The Muppets Review

The Muppets


Release Date: 12th January 2012 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures (presents)
Mandeville Films (uncredited)
The Muppets Studio

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 110 minutes

Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: $158,431,237 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
The world's biggest Muppet

fan, Walter, is on a holiday

with his brother Gary and

Gary's girlfriend, Mary.

They learn that greedy Tex

Richman plans to tear

down the Muppet Studios

and drill for oil on the site.

To save the Muppets' old

home, the three friends

team up with Kermit to

bring Miss Piggy, Fozzie,

and the rest of the group

back together for a telethon

to get the $10 million

needed to save the studio.


Cast

Humans
Jason Segel - Gary

Amy Adams - Mary 

Chris Cooper - Tex Richman
Rashida Jones - Veronica Martin
Alan Arkin - Tour Guide
Bill Cobbs - Grandfather
Zach Galifianakis - Hobo Joe
Ken Jeong - 'Punch Teacher' Host
Jim Parsons - Human Walter 

Eddie Pepitone - Postman
Jack Black - Himself (Uncredited)
Kristen Schaal - Moderator

Sarah Silverman - Greeter

Eddie 'Piolin' Sotelo - TV

Executive

Raymond Ma - Elderly Asian

Man

Shu Lan Tuan - Elderly Asian Woman

Donald Glover - Junior CDE Executive

Dahlia Waingort - TV Executive

Jonathan Palmer - Reporter One

Don Yanan - Reporter Two

Michael Albala - TV Executive

Julia Marie Franzese - 'Punch Teacher' Kid

Gunnar Smith - Gary Age 6

Connor Gallagher - Gary Age 9

Justin Marco - Gary Age 13

Cameron Kazal - Laughing Kid

Justin Tinucci - Laughing Kid

Alex Long - Laughing Kid

Aria Noelle Curzon - Waitress 

Jerry Nelson - Telethon Announcer (Voice) (Uncredited)

Muppet Performers
Steve Whitmire - Kermit/
Beaker/Statler/Rizzo
Eric Jacobson - Miss Piggy/
Fozzie Bear/Animal/Sam the Eagle/

Marvin Suggs
Dave Goelz - Gonzo/Dr. Bunsen Honeydew/

Zoot/Beauregard/Waldorf/Kermit Moopet
Bill Barretta - Swedish Chef/Rowlf/

Dr. Teeth/Pepe the Prawn/Bobo
David Rudman - Scooter/Janice/Miss Poogy
Matt Vogel - Sgt. Floyd Pepper/Camilla/

Sweetums/80's Robot/Lew Zealand/

Uncle Deadly/Rowlf Moopet/Crazy Harry
Peter Jinz - Walter

Tyler Bunch - Foozie Moopet/Thog/

Additional Muppet Performer

Alice Dinnean - Afghan Hound/Wanda/

Additional Muppet Performer

Cameo Guest Stars
Emily Blunt - Miss Piggy's Receptionist
Whoopi Goldberg - Herself
Selena Gomez - Herself
David Grohl - Animool
Neil Patrick Harris - Himself
Judd Hirsch - Himself
Rico Rodriguez - Himself
Mickey Rooney - Smalltown Resident
Leslie Feist - Smalltown Resident
John Krasinski - Himself
David Bobin - Himself
James Carville - Himself

Crew
Director - James Bobin
Based on Characters - Jim Henson
Writers/Executive Producers - Jason Segel

and Nicholas Stoller
Associate Producer/Puppet Captain - Bill Barretta
Executive Producer - Martin G. Baker

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

John G. Scotti
Producers - David Hoberman and
Todd Lieberman

Casting Directors - Gail Goldberg and Marcia Ross

Production Designer - Steve Saklad

Art Director - Andrew Max Cahn

Assistant Art Directors - John Berger

and Bradley Rubin

Set Decorator - Tracey Doyle 

Costume Designer - Rahel Afiley
Director of Photography - Don Burgess

Director of Photography/Operator: Second Unit -

Michael Burgess

Second Unit Director - Allan Graf
Choreographer - Michael Rooney

Stunt Coordinator - Allan Graf

Special Effects Coordinator - J.D. Schwalm 

On Set Puppet Workshop Supervisor - Jane Gootnick

Legacy Effects Supervisor - J. Alan Scott

Legacy Effects Coordinators - Shane Mahan,

Lindsay MacGowan and John Rosengrant 

Character Concept Designers: Legacy Effects -

Ian Joyner, Darnell Isom, Jim Charmatz

and Polet Harutnian

Model Department Supervisor: Legacy Effects -

Dave Merritt
Visual Effects Supervisor - Danny S. Kim
Visual Effects Producer & Supervisor -
Janet Muswell

Editor - James M. Thomas

Additional Editor - Alan Baumgarten

Supervising Sound Editors - Sean McCormack

and Kami Asgar

Sound Effects Designer - Ben Cook

Sound Mixers - Steve Cantamessa,

Kevin O'Connell and Beau Borders
Songs & Lyrics - Bret McKenzie
Music - Christophe Beck

Songs Mixer/Score Recordist and Mixer -

Casey Stone 

Additional Score Recordist - Steve Kaplan


Awards

2012 Academy Awards
Best Original Song "Man or Muppet" - Bret
McKenzie (Won)


Review
Thanks to director James Bobin and writer/actor/executive producer Jason Segel, THE MUPPETS has brought Jim Henson's most famous creations back to the big screen since 1999. It was a travesty that The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 came out before THE MUPPETS and beat the film at the box office (but that's coming from someone who is not into lame romances about vampires, but back to THE MUPPETS). I found the songs splendid and the zany, colourful humour that proudly characterises the Muppets quite fitting. Jack Black gets featured as their guest star, but I felt sorry for him, given what happened during the film's second half. THE MUPPETS is full of cameo appearances from stars including Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, and other new and old celebrities. The last star among the celebrities, I haven't even recognised him until now. Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory is in one of the film's highlighted musical numbers. I find that an intriguing surprise.

In my opinion, Muppets From Space was my all-time best of the Muppet flicks since it focuses on my favourite muppet, Gonzo. That honour now goes to this recent movie, mainly because it relied on nostalgia. I felt that THE MUPPETS is worth watching, plus it's unforgettable.

For any Muppet fans, it's a bright chance to see all the Muppet characters again, such as Kermit, Gonzo, Animal, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and others. This movie is fantastic, or as I call it, muppet-tastic!

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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