The Muppets, the lovable felt creatures created by the inventive Jim Henson, have been out of the public eye for some time now, but not forgotten by legions of fans.
Along comes “The Muppets” movie to revive the careers of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, along with Fozzie Bear, Animal, Beaker, Swedish Chef, Gonzo and other favorites.
The interesting thing about this new Muppet adventure is its keen awareness of the unfortunate irrelevance of the primary characters in a world now tuned into Facebook and other forms of social media.
As far as I know, the fabulous Miss Piggy does not have a Twitter account. A throwback to simpler times, Kermit the Frog is probably blissfully unaware of the advantages of modern technology.
The old-fashioned appeal of the Jim Henson gang not only shines through in a simple story of putting together a reunion of the Muppets, it is the whole raison d’etre for a glorious revival.
Another interesting thing about this film is that it is co-written by starring actor Jason Segel, who’s known best for his comedic roles in raunchy comedies like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Knocked Up.”
For his part, Segel is entirely respectful of the Muppet world, having created for himself the role of Gary, an innocent from Smalltown, USA whose brother Walter, short and made of felt, looks oddly much like a Muppet.
Gary has been engaged forever to pretty schoolteacher Mary (Amy Adams). When they decide to go on a trip to Los Angeles, Walter tags along because he so desperately wants to see the historic Muppets Studio.
Once in the big city, the tourist trio finds to their dismay that the Muppets Studio has fallen into serious disrepair, no longer the home for the talented performers.
Worse still is the discovery that an evil oil baron, aptly named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper in hilarious villain mode) is itching to buy the studio property in order to drill for the crude below it.
But the studio will be spared the wrecking ball if the Muppets raise $10 million to stop the foreclosure and thwart the plans of the conniving oilman.
Spurred on by Walter’s enthusiasm, Gary and Mary figure they must reunite the Muppets, no easy task considering they have all gone their separate ways.
Like Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard,” Kermit lives a lonely life in a huge mansion that is going to seed. The once jolly green frog is filled with misery, anguish and a touch of self-loathing.
Nevertheless, Gary, Mary and Walter persuade Kermit to help round up the old gang, and so a journey begins to places like a dumpy casino in Reno and the halls of fashion in Paris, France.
Some Muppets are doing well in business, others less so. Fozzie Bear is teamed up with a second-rate mock band called “The Moopets,” while Miss Piggy is a fashion diva at Vogue.
The storyline for “The Muppets” is quite simple. The trio of Muppet-lovers want to bring the disbanded group back together to stage an old-time TV show telethon to raise the millions need to save the studio.
The pure joy of this enterprise is how Kermit and his new friends go about getting the gang reunited. In typical Muppet fashion, the jokes and gags are funny and the musical numbers are endearing.
“The Muppets” smartly allows time for the characters to build their identity with an audience of targeted youngsters who may know little or nothing of their past.
In many respects, this film is geared to the adults who grew up with the Muppets thirty or so years ago. And yet, it brings along the kids for the delightful ride.
If all goes right, a whole new generation will come to appreciate the Muppets and their talent for wholesome fun. Indeed, “The Muppets,” agreeably funny and charming, looks to be the most perfect family film for this holiday season.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
This column has previously touted the DVD release of the “Mission: Impossible” TV series, which remains so much better than the films.
Long after the series had its original run, “Mission: Impossible” returned in 1988 with updated and revamped episodes and an almost all-new cast.
The exception to the rule was the return of IMF leader Jim Phelps (Peter Graves). Phelps was called out of retirement after his protégé was killed by an assassin.
Much like the original series, Phelps assembles a team of secret agents with various talents, often imitating those of the original cast.
In a curious bit of casting, Phil Morris, the son of Greg Morris, plays the role of Grant Collier, who happens to be the son of Barney Collier. Lest you forget, Greg Morris played the role of Barney. It’s a nice touch.
“Mission: Impossible The ’88 TV Season” may not boast any extras or special features, but that all seems so unnecessary when 19 thrilling episodes beckon.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.
My mother and her sisters were experts at using faint praise, and “Bless her heart” was a very useful tool for them. Richard Newman, of St. Louis, does a great job here of showing us how far that praise can be stretched.
Bless Their Hearts
At Steak ‘n Shake I learned that if you add
“Bless their hearts” after their names, you can say
whatever you want about them and it’s OK.
My son, bless his heart, is an idiot,
she said. He rents storage space for his kids’
toys—they’re only one and three years old!
I said, my father, bless his heart, has turned
into a sentimental old fool. He gets
weepy when he hears my daughter’s greeting
on our voice mail. Before our Steakburgers came
someone else blessed her office mate’s heart,
then, as an afterthought, the jealous hearts
of the entire anthropology department.
We bestowed blessings on many a heart
that day. I even blessed my ex-wife’s heart.
Our waiter, bless his heart, would not be getting
much tip, for which, no doubt, he’d bless our hearts.
In a week it would be Thanksgiving,
and we would each sit with our respective
families, counting our blessings and blessing
the hearts of family members as only family
does best. Oh, bless us all, yes, bless us, please
Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.
When we’re on all fours in a garden, planting or weeding, we’re as close to our ancient ancestors as we’re going to get. Here, while he works in the dirt, Richard Levine feels the sacred looking over his shoulder.
Believe This
All morning, doing the hard, root-wrestling
work of turning a yard from the wild
to a gardener’s will, I heard a bird singing
from a hidden, though not distant, perch;
a song of swift, syncopated syllables sounding
like, Can you believe this, believe this, believe?
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Mark your holiday calendars for the showing of the 1942 Christmas classic, “Holiday Inn.”
This delightful film is perfect for holiday cheer on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, with a $5 suggested donation.
The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the film starting at 6 p.m.
This famous movie brings Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire to the screen as a popular nightclub song-and-dance team.
After his heart is broken by his girlfriend, Crosby retires from the tensions of big city showbiz. He purchases a rustic New England farm and converts it to an inn, which he opens to the public (floor show and all) only on holidays.
The film is filled with memorable songs; including the Oscar-winning “White Christmas” as well as Fred Astaire's best moment in his Fourth of July firecracker dance.
This special Lake County showing is part of a new Classic Movie Series recently debuted at the theater that runs on the second Tuesday of every month through June of 2012.
Check the theater's Web site, www.soperreesetheatre.com, or call 707-263-0577 to see what other classics are coming up.
The Soper-Reese Community Theatre is a restored, historic, performing arts venue established in 1949 and seating 300 patrons.
Run by an all-volunteer organization, the theatre operates under the guidance of the nonprofit Lake County Arts Council.
The Soper-Reese brings dance, music, plays and poetry to all members of the Lake County community and to visiting tourists.
Five years ago, dancing penguins became all the rage in “Happy Feet,” a film so good it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Since Hollywood can no more resist a sequel than Lindsay Lohan can avoid being arrested, “Happy Feet Two” proved to be inevitable.
That’s good news for younger viewers who delight in witnessing the outlandish dancing and singing Emperor penguins who have the hoofing and vocal talents of a Broadway chorus line.
The leading penguin role, then and now, belongs to Mumble (Elijah Wood). As a youngster in the original film, unlike his fellow penguins, Mumble had no talent for singing.
While vocally challenged, Mumble proved to be an exceptional tap dancer who decided to cut his own path in the world, teaming up with other birds, including the exotic Ramon (Robin Williams).
In “Happy Feet Two,” Mumble is now an adult penguin, married to his original love, Gloria (singer Pink), and the father of awkward Erik (Ava Acres).
Mumble, the Master of Tap, faces a parental dilemma because Erik, unable to locate his inner waltzing mojo, doesn’t have the groove to become a tap dancer.
Reluctant to find his own “happy feet,” Erik runs away and encounters the Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria) – a colorful penguin who can actually fly.
Meanwhile, the despondent Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. His parenting skills are questionable, though he truly wants to connect with his outcast son.
Naturally, Mumble sets out to bring his wayward son back home, and then a massive storm causes great problems, cutting off the rest of Mumble’s clan from the outside world.
A parallel story of discovery and redemption plays out with two tiny crustaceans that decide to cut loose from their massive swarm that is doomed to be consumed by a passing whale.
Will and Bill the Krill (Brad Pitt and Matt Damon respectively) break away from the pack in search of identity and adventure, which is no easy task for these microscopic creatures.
The audacious Will, longing to be a predator, wants to move up the food chain, while the nervous Bill remains terrified that he will not survive outside the comfort zone of being just one in a billion.
Back to the penguins, Mumble eventually links up with Erik and two of his little penguin pals, but they are soon stranded on an impassable ice bridge.
Their plight is further complicated by an encounter with the ferocious elephant seal Bryan the Beachmaster (Richard Carter), but something happens that is reminiscent of a Greek fable.
It may be a matter of personal taste, but I found that the most compelling characters were the tiny crustaceans, and not just because Brad Pitt and Matt Damon played the roles.
Actually, Will and Bill the Krill may not be the most compelling, but they are the funniest characters as the bicker and banter about their search for survival and new meaning in life.
Aside from the shrimp-like creatures, humor arrives in more limited doses than in the original “Happy Feet.” Though the Mighty Sven is a certifiable oddball, his spiel wears thin long before he’s exposed as a fraud.
In the end, “Happy Feet Two” delights with its lovable creatures. After all, who doesn’t love adorable penguins? I am sucker for any movie with penguins, even one starring Jim Carrey.
On the downside, the eco-friendly film strains for relevance and lacks a coherent storyline that does little more than tap into the predictable emotional attachment we have for the tuxedoed birds.
To appreciate the majesty of the Emperor penguins, it might be best to take another look at “March of the Penguins,” the documentary that followed these majestic birds on their home turf in Antarctica.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
For a look at an upcoming DVD release, I am going completely in the opposite direction of something family friendly.
“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is a strange brew of comedy and horror. It’s a hilarious take on the cheesy slasher films that involve college students lost in the woods.
Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two best friends on vacation who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of preppy college kids.
Of course, Tucker and Dale look like the characters in “Deliverance” and they own a dilapidated cabin in a remote lakeside area.
All that the two buddies want to do is to enjoy a relaxing weekend of fishing at their secluded vacation home. But evil has other plans for them.
Instead, a series of misunderstandings and tragic events occur that result in the death or dismemberment of some of the visitors, who come to believe that Tucker and Dale are out to kill them all.
“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is a clever satire on the horror/slasher genre. On the film festival circuit it has been a huge hit with horror fans.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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