Filmmaker and Star Interviews from the Muppets Most Wanted World Premiere

The third installment of our coverage from the Muppets Most Wanted World Premiere with ToughPigs.com continues today with full interviews from the filmmakers and stars of the film. We got to talk to Nicholas Stoller, Ed Mitchell and Kaylin Frank, Dylan "Hornswoggle" Postl, Danny Trejo, and James Bobin! Check out the video below and be on the lookout for the final video coming sometime in the near future.



Special thanks to Joe Hennes, Matt Wilkie, Daniel Shick, and Cristina Barretta.






The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppets Most Wanted World Premiere Exclusive Coverage

Ryan Dosier - In celebration of Muppets Most Wanted's North American release, I am thrilled and proud and honored and so lucky to present our exclusive coverage of The World Premiere in Hollywood. Our coverage is a joint effort between The Muppet Mindset and ToughPigs.com and we couldn't be happier to share it with our great friends. Huge thanks to Joe Hennes, Matt Wilkie, Daniel Shick, Lindsay Kwek, and Cristina Barretta. Enjoy!!








The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

News Update: March 18, 2014

MARCH 18, 2014

Kermit the Frog made a big-time appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night. He sat in as Jimmy's second guest and then performed "Bein' Green" accompanied by The Roots and Jimmy Fallon. It was a delightful appearance and Kermit was a lot of fun in the interview. Enjoy the videos below!





Miss Piggy stopped by Toronto's CP24 Breakfast show thiorning on her big promotional tour through Canada. Unfortunately, the video cannot be embedded, but you  can watch the fantastic nine minute appearance on the CP24 Breakfast website.

Tina Fey was spotted in Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios theme park a few days ago. Obviously, she stopped by Muppet*Vision 3D. While she was there, she got to hang out with the Muppet*Vision version of Sweetums, and we got this stellar picture:

The Muppets overwhelmed QVC on Sunday, appearing on the network for almost nine hours straight. The appearances were fun and Muppety, but few and far between. However, we got to see Rizzo, Constantine, Bobo, Big Mean Carl, and Link Hogthrob (plus the frog, pig, bear, whatever, and prawn), so it's all worth it. Our friends at ToughPigs.com have collected all of the videos from the appearance in one massive post, and I highly suggest checking it out!

The Swedish Chef and Constantine appeared on ABC's The Chew this morning. The Swedish Chef helped cook some meatballs. Unfortunately, the videos are once again not able to be embedded, but the appearance is hysterical and felt like an old Swedish Chef sketch on The Muppet Show. You've got to check it out. Visit The Chew's website for the two videos.

Constantine is the subject of a great article from The New York Times which also features interviews from James Bobin and Matt Vogel. It's a really insightful article about the creation of the character and goes into detail about some of their difficulties in distinguishing Constantine from Kermit. Give it a read!

Entertainment Weekly has yet another clip from Muppets Most Wanted. In this clip, we see Kermit attempting to break out of the Russian gulag he's trapped in. Unfortunately for the frog, Nadya (Tina Fey), doesn't really like that idea. Watch below (or don't to remain spoiler free):



Muppet fans Ryan Dosier (hey, that's me!), Ryan Roe, and Joe Hennes (both from ToughPigs) were interviewed by The Wall Street Journal for an article profile on Muppet fandom. The article is incredibly well written and I'm so honored and thrilled to be quoted alongside my friends Ryan and Joe. Read the article over on The Wall Street Journal site.

Our amazing friends at ToughPigs.com have organized fan screenings of Muppets Most Wanted in major cities across the United States. If our base wasn't in the middle of nowhere, we would've jumped at the chance to host one of these. But look at all the cities covered: New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Portland, Washington, DC, Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Phoenix! Incredible. For more information, check out ToughPigs.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppets Most Wanted Press Conference - Full Video

Ryan Dosier - This past Sunday, after seeing a screening of Muppets Most Wanted at the Walt Disney Studios, The Muppet Mindset (me and my friend Dan) was extremely lucky enough to be invited to the press junket for the film. We went with our friends Joe Hennes and Matt Wilkie ToughPigs.com and we're thrilled to be sharing this post with them. Joe filmed the entire press conference and Daniel Shick was taking tons of pictures. Watch the awesome videos below!

The first video features producer Todd Lieberman, director and co-writer James Bobin, and songwriter Bret McKenzie.



The second half of the press conference featured Tina Fey, Kermit the Frog, Ricky Gervais, Constnatine, Ty Burrell, Sam Eagle, and Miss Piggy.



Below are just some of the incredible photos taken by Dan Shick...

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

News Update: January 24, 2013

NEWS UPDATE: January 24, 2013
Our good friends over at ToughPigs.com and their contributor Matthew Soberman have written a wonderful open letter to James Bobin regarding The Muppets... Again. While I'm sure Mr. Bobin has received a lot of Muppet fan requests regarding the new movie, I sincerely hope he pays attention to this one. Matthew and ToughPigs (and now me) are asking Mr. Bobin to dedicate The Muppets... Again to the life and legacy of Jerry Nelson. As we all know, Jerry Nelson sadly passed away in August last year. It only seems fitting--nay, completely right--to dedicate the new movie, presumably chock-full of Jerry's characters, to Jerry. So... share the open letter around as much as you can! Because Jerry deserves it.

Speaking of The Muppets... Again, Twitter has proven to be a fantastic source of information about the production process on the film. Muppeteer Matt Vogel and star of the upcoming film Ricky Gervais have been tweeting some pretty fantastic updates on the film, including the fact that FILMING OFFICIALLY BEGAN YESTERDAY! Check out some of the fantastic tweets below...

Best day ever recording big song & dance number for The Muppet Movie. Boy, that frog can sing. Although, I was a little croaky. (Brilliant)
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 21, 2013

Great first day with @rickygervais singing and dancing and lots of laughter!
— Matt Vogel (@welcomemattv) January 21, 2013

I must stop ruining scenes by catching a glimpse of myself on the monitor & suddenly shouting "I'M IN THEMUPPETS MOVIE!" Unprofessional.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 23, 2013

Breaking News from The Set of The Muppet Movie...No one is really sure what Gonzo is.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 24, 2013

In casting news, the first official bit of non-leading part casting information for The Muppets... Again has been released: Ray Liotta will be appearing in the new movie! Variety confirmed that the Muppets From Space alum will be appearing in a secret role in the film. Will he be reprising his role as a security guard who easily succumbs to Miss Piggy? Probably not, but it would be pretty funny.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmidnset@gmail.com

News Update: November 1, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: November 1, 2012
Our friends at the campaign known as the Million Puppet March have asked us to share their campaign with Muppet fans. As you may know, the campaign is derived from Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's promise to end funding to public broadcasting. The Million Puppet March is a march on Washington D.C. this Saturday, November 3rd. The campaign needs support and they have an indiegogo fundraiser going on now that you can donate to. You can find out all of the info you need at the official webpage for the Million Puppet March. Regardless of political affiliation, we just wanted to share the campaign for those interested.

Our friend Julian Kleibeler contacted us about sharing a video he made celebrating the Muppets and ABBA, titled "For the Love of ABBA and Whatnot." Check out what Julian had to say about the video, "It's an anniversary tribute music video combining Muppets and ABBA.  Unfortunately we weren't able to use the original song in our tribute; and we traveled to Zermatt, Switzerland, to make sure one of the members saw it, while being in talks with the group's manager, who showed it to yet another member in Sweden. Though both apparently liked it, their manager's stance remained that their general policies would not allow usage.

But we didn't let that discourage us, recycled this band's last original song's perfectly fitting working title, recomposed, rewrote the lyrics and made the whole film into a silent movie. Please make sure to watch it in HD for best quality and to notice all the little details (and ABBA song references). Also, if you follow the instructions provided at the end of the video, you'll get to try your hand on making the video into something more of what it was intended to be from the start."



Last week we showcased the official YouTube video track for the upcoming Cee Lo Green/Muppets holiday single: "All I Need is Love." As we mentioned, the Muppets performed the song with Cee Lo in Las Vegas a few weeks ago for part of his star-studded Christmas show. The show was filmed and prepared to air on television as well! The special will air on November 30th on the TV Guide Network, so set your TV recording devices accordingly!


Finally, in huge news, we have our first bit of information regarding the upcoming production of the newest Muppet movie! First and foremost, we can confirm, thanks to two extremely reliable sources, that the next Muppet film will begin filming in January!! We've also learned that The Muppets director James Bobin is confirmed to return to direct the next feature. This has been assumed for awhile, as Bobin co-wrote the script for the next film with The Muppets co-writer Nicholas Stoller. This news is monumental, as it tells us the script is done, Disney has signed off on it, and the casting process has begun.


Speaking of casting, we have the first bit of casting news from The Hollywood Reporter, who revealed late last night that Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained) is in talks to star in the film! The article says his role will be that of an Interpol inspector, one of a handful of non-cameo human roles in the film. The article also reveals some of the other human roles, a Russian femme fatale and a male lead whose intentions are always in question. Who would you most like to see playing these two roles? (I would be beyond thrilled if Neil Patrick Harris was cast as the male lead.)








The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

We Know Nothing: DON'T PANIC!

The Newest Muppet Movie Yet

Today I saw The Muppets for the sixth time in the cinema (disguised as an ice cream salesman) because in the UK it is still running in theatres while in the US of A you are all expectantly awaiting the release of the bonus-packed, headless-Gonzo BluRay disk and the more attractive but less full-of-features DVD pack.

When I returned from today’s viewing of the movie, I was more than presently surprised to discover that we should also start expecting a NEW Muppet Movie (the Newest Muppet Movie Yet!)

So, after a quick Google, some blackmail induced information gathering from insiders and going through Jason Segel’s trash (he DOES eat a lot of fish!) I was able to compose a solid list of THE FACTS. Things that we do not know about the Newest Muppet Movie Yet.

- We do not know whether or not this will be a direct sequel to The Muppets.

- We have yet to hear whether Walter’s schedule will allow him to be in the movie (he does have an incredibly busy life as the Muppets #1 Fan {just ask Ryan!})

- No one has confirmed whether this movie will be a Classic Adaption (ala Muppet Christmas Carol) or an original storyline (it's Hollywood, are there any original storylines left there?)

- We do not know whether Lips will be appearing with the rest of the band (The Great Muppet Caper) or not (every other movie).

- Skeeter from Muppet Babies may or may not be appearing.

- We know that Jason Segel will NOT be in the movie. We do not know whether or not Amy Adams will be in the movie, although we can make almost a 50/50 guess that Whoopi Goldberg probably will be.

- We do not know whether the Muppets will be playing themselves in a ‘real life’ story situation (The Muppet Movie) or in more of a movie-story sense (The Great Muppet Caper).

- Lindsay Lohan may or may not be appearing with her twin sister from the movie "Parent Trap".

- It is still unknown as to whether this movie will be the cheapest ever made, as no budget has been confirmed.

- We do not know whether Rizzo, Pepe and Robin will feature heavily (but Robin weighs only 6 ounces, so...).

- No animals will be hurt in the production of this new movie (the same cannot be said for Muppaphones or Singing Food).

- The marketing is not yet set in stone, so we have yet to see whether any Muppets heads/arms/hair will be cropped out of the poster art.

- It has not been stated whether this movie will replace traditional puppetry with Computer Generated Imagery, however we know what Scooter’s opinion on that would be (TED).

- There is no word yet on whether or not Frank Oz will be involved with the making of the movie in any way (directional, consultational, or otherwise).

- No release has yet mentioned whether Kermit and Miss Piggy are/will be/have been married/engaged/together/separated/angsty...but we can assume there will be some romantic undertones (unless the movie turns out to be that “80s Robot Muppets” spinoff that no one is talking about because it doesn’t exist)

- Jane Lynch has not confirmed whether she will be appearing in the as yet untitled Muppet movie.

I am sure there are one or two other details that we have not yet found out about, but we will be sure to keep you informed if and when we realize that we do not know of them.

Until then, do not panic but do instead live in hope of the Muppets amazing new project!

Love as ever,
The British Correspondent






The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Jason Segel's Noble Muppet Departure

In our News Update last week we shared the Vulture.com report that a new Muppet movie was in the works at Disney. The report stated that James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller, the director and co-writer of The Muppets, respectively, were tapped to write the next feature starring Kermit the Frog and company. The report also made a big deal of the fact that The Muppets co-writer, executive producer, and star Jason Segel was not attached to write the new film. Yesterday, Collider.com reported that not only would Segel not be writing the next Muppet movie, but he also has no plans to appear in it either.

A direct quote from Jason Segel himself reveals that there is absolutely no animosity between himself and Disney, and the decision was entirely his own: "It’s true but it’s totally amicable. My goal was to bring The Muppets back and I did that leaving them in very good hands, my writing partner and James Bobin the director. I did what I set out to do, and now I wanna pursue more human-related projects." Segel goes on to say that he's not totally opposed to having some sort of connection with the next film, but in the end all he wanted was to bring the Muppets back and he felt that's what he accomplished: "All I wanted to do was to set the stage for them to do whatever they wanted. I’m sure I’ll return in some capacity here and there, but that was half a decade of my life. Five years of hard work. I’m ready for a little puppet break."

This confirms the suspicion that there would be no appearance by Gary in the next Muppet movie, a fact that most likely has Muppet fans cheering because it alludes to the next film not being a direct sequel to The Muppets. No matter your thoughts on The Muppets itself or Gary as a character in the film, one absolutely cannot deny that Jason Segel was hugely responsible for bringing the Muppets back into the pop culture limelight. His dedication to honoring the characters and Jim Henson were tantamount and his work paid off.

To say that we as Muppet fans owe a debt of gratitude to Jason Segel is an understatement. He cared enough to put his acting career on hold and write a Muppet movie, bring star power to a Muppet movie, and create a majorly successful film. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jason for all he did for the Muppets and Muppet fans. Everyone here at The Muppet Mindset can't thank Jason enough for his passion and commitment. We'll certainly miss hearing Jason talk about how great the Muppets are in every appearance he makes... but he is doing the truly noble and honorable thing by stepping back and letting the Muppets be the Muppets. For that and so much more, we truly mean it when we say thank you, Jason Segel.

But... despite all of this... THERE IS A NEW MUPPET MOVIE BEING MADE. That is HUGE. Muppet Domination continues... and we could NOT be more thrilled!! Honestly this is like a dream... less than six months after the release of The Muppets, another Muppet movie is already in the works? Unreal and unbelievably exciting. We're sending our best wishes to James Bobin, Nicholas Stoller, all of the Muppeteers, Disney, and everyone involved with this upcoming movie. I'm sure you'll all join me in saying, "Bring on the Muppets!!"

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

News Update: March 2, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: March 2, 2012

In news about something you should do right this second if you have Netflix: Go watch Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey. The touching, heartwarming, beautiful documentary about Kevin Clash and his journey into the world of Jim Henson is now online for instant streaming on Netflix and you can watch it right this second. So why aren't you?! Work? School? Personal responsibilities? Fuh! Go watch! I finally got to see this wonderful film for myself last week and I was more than moved. I teared up, I had shivers, and I was blown away by how amazing Kevin's story truly is. Be sure to check this out for yourself if you can... but if not, Being Elmo will be available on DVD in April.

Major crazy/random news this week as everyone's favorite go-fer, Scooter, made an appearance and gave a speech at the TED Conference in Santa Barbara, California. Yes, that Scooter. By himself. Giving a speech. In 2012. I don't know how it happened either, but the TED Blog has a recap of the events and our pals at Muppet Wiki somehow found a video of the incredible appearance which you can watch below. But first... how awesome are Scooter, David Rudman, The Muppets Studio, and TED for making this happen? SO awesome.



As you all (probably) know, the Academy Awards were last weekend and The Muppets took home an Oscar for "Man or Muppet" (which was probably the most awesome thing since the movie). Well, you probably also know that there was a massive amount of pre-show content on both ABC and E! Well, on the latter, Kermit the Frog made an appearance with Glee's Darren Criss. The talented duo performed Kermit's classic "Rainbow Connection" before the Red Carpet began and... well, it was beautiful. You can watch and listen to the song on E! Online!

Speaking of the Oscars, you should also know that Kermit and Miss Piggy appeared at the ceremony to introduce Cirque du Soleil (we don't wanna talk about it). Well, the frog and the pig also made the red carpet rounds and appeared only very briefly on the red carpet telecasts. Their appearance caused such a fervor, however, that people all over Twitter mentioned Miss Piggy in their tweets with the hashtag "#bestdressed." So many people tweeted that Piggy was the best dressed, in fact, that she was the fifth most tweeted Best Dressed celebrity on the red carpet. Do you realize how major this is? Miss Piggy was voted the FIFTH BEST DRESSED ahead of Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, and countless other starlets. Also very much worth mentioning... the Best Original Song win for "Man or Muppet" was the fifth most tweeted about moment of the entire Oscars telecast. That's huge. Muppet domination isn't going anywhere, people!

And now, probably the biggest news since Scooter presented at the TED Conference (probably even bigger than that), according to huge entertainment resource, Vulture, The Walt Disney Company has tapped director of The Muppets James Bobin and co-writer Nicholas Stoller to write another Muppet movie!! This is MAJOR news. Literally less than six months after the release of The Muppets, another film has already been put into the works by Disney. If that doesn't spell confidence in the characters and the filmmakers and the performers, I don't know what does. You will, of course, notice that Jason Segel is not writing the script this go around--but not because Disney doesn't want him to. Jason is a star with huge commitments--currently starring in two feature films, writing another, and starring in his hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother. He is simply too busy to commit to writing another movie. There is no saying that Jason won't produce or appear in the movie, but it is far too soon to tell. Just don't get in an uproar, Muppet fans... unless it's an uproar about how unbelievably thrilled you are that another Muppet movie is in the works already!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

THE MUPPETS Movie Review

Ryan Dosier - About three months ago, I made a promise to Steve Whitmire. I promised him that, once I saw The Muppets, I would write an honest review of my thought on the new film. Well, I just got home from the early Cast and Crew screening of The Muppets in the main theater of The Walt Disney Studios and I'm ready to showcase my honest opinion. And here it is:

The Muppets is everything I wanted and expected it to be. Somehow, Disney and Jason Segel and James Bobin and the Muppeteers and the entire production team, have done the impossible: they've made a movie that appeals to virtually everyone--Muppet fans, huge Muppet fans, casual fans, adults, kids, teenagers... everyone. But the more impressive and incredible feat is that they've made a truly funny, truly emotional, truly fun Muppet movie. Five years ago, I don't know anyone who would have thought this could be done, but I am here to tell you honestly that it has been done... and it's coming to theaters very soon.

The Muppets are the stars of this film, 100%. I was actually extremely surprised by how great both Jason Segel and Amy Adams are and how brilliantly they eased into the story. The most surprising part was that, once Kermit was back in the picture, we barely hear from either Gary or Mary until the third act and all focus shifts to Kermit and Fozzie and Rowlf and Scooter and Gonzo and Walter and Lew Zealand and Animal and Floyd... and the divine Miss Piggy. If there is any doubt in your mind about whether the Muppets are the stars of this film, squash it immediately. I am here to tell you that no one shines more than Kermit, no one has more laughs than Fozzie, no one carries more weight (don't hit me) and emotion than Miss Piggy, and no one will give you shivers like Walter. This is a Muppet movie with Jason Segel in it, not a Jason Segel movie with Muppets in it.

That's not to say, however, that the human co-stars aren't fantastic--because they really, really are. Jason Segel's character, Gary, was one of my favorites. The song "Man or Muppet," a brilliant duet between Gary and Walter, that comes before the big Muppet telethon was one of the true, honest highlights of the film. The song was incredibly catchy and warmed my heart to no end, and mostly because the great acting of Jason Segel and Peter Linz as Walter. One of the most touching scenes in the movie comes just before the big climax when Gary and Walter are talking backstage. It will endear Jason Segel in your heart forever (as if that hasn't already happened).

If you have any doubts about Walter... stop having them. Watler is pitch perfect in absolutely every scene. His story and his journey is incredible. Why is Walter such a big Muppet fan? Because he's different, and watching the Muppets made him feel accepted and showed him that everyone is special and deserves to show it. The way he talks to Kermit or Gonzo is the way you or I would talk to Kermit or Gonzo... a dedicated fan who would do anything--yes, even being thrown into an electric fence--to bring his heroes back together. There's a moment, at Kermit's house, when Kermit is down and lost, and the things Walter says to the Frog will make you honestly wonder if they broke into your brain to write the dialogue. Peter Linz has brought to life an amazing, enduring, and wonderful character. People--myself included--were swarming him after the screening to congratulate him on a truly perfect new character.

Speaking of the Frog, I know this is going out on a huge limb, but Kermit in The Muppets ranks alongside Kermit in The Muppet Movie for his incredible acting, depth of emotion, and heroic journey from beginning to end. The Kermit we meet at the mansion has lost his way without his friends. If his song, "Pictures in My Head," does not move you in some fashion, then you're not giving credit to the history of Kermit the Frog and the amazing talents of Steve Whitmire. "Pictures in My Head" will surely go down in history as one of the great Kermit songs. It carries the weight of his entire plight in about two minutes, and it's perfect.

And I am thrilled to say that the biggest emotional storyline is carried out by Miss Piggy and Kermit. Their falling out and rising back up is amazing. I've honestly never loved and believed in the frog and the pig more--and that all has to do with the way the characters were respectfully handled and written. They reference their history, they confront each other about past issues, and they finally come together and share the sweetest moment you could imagine. However, Piggy fans will be pleased to know that it's not all sweetness and kissy kissy, Miss Piggy shows variety brilliance throughout. One of my favorite scenes comes when Piggy executes her idea to get a celebrity guest host for the telethon. You'll be in stitches.

Chris Cooper's Tex Richman is one of the most evil of Muppet villains, ranking up with Doc Hopper in his cruelty and attempts to destroy the Muppets. But he would not have been nearly as fun if not for his great sidekicks, Uncle Deadly and Bobo. Bobo is a laugh riot, as always, and really is just there to make goofy comments for no real reason, which is perfect for the bear. Uncle Deadly takes the cake, however, and Matt Vogel should be commended for bringing back a character whose potential is undeniable. Just wait until you see Uncle Deadly's big scene... I doubt you ever thought you would be moved by Uncle Deadly, but you will.

One of my favorite things about this movie was the soaring, hilarious, and wonderful music. Almost every song is not only catchy, but also takes you on an emotional, heartwarming, and hysterical ride. Even the rendition of "Rainbow Connection" performed by Fozzie Bear and the Moopets, which is just meant to crack you up, carries the emotional wait of seeing poor Fozzie trying to perform but stuck with an act that he doesn't believe in. Every song has this sort of wonderful subtext. The undoubted musical highlights are both the opening and closing "Life's a Happy Song" (Oscar worthy, seriously), Kermit's "Pictures in My Head," Gary and Walter's "Man or Muppet," and the unbelievably touching group version of "Rainbow Connection." The only song I didn't love (in fact, the only moment in the movie that left me feeling sort of "meh") was Amy Adams and Miss Piggy's "Me Party." The set up was just a little strange and it didn't really work for me, but every other song in this film will make you smile, laugh, and, maybe, tear up.

There's just so much that happens in the movie and I'm forgetting to talk about quite a lot. The "getting the gang back together" montage is wonderful and closes with an inside joke that will make you fall out of your seat. There is a wonderfully funny running gag with Gonzo during the telethon. This is probably Scooter's biggest role in a Muppet movie. Rowlf is charming and funny and delightful. The Electric Mayhem rocks hard. Marvin Suggs sings a line in a song. Link Hogthrob is a featured member of a quartet. Every single cameo is handled perfectly (and some were even trailer-exclusives). Rashida Jones is so much fun. The voices of Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Frank Oz all appear in the film (including a very, very special piece from Jerry). There are direct references to The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and The Muppet Show, with allusions to The Great Muppet Caper. Wayne and Wanda have one of the biggest laughs in the movie. Remember that all of this is happening in a feature film in 2011.

The Muppets is a return to form for the Muppets. Not just Kermit, not just Miss Piggy, but Fozzie Bear and Gonzo the Great and Animal and Scooter and Rowlf. It returns us to The Muppet Show where these characters truly were a hurricane-strength force in the entertainment industry. It reminds us that we are special and that there's a place for all of us. It reminds us that Kermit the Frog will always believe in us if we believe in him. It reminds us that growing-up doesn't have to mean growing into something you're not. It reminds us of the days when huge celebrities were clamoring to sing with a pig or joke with a bear. It reminds us that singing chickens will always get the biggest laugh.

But, above all, The Muppets reminds us that there is always a place for singing, and dancing, and making people happy; we remember that laughter is the greatest gift you can give someone (no, not children or ice cream) and that it doesn't have to be cruel or vulgar to make people happy. I truly believe that this is something the world is waiting for and more than ready to have back in their lives... they are ready for the Muppets. Luckily, the Muppets are ready for them with a film that breathes amazing life into the characters, the franchise, and the world of movies.

"Life's a Happy Song" sums up The Muppets in the best way: "Everything is perfect, it's falling into place, I can't seem to wipe this smile off my face!" And it's true... in so many, many ways. The Muppets have fallen into their place and on November 23rd and the days after, the support of the audience needs to prove it to see more and more Muppet projects. Go see this movie, Muppet fans. From one hardcore fan to however many of you are out there... Go see this movie. There is guaranteed to be at least one thing to make you grin from ear to ear, tap your toes, and give you shivers.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com