The Muppets (2011)

Nominated for Best Original Song    Merry Christmas time!  Or whatever you celebrate.  Personally, I'm a pagan who was married to a Jew and is now dating a Unitarian.  I celebrate everything.  Rob's dad was in town from Tuesday until Christmas Eve (Saturday, which is when I'm writing this.  Not sure when it's actually going to be posted).  Rob is working a 24-hour shift Christmas Day so we did all our gift exchanges early.  I got a Kindle Fire and a bunch of other cool stuff which I am super-happy about.  The Fire was a joint effort between Rob and Christy and I appreciate both of them very much.

The reason I mention Rob's dad was because Rob had to go to work Friday, which meant that I would be hanging out with his dad alone.  Fortunately, he immediately set me at ease by suggesting we go to the movies.  And then earned a gold star when he wanted to see The Muppets.

I fucking love the Muppets.  I grew up on reruns of the old Muppet Show and I would go to the Muppet theater exhibit at Disney World every year.  I saw all of their movies at one point or another growing up.

The take on the movie is very adult, although of course, it's family friendly.  Walter and his brother Gary (Jason Segal) grew up in Smalltown.  Walter always knew he was different and coped with it by becoming a borderline obsessive fan of The Muppet Show.  On a trip to Los Angeles with his brother and his brother's girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams), Walter is horribly disappointed to learn that the Muppet Studios is run-down and all but condemned.  While exploring Kermit's old office, Walter overhears a dastardly plot by Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to tear down the studio and drill for oil.  The Muppets' contract states that unless they come up with the money to buy the studio back by a certain date, they will lose it forever.  Walter, Gary, and Mary set off in search of Kermit to prevent this travesty.  Kermit is concerned but world-weary and doubts that he can convince all the Muppets to come back together for a telethon.  But, bolstered by Walter's boundless enthusiasm, he agrees to try.

There are a ton of cameos by celebrities and enough references to older shows and movies that no one could be bored.  It's an instant classic, a film you could watch over and over.  Self-aware but never cynical, it recalls the glory days of their highest fame and proves that you don't have to be edgy or hard to be relevant.  You just have to be great.  And the Muppets are awesome.