Reel Views: Who can resist The Muppets?

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The Muppets (2011)

Remember when you were a kid watching Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie and all the rest of the Muppets on The Muppet Show? Or maybe you remember their feature films like Muppet Christmas Carol or Muppet Treasure Island? No matter where you saw them or which was your favourite, all Muppet fans can now rejoice; The Muppets are back!

In the newest release from director James Bobin, whose previous work includes Flight of the Conchords, all of Jim Henson's lovable muppets are back in a hilarious, feel-good, family-friendly musical. The Muppets tells the story of two brothers, Gary and Walter; Gary has a beautiful girlfriend, Mary, while Walter is suspiciously muppet-like. The trio journey to Los Angeles to tour the old Muppet studio (as in the movie, much like real life, the Muppets have been out of the spotlight for more than a few years), but after finding the place in dire disrepair, Walter overhears an evil oil tycoon's plans to teardown the studio and drill for oil. Gary, Mary and Walter track down Kermit and convince him to get the old Muppet gang back together one last time to raise enough money to save the studio.

The cast of The Muppets is simply spectacular! Jason Segel takes on the leading male role (at least in terms of the human cast) as Gary. Segel truly never ceases to amaze as he manages to flawlessly pull off both good old family values and dry, witty humour with absolute precision. Amy Adams plays opposite Segel as Mary, and in typical Amy Adams fashion is perky, delightful and charming every moment she spends on screen.

While Segel and Adams both give amazing performances, they are continually upstaged by the Muppets. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie, Chef, Animal, Scooter and countless others are brought to life by the voice talents of Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman and Matt Vogel. Not enough can be said about these talented men who do a minimum of five characters each.

Chris Cooper brings to life Tex Richman, the evil oil tycoon, and Rashida Jones plays a TV executive who gives the Muppets one last shot. Both prove hilarious to watch. There are also a number of celebrity cameos — so watch carefully or you just might miss them!

The beauty of The Muppets is that it is aimed at adults as much as it is at children. Characters consistently refer to the lunacy of breaking into song and dance numbers out of nowhere, speak directly to the audience and make countless clever self-references.

Whether or not you have kids, you need to see The Muppets. You will laugh out loud at this intelligent, entertaining, all-around good time of a movie. And I dare you not to tear up during Kermit and Miss Piggy's rendition of "Rainbow Connection."