Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Top 6: Muppet Movies


In honor of the release of The Muppets today, I have decided to rank the Muppet movies from my least favorite to my personal favorite. I love the Muppets and every single one of these movies have their moments that make me laugh and wanna cry, but some are better movies than others, and this is where the deciding factor lies. Hopefully after today The Muppets will top this list, but as you will see that is no easy task. (Note: I only included the theatrical release Muppet movies, not the made-for-TV or direct-to-video movies). As well, I included my favorite quote from each Muppet movie underneath each movie. So here it is, the Top 6 Muppet Movies of All-Time!

6. Muppet Treasure Island
The Muppets tried to repeat their success they had adapting famous literature with A Christmas Carol by adapting Robert Louis Stevens' classic. The problems with Muppet Treasure Island is that the story simply focuses too much on the Muppets playing caricatures of the Treasure Island characters rather than having moments to be the Muppets as created by Jim Henson. As well, the songs and the gags are probably the weakest of all the Muppet movies.
"We've got cabin fever!" - Crew Members

5. Muppets From Space
The last time the Muppets appeared on movie screens till now, and unfortunately this may have been the reason for their long hiatus. While the story features a great character exploration of Gonzo, with a great cameo by Ray Liotta, the use of modern music rather than specially written song-and-dances and the constant modern references to late 1990s culture, just hurt what makes the Muppets the Muppets: They are pure and timeless.
"What, have you been tap dancing on the barbecue again?" - Rizzo the Rat

4. The Great Muppet Caper
Possibly some of the sharpest comedy in almost all of the Muppet movies, however the story features sluggish pacing and shallow characterizations, never taking enough time between gags to let emotions stir between the characters. However, with this case, even through the slow-moving paces the laughs keep coming, so that keeps this one enjoyable.
"It's plot exposition. It has to go somewhere." - Lady Holiday

3. The Muppet Christmas Carol
One of my personal favorite Christmas movies of all-time, unlike Muppet Treasure Island, here the Muppets re-enacting a literary classic actually worked to their advantage. The Muppets are not simply trying too hard to fit into the roles of the Charles Dickens' classic, they are allowed to be their Muppet characters first while still serving the character roles of each character as written by Dickens. Not to mention the narration by Gonzo and Rizzo is hilarious, the songs are catchy, and Michael Caine shines as Ebeneezer Scrooge.
"Light the lamp, not the rat, light the lamp, not the rat! Put me out, put me out, put me out!" - Rizzo the Rat

2. The Muppet Movie
What can you say, this was the Muppet movie that started it all and the reason why there have been so many Muppet movies, and this one definitely earns its importance. The songs are the best of any Muppet movie, with, "Rainbow Connection," and, "Moving Right Along," being the two best Muppet songs of all-time. Not to mention, the movie utilizes the novel approach of telling the Muppets' origin story, so seeing these characters first meeting one another, forging their friendships, and learning to live with one anothers' eccentricities is both funny and heart-warming.
"A bear in his natural habitat. A Studebaker." - Fozzie the Bear.

1. Muppets Take Manhattan
This is the finest Muppet movie simply because it has the best mixture of character development, story, musical numbers, and gags. This is the most emotional Muppet movie as the Muppets all embark on a journey where they break up and then have to come back together again. We actually see the relationships between the Muppets tested for the first time, and so when they manage to pull it back together in the end, you almost forget you were watching a movie with the Muppets because you had gone on such a well-crafted journey of character. Not to mention, the scene in the restaurant with Liza Minnelli is one of my favorite Muppet moments of all-time.
"I didn't know this cave was co-ed." - Fozzie the Bear

No comments:

Post a Comment