Brian's Review - The Muppets

Mah-Na Mah-Nawesome.

Released: 2011
Genre(s): Comedy, Family, Drama

Pigs in Space. Muppet News Flash. Mah-Na Mah-Na. All sketches that became iconic in their own right. "The Muppet Show" simultaneously brought ecstatic laughter and outrageous weirdness to audiences around the country, and did so with wild disregard for the norm. While the popularity of the Muppets has waxed and waned over the years, Jim Henson's masterful creations have remained timeless and classic in their existences; due to this, 2011's "The Muppets" feels less like a revival of the franchise and more like a return visit from an old friend. All of the long-standing favorite characters make appearances here, alongside a plethora of celebrity cameos, embodying the original idea of the star-studded TV series. The musical aspect of the movie manages to encompass something for both young, new fans and those who grew up with the Muppets - there are old classics mixed in with the newly-composed numbers here that will have you tapping your toes and chuckling right along to every lyric. The film's humor follows this same formula, with references to classic sketches mingling with insanely entertaining new scenarios. "The Muppets" occasionally even breaks the fourth wall, very effectively generating laughs without making it an overdone gimmick. I also have to commend Jason Segel and Amy Adams for adding a ridiculous amount of goofy charm to the slapstick, sharp-as-a-tack humor prevalent throughout this journey. "The Muppets" is in no way a family film that becomes too heavy for children, but older viewers may also enjoy the genuinely touching moments between characters and the deeper, personal quest of accepting oneself that the film offers between its sillier moments. While at times hopelessly-nostalgic, all in all the movie soars as a gut-bustingly good time that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and serves as a wonderful launching pad for future entries into the long-running labor of love known as "The Muppets."

Rating (out of 5): 5