FRANCHISE ME: THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN

I watched "Muppet Babies" and occasionally caught "The Muppet Show" as a kid, but I don't remember either very well. I had a vague affection for the Muppets based on both, but I didn't become a big fan until I saw this movie for the first time six years ago. I've seen "The Muppet Movie" as well as their "Christmas Carol" and "Treasure Island" spoofs, and I think this is the best of the ones I've seen.

As far as I'm concerned, "The Muppets Take Manhattan" is way underrated here. After watching it again last New Year's Eve, I decided it's probably my favourite family movie of all time. "The Muppet Movie" has some cute moments and of course "Rainbow Connection" is immortal, but I didn't find it very funny and I can't remember its other songs.

I think this thing is just perfect from start to finish. I love every song, and the way the Piggy and Kermit relationship plays out is wonderful, starting with the running gag about her jealousy, then the amnesia bit (the one time I felt a little sorry for the egomaniac Miss Piggy), and finally that sublime wedding climax.

Okay, so maybe the other characters are underused a bit (would have liked to see Beaker have some involvement), but plenty of characters get at least one scene to shine as we see what they're up to while the gang is split up. Rowlf's scene in the dog pound was brilliantly written, with splendid comic timing, Fozzie was adorable trying to bond with 'real' bears, and Gonzo got to do one of his best wacky stunts. Rizzo the Rat's kitchen theatrics were nifty too. I can't believe I almost got teary at the end over freakin' puppets getting married.

One thing I realized the last time I watched this was what a damn fine actor Jim Henson was. I believe he's generally appreciated more as a creative mind and a puppeteer, but he really gives an honest-to-goodness great performance as Kermit here, showing a surprising amount of emotion and different sides to the frog's personality. Kermit's passionate vow to New York (from the top of the Empire State Building) and his hilariously stilted producer and ad exec schtick really surprised me. They gave me a new appreciation for the talent and conviction of both Henson and the character.

I think the humans were better integrated here than they've been in other Muppet movies as well. Michael Caine just seemed too serious in "Christmas Carol" and the celebrities making cameos came across extraneous and too over-the-top in "The Muppet Movie". Here, Juliana Donald's sweet optimism and Louis Zorich's eccentricity fit the tone of the movie just right.

The criticisms in the article all make sense, but personally I can't find anything objectionable in this movie. I suppose that's half based on nostalgia/bias and half based on the fact that I'm a more sentimental type, so while Josh wanted more comedy, I was happy with there being more emotional impact than spot-on humour.

I was not only moved by the wedding, but found that Muppet babies sequence immensely heartwarming, and the definite highlight of the whole movie. And that's not just because of the cartoon it spawned...I think that scene stands alone as a really inspired little detour. I haven't seen "The Great Muppet Caper", but I can't see this as anything but an improvement over "The Muppet Movie". To me this was funnier, had more heart, and made better use of cameos.

I've always been of the opinion that this Muppet film is widely underrated.  Reading Josh's take on it pulled into focus the main reason why I think that so many people view this one as one of the weaker of the Muppet films, which is simply that there's not enough Muppet interaction in it.  The human presence in the films and series was always there, but the best stuff is usually the Muppets themselves interacting with one another.

That said, out of all the Muppet films, The Muppets Take Manhattan gives us the most development and depth for Kermit, and thus we get some of the best character work from Jim Henson (which I think we can all agree that the world didn't get nearly enough of before his sudden death*).  One could make a case for The Muppet Movie possibly doing better, but because it is more evenly yolked Muppet-wise and the big Hollywood dream plot has to share screen time with the road movie aspects and Doc Hopper story lines, the emotions and story beats aren't nearly as focused.  In Manhattan, Kermit's drive to succeed is what drives the film and the ending pays off better than the endings to the previous two films in that regard.

*Through the magic of the internet, I have a copy of the memorial service held for him at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.  It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

Couldn't agree more with the article's "What Doesn't Work" section, and yet even Jim's 3rd best Muppet flick is still great. As, as other posters here mention, is Henson's performance and Kermit's drive and arc.