other than basic plot points.  After the movie, we waited for our turn to meet Sweetums and got our goody bag, which was a mixture of St. Patrick’s Day and Muppets with green beads and trading cards.

Meet and greet

And now for my review…I’d probably give Muppets Most Wanted a B. As I mentioned, I’m a big Muppets fan. I grew up watching the movies and reruns of The Muppet Show.  I loved when they returned with The Muppets in 2011. I didn’t think this movie had as much as the emotional pull , which might be preferable to some movie-goers. It reminded me more of The Great Muppet Caper.

If you’ve seen the previews of Muppets Most Wanted, you know that in this movie we are introduced to Constantine – The World’s Most Dangerous Frog – who escapes from prison. He also happens to look a lot like Kermit.  The Muppets are heading out on a world tour to capitalize on their new popularity, but they soon find themselves in the middle of an international crime caper. This is of course thanks to Constantine and his sidekick Dominick Badguy (Ricky Gervais).

There are some great laugh-out-loud moments, usually involving one of the many surprise cameos and just general silliness. Some of my favorite moments were between Ty Burrell’s Interpol agent character and Sam Eagle’s CIA agent.  The Siberian prison scenes were also a highlight for me. The soundtrack isn’t as memorable as the last, but I did enjoy the opening number called “We’re Doing a Sequel” as well as Constantine’s crazy “I’ll Get You Want You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu).”

 httpv://youtu.be/DQiGyBiNjLI

Overall, I definitely recommend seeing Muppets Most Wanted, especially if you are a Muppets fan. It’s a fun movie that the whole family can enjoy together. Oh and make sure to stay through the credits!

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Why I Love the Muppets

MuppetsMost of us who grew up in the late 1970s and early 80s have been fans of the Muppets for decades. I was only alive for the last two seasons of the original Muppet Show, but watched them in reruns for years and wait not so patiently for the remaining seasons to be released. I still love watching the first three seasons, Pigs in Space will never grow old, and Harry Belafonte singing the Banana Boat Song (Day-O) is inextricably linked to the Muppets from my childhood.

I love that now a whole new generation is becoming fans of the Muppets through the 2011 film and the soon to be released Muppets Most Wanted coming out in a couple weeks. Stemming from their introduction on Sesame Street, I have a greater fondness for the Muppets than many of the original Sesame Street characters (despite having met Maria and getting to sing with her on stage in a mall tour in the early 80s – showing my age, I know). Part of why I think the Muppets still resonate with kids and adults today is they don’t pander just to kids. They treat kids like small people. This sort of humor allows for some material that goes over the kids’ heads, but for the most part it is accessible without being dumbed down.

The Muppets have been a part of my life for 30 plus years now and I hope that they stay relevant for decades to come. Sure, kids these days may not recognize some of the stars from the 70s who were on the Muppet Show, but I challenge you to stick your kid in front of the tv for an episode and see if they laugh. The pop culture zeitgeist may change a million times in the next year, but I love that the Muppets seem to be standing the test of time. From their show, to their movies (of which there are still a couple in their repertoire I need to see), and even tv specials, the Muppets are here to stay.

Their lovable form of satire makes them fun, but more intelligent humor than most other “kid’s” shows and movies. I have a fondness for the Muppets Take Manhattan, A Muppet Family Christmas (watch out for the icy patch!!!) and Rainbow Connection still tugs at my heartstrings. Miss Piggy will always be my favorite, with her fun catch phrases like “moi” and a well placed “hi-ya!” If you don’t follow her, or any of the Muppets accounts on Twitter, Instagram or YouTube, you are missing out on a ton of fun. I guarantee I’ll be in the theater opening weekend to catch the shenanigans of Muppets Most Wanted. What is your favorite Muppet movie, special or episode of their show? Who is your favorite Muppet character?  Let me know in the comments.

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