Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D - A Review

It has been thirteen years since George Lucas’ Phantom Menace first blasted it way into theaters, carrying on its back, a frenzied level of anticipation and an insurmountable level of expectation on the part of legions of Star Wars fans. The debate over the quality of this film seems to stretch from here to the far reaches of the Outer Rim territories and darthmaz314 will weigh in on this in a future post. However, on February 10th, The Phantom Menace returned to theaters, only this time in 3D. Did it bring out the crowds? How well did Lucasfilm handle a 3-D conversion? Will 3-D make this movie more enjoyable to those that detested it thirteen years ago? Darthmaz314 attempts to answer these questions, without using a Jedi mind trick.

If Money is All That You Love, Then That’s What Lucas Will Receive

 
According to BoxOfficeMojo.com the opening weekend take for The Phantom Menace, including midnight screenings on Thursday/Friday night, was $23 million. Is this a good draw? How do you evaluate that number? One way would be to compare it to the re-release of what I still call “Star Wars,” or Episode IV: A New Hope. The re-release of this legendary film in 1997, complete with George Lucas’ enhancements and packaged as the Star Wars Special Edition, pulled in nearly $36 million on opening weekend. At the time, twenty years had elapsed since the first theatrical release of Star Wars and fifteen years had passed after the 1982 re-issue. Considering that it has been only thirteen years since Phantom Menace’s original theatrical release, coupled with the fact that so many people detested this film at that time, $23 million seems like a strong opening. However, it is important to note that the Star Wars Special Edition 1997 release went on to rake in over $138 million. I think it is safe to assume that this Phantom Menace 3D release will not approach that mark. In fact, it is probably a safe assumption that most of the Star Wars fan base interested in this movie schlepped out to theaters on the opening weekend.

The Thrill is Gone?

I attended a 10:15 pm showing on opening night. Knowing that I would not be able to make it to the theater early and not knowing the crowds l would encounter, I purchased “Print at Home” tickets through Fandango in the late afternoon on Friday. As it turned out, that was completely unnecessary as I was able to arrive early and was astonished when I walked into the theater to join the rest of my family (after spending a half hour on line for popcorn) to find less than twenty other people scattered in the lower half of the auditorium. In case you are thinking that it filled up by the time that green Lucasfilm logo shimmered onto the screen, you are mistaken. There were a handful of people in the theater for this movie on opening night. That’s it. Granted, this film was designed to draw a younger audience and 10:15 pm may have been too late for most of that demographic, but still, I was floored by the lack of bodies in the room.

All About the Marketing

Several theater chains were distributing specialty 3D glasses on opening night. One version was fashioned after Anakin’s podracing goggles. I attended a Regal Entertainment theater, which distributed Darth Maul themed glasses, which were somewhat less spectacular, but still a souvenir.

The Conversion: 3D or not 3D…That is the question

Lucasfilm’s conversion was crisp and unobtrusive. There did not appear to be any loss of clarity as a result of the conversion. There 3-D effect provided an almost undetectable level of depth in that it was not forced and over-exaggerated. There was a perceptible difference in the depth of field, most noticeable during landscape scenes on Tatooine and Naboo. The podrace benefits most from the conversion, as the 3D adds a nuanced grain of additional photorealism to this sequence. Watching the maneuvering of the pods through the canyons of Tatooine in 3D, one can’t help but think that this experience is closer to what Lucas probably envisioned for us when he conceived the sequence. However, if you are looking for jaw dropping, in your face, 3D effects that appear to jump off the screen, you will have to look elsewhere. I can only recall one shot in the film, which takes place during the podrace, with a 3D effect such as this. Still, the 3-D does add more realism to the film and certainly doesn’t detract from it.

Master of Puppets?

The Blu-Ray release of all six Star Wars films brought more changes that irked the fanbase and all those changes will be making their way to theaters, if each film is afforded the 3D treatment. The Phantom Menace Changes included the replacement of the puppet Yoda used in the original release with a new digital version. Although I tend to be a traditionalist, I had no

 problem with the new and improved Jedi Master. The Phantom Menace Yoda looked far too reptilian and more like a distant cousin of the Empire Yoda, rather than his younger self. This new digital Yoda is a product of continued development in the realm of CGI, as it is superior in terms of realism to both its predecessors in Episodes II and III. Digital Yoda in a digitally crafted Episode I? Bring it on. Digital Yoda replacing the Empire and Jedi Yoda? Then I join the torch waving mobs.

To See or Not to See…That is the REAL Question

The bottom line here is that if you were not a fan of the Phantom Menace in 1999, this version will do little to endear you to the film in 2012. The 3D will most likely not excite you enough to make you think it is worth forking over $16.00 per ticket, or help you forget that 60% of the film’s scenes contain Jar Jar Binks. However, if you didn’t love the Phantom Menace, yet wouldn’t say you disliked it, you will probably feel the same way about this 3D release. Star Wars junkies will appreciate the fact that a Star Wars theatrical release, although more
common than thirty years ago, is still an event. Is it an event worth attending? That is up to you. However, if you would like to see Episodes II and III released in 3D, not to mention the classic trilogy, you may want to cough up your Republic credits now. If Lucasfilm doesn’t turn the appropriate profits on this 3D release, the notion of the other films being released in 3D will vanish faster than Yoda after his death in Return of the Jedi.

Giants Win Super Bowl

Congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants

For the second time in four years, the New York Giants have defeated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, officially ending their dynasty. A true team effort, with contributions from offense, defense, and special teams,the Giants captured their fourth Super Bowl win and eighth NFL champoinship, once again to the surprise of many.

Eli Manning, a true professional, too long in the shadow of his extremely talented brother Peyton, has cemented his legacy this year as one of the NFL's elite legendary quarterbacks. With two championship rings, two Super Bowl MVPs, and a seemingly endless number of fourth quarter comebacks this season, including another in the Super Bowl, the cool and calm Eli Manning has proven to the rest of the world what Giants fans have known for a long time...that he is a true leader and a great quarterback.

Congratulations also to Giants head coach Tom Couglin, respected widely across the NFL, and now counted among the league's all time best coaches.


GO BIG BLUE, SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Star Wars Trivia: Round III

We are now less than one week away from the latest Star Wars theatrical release, as Episode I: The Phantom Menace prepares to hit theaters in 3-D on February 10th. Until then, whet your appetite with Part 3 of Star Wars trivia...

1.    Who’s idea was it to use the garbage chute to escape the stormtroopers in the detention block?

2.    Who is the last of the Rebels to escape the detention cell tunnel by diving into the garbage chute?

3.   Darth Vader tells Grand Moff Tarkin that he suspects that Obi Wan Kenobi is on the Death Star because he senses what?



4.    How does Obi Wan Kenobi aid in the Rebels’ escape from the Death Star?

  
5.    How many TIE Fighters pursue the Millennium Falcon during their escape from the Death Star?



6.    What does Han Solo say in response to Luke when he excitedly exclaims “Got him! I got him!” after he destroys one of the pursuing TIE Fighters following the Rebels’ escape from the Death Star?

  

7.    Who gives the tactical briefing on Yavin prior to the Death Star attack at the end of Star Wars?



8.    How wide was the thermal exhaust port that the Rebels needed to penetrate to start the chain reaction that would destroy the Death Star?

 9.    Luke tells Wedge that hitting a target two meters wide would not be impossible because he had done something similar back home on Tatooine. What creatures did Luke “bullseye with his T-16 back home” in preparation for his big moment in the trench run?

10.  The exhaust port was ray-shielded, so what were the Rebel pilots required to use during their trench run? 

11.  Actor Dennis Lawson portrays Wedge Antilles in Episodes IV through VI. Lawson is the uncle of another Star Wars actor. Name that actor.

 

12.  What was Wedge’s call sign in the Death Star attack?

13.  What did Luke accuse Han of being “best at” after Han refuses to join the Rebel attack on the Death Star?

14.  According to the Imperial Commander that briefs Darth Vader on the Rebel assault, how many Rebel ships attack the Death Star?

15.  Who was the only Rebel X-Wing pilot besides Luke to survive the Death Star assault?

 

     

Answers:
 

1.           Princess Leia

2.           Han Solo

3.           A tremor in the Force.

4.           He deactivated the tractor beam that captured the Millennium Falcon.

5.           Four

6.           “Great kid! Don’t get cocky.”

 

7.           General Jan Dodonna

8.           Two meters wide
 

 

9.           Womp rats

 

10.         Proton torpedoes

11.         Dennis Lawson is the uncle of Ewan McGregor, who portrayed young Obi Wan Kenobi in Episodes I through III.

12.         Red Two

13.         Taking care of himself

14.         Thirty
   

15.         Wedge Antilles

Mickey's Christmas Party Continued & The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

In our last post, we promised to explain the quotes used when referencing the need to pay a separate admission for the Very Merry Christmas Party. First, let me state that I attended the event twice in successive years and both times bought tickets for myself and four others like a honest, rule-abiding sucker, uh, I mean loyal Disney fan. I actually spent the earlier part of both of those days at another Disney park and went to the Magic Kingdom solely for the purpose of attending the Very Merry Christmas Party. I dutifully reported to the ticket window to pick up my pre-paid party passes and the requisite wristband. I assumed that the wristband must be worn at all times or I would be beamed right out of the Magic Kingdom only to rematerialize in that limbo-like wasteland that Disney calls the Transportation and Ticket Center. However, during those two visits, I began to notice that there were plenty of people who did not even have wristbands and yet, were not dematerializing before my eyes. Nor were these people being scooped up by the scruff of the neck by some large four-fingered white gloved hands and tossed out of the park gates. So what’s the deal? 

Far be it from me to take money out of the pocket of the Mouse, but if you are a risk taker and don’t mind being asked to leave the park if you are observed not wearing a bracelet, you can most likely experience many of the party events without having to cough up the admission price, which is fairly steep, especially for a family. I don't recommend it, but obviously a lot of people are doing it.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights:

This dazzling display of Christmas lights is located in the Streets of America section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios park (just outside the entrance to the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.) Millions of holiday lights adorn basically every inch of this section of the park. Entire buildings are blanketed in lights while special displays such as spinning carousels, floating angels, and flying reindeer animate the

night sky. Holiday music, accompanied by a pre-recorded duo of DJs, provides the soundtrack as you stroll through the faux city streets, basking in the glow of millions of watts of Christmas magic. As if this wasn’t enough, every ten minutes or so, the lights are dimmed and the Streets of America come alive as the millions of lights adorning the buildings begin a choreographed dance to some of your favorite holiday hits. It is truly a sight to see. On some nights, there are more than lights dancing in the air, as magical “snow” falls on the Hollywood Studios guests as they stroll the city streets. Air cannons shoot Disney’s soap bubbly snow concoction across the night sky, adding that signature Disney touch.

The Osborne Family Lights display originated at the Arkansas home of philanthropist Jennings Osborne and his family. In 1986, Jennings’ young daughter “Breezy” asked her parents to decorate their home in lights. Osborne responded by crafting a display of 1,000 lights! Over the years, the display
 

grew into a massive presentation of over three millions lights, drawing crowds from far and wide, and drawing the ire of the Osborne family neighbors. Legal action initiated by those neighbors amazingly reached the United States Supreme Court and in 1995, the Osborne family was ordered to shut the display down permanently.

News of Jennings Osborne, his wondrous Christmas display, and his legal battles to keep his lights shining bright, spread across the country and it wasn’t long before Disney approached Osborne about bringing his display to one of their theme parks. That same year, the Osborne family’s display debuted at the then-named Disney-MGM Studios theme park and was an immediate success. In the intervening years, the display has grown to a whopping five million lights, requiring months of assembly time, and forging another Disney tradition that has become a must see at Christmastime. On a sad note, Jennings Osborne passed away in July 2011, leaving behind a wife, a daughter, and a Christmas tradition that has brought joy to millions throughout the years.  

The Osborne Family spectacle of Dancing Lights is accessible to all at Disney Hollywood Sudios park, with no additional admission or ticketing required. Stroll through and spend as much or as little time there as you wish. Like most things in Disney World, the attraction is bathed in details, many of which go unnoticed during a quick stroll through. Be sure to wander through the “side streets” and take in some of these smaller details like the snowman phone booth and the barbequing toy soldier.

Also keep an eye out for the many “hidden Mickeys” that can be found throughout the streets. Some cast members claim that there are as many as forty hidden within the display. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, whether you enjoy holiday music or not, one thing is certain…the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios should not be missed. 

On a separate note, credit Disney for “keeping Christ in Christmas” by displaying an enormous life-sized nativity scene at Disney Hollywood Studios, tucked away in a corner at the perimeter of the Osborne Lights display. It seems that too often in our society today, the manner in which a person’s religious holidays (from whichever faith they originate) are celebrated is subject to whiny malcontents outside that religion who feel they have a right to impose their will on others. In this climate, it is refreshing to see a large corporate entity like Disney not be terrified of using the words “Merry Christmas” or displaying a nativity scene.

For a sample of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, check our video below this photo at the end of the post... 

  

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom

On select nights in November and December, the Magic Kingdom “closes” at 7:00pm. Why the quotes? I’ll explain later. For now, suffice it to say that the early closing time is due to the fact that Disney has found yet another way to separate us from our money. On these select nights, you can purchase admission tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Yes, another admission. Yes, it should be included with the already handsome admission price that you have to pay to play in the Mouse’s backyard. But the fact is, it isn’t. Let’s put that aside for a moment and explore what is special about the party that goes down after the park “closes.” Each item’s heading appears below as billed on Walt Disney World’s website, straight from the Mouse’s four-fingered, white-gloved hand:

The Enchanted Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle:

If you’re a fan of Cinderella Castle, there is probably no other time of year when it looks as majestic and magical as it does at Christmas time after the sun goes down. Adorned with nets of white lights, the castle is illuminated with Disney Christmas magic as it glows at the far end of a decoration-laden Main Street. Words and even pictures like the one seen above, don’t do it justice.  

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, complete with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself:

If you’re a fan of Disney parades, this one can’t be beat. It is filled, as most of the Disney parades are, with all of your favorite Disney characters, most adorned in unique Christmas themed costumes. However, what makes this parade special are the Christmas extras like the marching wooden soldiers, the dancing reindeer and gingerbread men, and of course, the look in the eyes of a child when Santa Claus (not Mickey Mouse) hits the parade route to culminate the festivities. There are two parades during the party, one near the start and one near the close. There are benefits to attending both, but I recommend catching the first parade. If you do and stay to the end of the party hours (midnight), most people will have cleared out, especially those with younger children, and you will find the Magic Kingdom quite empty. This is one of those times that we night owls can reap the benefits of being nocturnal.

An exclusive holiday fireworks extravaganza — Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season:

This is the Magic Kingdom fireworks show with a Christmas slant. The fact that it is still called “Wishes” gives you a hint that there is only so much that you can do to make a fireworks show Christmas-themed. Sure there is a holiday soundtrack and some Christmas themed fireworks, but this show is not among the top items that make the party worth attending, in my opinion.

Live entertainment featuring Disney Characters:
 
Throughout the park, there are various Christmas-themed shows featuring an array of Disney characters. Each show spotlights unique groups of characters so you are not seeing only the big five (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, & Pluto) at all the shows. Also, the shows are all timed so that you could see them all during the party if you chose to do so. However, keep in mind that to do so would eat up a large portion of your time, so this may not be advisable, particularly since you are probably paying a separate admission to be there after the park “closes.” However, these performances are one of the unique aspects of the party as they are specifically created for the event and you cannot see them at any other time, so you may want to soak up as many as you can if you’re a fan of this type of Disney entertainment. Space Mountain is there all the time.

Meet and greet opportunities throughout Magic Kingdom theme park with some of your favorite Disney Characters:

 

Throughout the park, you will find character greeting locations where guests can take pictures and get autographs from characters decked out in their Christmas best. One of the cuter ideas that Disney has hatched in recent years, especially for really young children (particularly young girls) is the concept of the character dance party. These are what could almost be called “underground” Disney events since it almost seems that they are kept a secret. One such event is “Cosmic Ray’s Jingle Dance and Play” in Tomorrowland, where an elf DJ plays music as holiday-attired characters interact and dance along with the guests. This is definitely worth checking out if you have little girls (or grown ones that love the characters), even if you only stay for a few moments and then move on. Interestingly, I stumbled across one of these dance parties at the Playhouse Disney Theater in Disney Studios as well, although I don’t think this one was necessarily holiday-themed. Since we had a sleeping toddler in a stroller, who was most definitely out of gas, we never made it passed the door. If you stumble across one at the Christmas party or elsewhere in Disney, stop in and check it out.

Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa:

Yes, you read it right…complimentary. When you are paying a second admission, are these cookies really complimentary? In any case, there are stations set up throughout the park where you can claim your free cookies and cocoa. Juice is available for those who are not hot chocolate/cocoa fans.

 
Many of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions:

Most of the biggies are open and with the crowds thinned out toward the end of the party, you can do some damage if you are a ride junkie. However, if you spend the party hours only hitting attractions, you can think of it as very expensive Extra-Magic Hours. I would recommend deciding which elements of the party you want to experience before arriving, plan around those and utilize the rest of your time to ride your favorite rides.

   

A magical snow fall on Main Street, USA:

I am a sucker for Disney magic (or a big “chooch” as we would say here in New York) and there is just something special about a walk down Main Street, all adorned in Christmas regalia, with the illuminated castle in the distance, and a non-accumulating “snow” falling from above, especially when it is 60 degrees and I am in shorts. The “snow” is actually comprised of a soap bubbly substance that is shot from pressurized air cannons perched atop selected buildings to create the effect of a snowy night on Main Street. Corny? Maybe, but like most things that the Mouse does, it works and it creates a special ambience that is signature Disney.

 If you are a Disney nut, you should, and probably already have, attended this party. If you are making a visit for the first time with younger-aged children and will probably not make another for several years and/or most likely never again near the holidays, you should also try to catch this special event. If you are being dragged to Disney and can’t wait until it’s over, you just won’t care enough to want to spend even more money to be in a Disney park, so skip it.

So what’s with the “quotes” above? Do you have to spend more hard earned dollars on another admission to catch the events at this party? Check back for the next post, featuring the answer to this question and a review of one of the other best elements of Christmas time in Disney, the Osborne (no, not Ozzy – although that would be great) Family Spectacle of Lights at Disney Studios.

When Should I Go to Disney World?

Let’s say you’re contemplating a trip to Walt Disney World in 2012 and you're wondering what time of year would best for your visit. Based on my experience, the answer is simple. Plan your trip in mid to late November, preferably the week prior to Thanksgiving. Here are some reasons why:

The weather outside is anything but frightful!

November is a spectacular time of year to visit Disney World. Daytime temperatures teeter between mid-70’s to low 80’s during the day, with cool and comfortable upper 60’s to low 70’s in the evening. Absolutely perfect Disney weather. While these daytime temps may not send you to a water park, panting and seeking relief with your tongue slung over your back, one thing that you will certainly not miss at this time of year is the oppressive Orlando summer humidity. Daytime park-hopping is that much more enjoyable when you are not schlepping through parks cloaked in a blanket of relative humidity, with the tens of thousands of fellow guests radiating that much more heat into the surrounding air. Those who profess that it is absolutely necessary to leave the parks at the height of the afternoon to retreat to their resort pool for a break, may find that this is absolutely NOT necessary. Why spend so much money on park passes to spend useless hours sitting by a pool? Many people can do that without going on vacation and spending thousands of dollars.

Where in “the World” are all the people?

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving yield some of the smallest Disney World crowds of the entire year. That is not the case for the actual week of Thanksgiving, which is one of the busier weeks of Disney World’s operating calendar. Smaller crowds translates into a much more enjoyable time, as well as the best bang for your buck at Disney World. Many attractions that would absolutely necessitate using a FASTPASS will have manageable wait times and in some instances, no waiting at all, depending on the time of day. This allows you to save your FASTPASSES for those new marquee attractions that have unreasonable wait times or for which all the FASTPASSES have been distributed by two hours after the park’s opening.

 It is amazing what can be accomplished in Disney parks when the crowds are thin. Those who attend Disney in the summer months when crowds are at their peak may not believe that they can ride some attractions repeatedly if they wish during times of the year like the pre-Thanksgiving week. Imagine disembarking your minetrain car on Thunder Mountain railroad, then sprinting to the exit so you can sprint back up the ramps again to board a car for another ride through the canyons. The amazing part is that you don’t need a shave by the time you board the train for that second ride! If you normally skip parades hoping to take advantage of popular rides and attractions while thousands line up to watch a parade, you may find that you have time to experience your favorite attractions and still catch those parades. If your normal Disney diet consist of seven nights of half-chewed burgers and fries eaten in between FASTPASS windows, you may find that you now have the time (although maybe not the funds) to sit down and be served at one of Disney’s table service restaurants. Have you ever been to Downtown Disney? You may find some time to squeeze in a visit because you’re accomplishing more in the parks when you are not spending half of your day staring at the back of someone’s head on a 90 minute line.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…at Disney

Nobody celebrates Christmas like Disney. By mid-November all of the Disney Christmas festivities are in full swing so a visit just before Thanksgiving kicks off your Christmas season in way that few other traditions can. Each park in Disney celebrates the holiday season in a different way. Of course there is certainly no shortage of Christmas decorations and theming throughout all the parks. However, there are a few marquee Christmas treats not to be missed. Our next post will focus on one that truly makes Disney at Christmas time a special event.

While the week before Thanksgiving sounds like a great time to make a trip to Walt Disney World, if you have school-aged children, you will understand why the crowds tend to be thin at this time of year. Kids are in school. There is a reason why Thanksgiving week is one of the most highly attended times of the Disney World year. Most people who plan to travel to Disney at this time of year will be going on Thanksgiving week, when their kids will only be missing three days of school, not the week prior which would require their kids to miss a full school week. Also, foreign tourists who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving will not shy away from traveling to the States that week because they are not missing out on family gatherings back home. They probably think that no Americans go to Disney on the week of one of their biggest family holidays!

One word of advice regarding the timing of your visit in mid-November concerns the very popular Walt Disney World Food and Wine Festival. If you are seeking smaller crowds, plan you trip after this festival ends, as it tends to draw big crowds to Disney, particularly to Epcot, the park which hosts the event each year. My first trip to Disney during the pre-Thanksgiving week, we encountered miniscule crowds. The next year, Disney extended the Food and Wine Festival through the first four days of my trip and I was wondering where all the people had come from.

Check back for the next post, featuring a review of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. This is a marquee special event during the Christmas season at Disney, which you can experience during a pre-Thanksgiving week trip…

The Muppets: A Review of Muppet Domination

The Hollywood of today seems replete with nostalgia-driven projects conceived to separate the children of the 70’s and 80’s from their hard earned (and sometimes, yet-to-be-earned) dollars. We saw the Transformers land on Earth again a few years ago and three movies later…they still haven’t left. The Smurfs invaded New York this past summer and are poised to crank out a few sequels from their mushroom sized studios over the next few years. One would almost expect to see Voltron and He-Man battling it out at the box office next summer…and that may very well happen. Considering the steady stream of re-makes, re-releases, and re-imaginings that seem to always be coming to a theatre near you, it can be difficult to have enthusiasm about another 70’s/80’s theatrical resurrection like the recently released film, The Muppets. However, any cynicism, skepticism, and pessimism one may have is thoroughly washed away by the time you exit the theater after watching this touching and fun reboot of the Muppet franchise.

Jim Henson’s untimely death at the age of 53 in 1990 doomed the Muppets franchise to over a decade of limbo. While Henson’s Sesame Street venture continued to develop and prosper, the Muppets faded away after the 1999 “Muppets from Space” film. Disney acquired the Muppet brand in 2004 and it seemed that the Muppets were in perfect four-fingered, white gloved hands. However, aside from the “Muppet*Vision 3D” attraction in Walt Disney World’s Disney Studios theme park (which pre-dated Disney’s acquisition of the Muppet brand), “the Mouse” did little to help “the Frog” and his felt-covered friends for many years.

Enter lifelong Muppet-fan Jason Segel, who in 2008, petitioned Disney to launch a film project that would revitalize the franchise. Along with his writing partner, producer/director Nicholas Stoller, Segel penned a script that finds the present day Muppets disbanded and rendered irrelevant in a cynical and calloused world where television’s most popular show is Punch Teacher, a program that features school children laying the smackdown on their educators. The story introduces the new Muppet character Walter, who is inseparable from his human brother Gary, played by Segel. Walter idolizes the Muppets and is thrilled when he is invited to join Gary and his girlfriend Mary (portrayed sweet as pie by Amy Adams) on a trip to California, where he longs to visit the legendary Muppet Theatre. The three arrive to find the theatre in shambles and on the verge of being purchased by slimy oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper). Richman secretly intends to demolish the theater and drill for the oil that he believes lies beneath.

Walter and friends set out to find Kermit the Frog to inform him of Richman’s evil plot. After some persuading, Kermit makes up his mind to save the Muppet Theatre by putting on a telethon show with the old gang, with the goal of raising the ten million dollars that will keep the theatre out of Richman’s devious little hands. Kermit, Walter, Gary, and Mary embark on a journey to reunite the Muppets, renovate the theatre, and produce a show that can raise the necessary money. Along the way, they mend a failed relationship between Miss Piggy and Kermit, kidnap Jack Black to be the telethon’s celebrity host, plan, rehearse, and perform the first Muppet Show in over a decade, and save the strained relationship between Gary and Mary (whose patience has worn thin after ten years of sharing her boyfriend with his brother Walter).

In the end, the Muppets and their new friends are unable to raise the necessary money and are on the verge of losing their theater and the Muppet name, which Richman plans to market using a troupe of hardcore, grizzled, lounge performers called “The Moopets.” However, Kermit realizes that although they have lost the battle with Richman, they have found something much more valuable…each other. The furry friends concede their defeat to Tex Richman and leave the Muppet Theatre for the last time, together. They may have lost, but they leave secure in the knowledge that that they tried their best and they know deep down that this is what is truly important. Kermit and friends exit the theatre to find Hollywood Boulevard teeming with newfound and rekindled Muppet fans, all cheering their reunited heroes. In the end, even Tex Richman turns over a new leaf, thanks in no small part to an inadvertent bowling ball to the head courtesy of Gonzo, and all end well as Tex allows the Muppets to keep the theater and the act that they made famous.

The warmhearted, good natured story of friendship, love, and dedication amongst friends, brothers, couples (even those of an interspecies variety), and performers and fans is just one of the reasons that enables this film to exceed expectations. There is a warmth and sincerity that permeates the storyline, even though the majority of the main characters are nothing more than cloth, felt, and yarn. It is this ability to infuse emotion into lifeless puppets and to build and develop characters that can perform believably beside flesh and blood talent that was the core of Jim Henson’s genius. Fortunately, that is not lost in this film, although it is over two decades removed from Henson’s death. The success of the Muppets and their predecessors on Sesame Street lies in the ability of the performers to connect emotionally with their audience and to blur the line between performance and reality.


Several brilliantly crafted musical numbers also contribute to making this film truly fun for all ages. The tongue-in-cheek opening number “Life’s a Happy Song” and the introspective satirical ballad “Muppet or Man,” alone make The Muppets worth the price of admission. In fact, some of the film’s most entertaining moments occur during these elaborate song and dance production numbers that are well performed, yet so comically cheesy that the viewer is left salivating for a cracker. One of the shining moments early on in the film occurs as a musical dance number concludes with the main characters boarding a bus for Los Angeles, leaving behind the back-up dancers who exhale and collapse in exhaustion gratefully exclaiming, “Thank God they’re gone!” It is that innocent, yet intelligent and honest humor that is the hallmark of the Muppets and it has been carried forward in their return to the big screen.  

On a slightly more negative note, it has been reported that some founding Muppet alumni most notably Frank Oz (whose voice work is excruciatingly absent from the film), were critical of the project and the fact that it was placed in the hands of Muppet outsider Segel. There was concern that the film would be more a “Jason Segel movie than a Muppet movie” and that the story would not be true to the original Muppet characters. Although I disagree with this notion, I was troubled by the absence of Oz, whose numerous characters (Grover, Bert, Cookie Monster, Miss Piggy, Fozzy, and of course, Yoda) were the voice of my generation.

Disney rolled the dice in their attempt to bring the Muppets back from their long hiatus. Our society has changed greatly since the Muppets last graced the big screen. Much of our entertainment these days is based on cutthroat competition and the audience’s insatiable desire to mock the inferior. The ability to humiliate has surpassed the ability to entertain as the key factor in determining what good entertainment is, these days. Like in the movie, one could argue that the Muppets brand of entertainment is no longer relevant in a society where Punch Teacher could very well be an actual prime time success.

Yet The Muppets proves that there is still a place in Hollywood for pure, unadulterated, feel-good entertainment. The film successfully reboots the franchise, but deserves credit for far more than this. It does not simply slap Jim Henson’s iconic puppets back on the big screen and into the pop culture landscape. That feat, in and of itself, would be simple. What is more impressive is that the film captures the essence of what we all loved about the Muppets years ago. At their core, the characters are pure of heart. They are imperfect misfits and their performances always seemed on the verge of imploding, but they always banded together and gave their all to put on a good show. That is something that will never be irrelevant in my book. So let’s pretend it’s 1979 again and let’s start the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to get things started on the Muppet Show tonight!