Everyone loves the Muppets, and if you don't then there's something wrong with you, not them. That's like saying you don't like ice cream or kittens. The Muppets are everything that's right about show business. Not necessarily subversive in an overt way but consistently comedicly simple and absurd. If you watched the Muppets as a kid then there is a special place in your heart where they reside, and if you didn't then your childhood was robbed of something magical.

 

The Muppets have been stuck for almost two decades doing parodies of well known stories. This new movie is the first attempt to return to their roots, and to what made them great on their TV show. The TV show represents the height of their brilliance, followed by a handful of great movies, and then subsequently some not so great ones. But they are back to basics and that's a good thing.

 

In this latest Muppet movie the Muppets must put on a telethon in order to raise enough money to save their old studio from being destroyed. The movie is less about Kermit and the Muppets and more about a new Muppet named Walter. And while at first this may seem a little disappointing, what you realize is that Walter’s story parallels the films writer and star Jason Segel’s real life experience making the Muppet movie. It’s obvious that he was a true fan and made a film that honored the legacy of the Muppets. Segel plays Walters brother and comic foil Gary, and Amy Adams plays Gary’s girlfriend Mary.

 

And while the story may rehash the structure of past Muppet movies, and the voices aren't quite right anymore, there's very little that’s not great about this movie. Kermit, whose optimism in the past was always the engine that drove the films, now seems a little less so and it’s really Walter that drives the story. And of course there could have been more scenes with some audience favorites like Gonzo, Swedish Chef and Bunsen and Beaker, you can’t please everybody. The smartest decision that was made with regard to the production was hiring Bret McKenzie, from the Flight of the Conchords to do the music. All the songs are funny and great, and will be stuck in your head for days. Pound for pound this movie is more purely entertaining than any movie this year. If we’re lucky the DVD will be twice as long and feature hours upon hours of extras, but until then you'll just have to see it again in the theaters.