Disney released its first Muppets movie a few days ago (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) and so far the response both from critics and audiences have been enthusiastically positive. The Rottentomoes movie website gave The Muppets a 98% positive response from the critics and 92% positive response from the audiences. It is projected to do well in the box office over the next few weeks during the Christmas holidays - not blockbuster, jaw-dropping type numbers but a very solid effort. Compared to the upcoming Disney releases of John Carter on Mars and The Lone Ranger movies where the budgets have tipped over the $200,000,000 mark, the relatively mild $50 million spent on The Muppets seems like a bargain.
And what does 50 million get you? Well for the majority of people who will go see the movie, its a chance to spend some time with some very old and dear friends born out of the creative imagination of the late Jim Henson and reintroduced to a new audience by longtime Muppet fan Jason Segel who co-wrote and and stars in the film. I haven't seen the movie, hopefully I will get the chance in a few days but it is really something I look forward to. In a world of high tech, special effect laden, CGI movies, the Muppets gives a chance to visit with very personable puppets - an art form that is almost forgotten in the modern world. Whether drawn by hand or computers, the movies put out for children by Disney, Pixar, and other studios are animated whereas Muppet puppets are actual characters living in their own real world. When it comes down to it, who wouldn't want to sit down have have a nice conversation with a friendly green frog?
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