I reviewed the first half of The Muppets, ABC’s misguided attempt at bringing the Muppet crew to modern audiences, last year. If you kept up with my recapping, you may remember that my thoughts on the show went all over the place; sometime I liked it, sometimes I didn’t, sometimes I nothing’d it, depending on the … Continue reading
“The first half of The Muppets’ premiere season has had its ups, downs, and growing pains. In that respect, it’s not unlike any other new television series, but most new television series don’t have decades of established characters and character relationships to draw on, for crafting plots or telling stories. There’s nothing wrong with The … Continue reading
“Ever since The Muppets premiered on ABC, people have been hemming and hawing over whether or not it captures the Muppet spirit. Depending on who you ask, it’s either too adult, too much like The Office, or simply not funny enough—which, hey, different strokes for different folks. Whatever complaints you might have, concerns about The … Continue reading
“This week on The Muppets, the two primary plots play out in reverse: one starts weak and finishes strong, while the other starts strong and finishes horrendously. Spending time with The Electric Mayhem as they road trip with Kristin Chenoweth sounds like a terrific diversion, and for the most part it is, but this is … Continue reading
“Apart from a wasted C-plot, “Walk the Swine” sees The Muppets continuing on the same course correcting trajectory as “Pig Out.” That episode, perhaps more than the three that precede it, brimmed over with the sort of Muppety humor we expect from any narrative that revolved around them; what it lacked in forward momentum, it … Continue reading
“The bright side of last week’s terrible episode The Muppets is that this week’s looks downright terrific by comparison. That’s not to say “Pig Out,” our fourth venture into ABC Muppetsterritory, is bad television, or even good television: It’s adequate, which is a godsend after “Bear Left Then Write” failed to tell a story, or … Continue reading
“The appearance of a celebrity guest in the Muppet world, whether on the big or small screen, always adds a bit of zest to their tomfoolery, and the Muppets’ list of celebrity guests is as extensive as it is profound. Harry Belafonte, Julie Andrews, Vincent Price, Steve Martin, Roy Clark, Milton Berle, Amy Adams, Dom … Continue reading
“For as long as the Muppets have occupied a place on our televisions and in our hearts, Kermit the Frog has given their sentimental hijinks soul. He’s the Muppet’s shamrock-hued conscience. He gives them a reason to try, even though for the Muppets, “trying” is the inevitable first step toward calamity. So if you want … Continue reading
“If there’s one question the cardinal season of The Muppets absolutely must answer, it’s this: What’s to be gained by filtering the antics and ennui of Kermit and co. through the lens of the office docu-comedy? We’re used to seeing these characters set against a vaudevillian backdrop or within the parameters of familiar movie genres—road … Continue reading
Well, the ceremony’s done, the statues have all been given out, and noses have been browned; the 84th Academy Awards are now in the books. And I have an opinion on them even though I didn’t even watch them. I don’t know that there should be much surprise in regards to what won and why. The … Continue reading
This week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the entries for each of their twenty four categories in anticipation of this year’s 84th Academy Awards show. As is always the case, response among critics and film writers has been mixed, characterized by raised eyebrows, occasional high praise and pleasant surprise, and most … Continue reading
We’re almost there– it’s down to the final ten. Starting with: 10) 13 Assassins: “While the plot that subsequently comes together falls within the bailiwick typical to most men-on-a-mission films as Shinzaemon collects his chosen warriors– a motley crew of samurai ranging in age and experience, which eventually also comes to include a hunter (Yusuke … Continue reading
When Jason Segel capitalized on the critical and financial success of his breakout hit Forgetting Sarah Marshall three years ago by securing the green-light to write his own Muppets film, my world stopped turning for a day. Muppets? In the 2010s? And envisioned by a man who not only represents a perfect human foil to everyone’s … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 