The Muppets parents guide

The Muppets Parent Guide

This film brings back much of the charm and oddball humor generated under the direction of the puppets' creators Jim Henson and Frank Oz.

Overall A-

A group of fans (Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Peter Linz) tries to reunite Kermit the Frog (voice of Steve Whitmire) and the old gang (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo etc.) in order to save the aging theater where the Muppets used to stage their variety show.

Release date November 23, 2011

Violence B
Sexual Content A-
Profanity B+
Substance Use B+

Why is The Muppets rated PG? The MPAA rated The Muppets PG for some mild rude humor.

Run Time: 103 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Twelve years following their last theatrical appearance, The Muppets are being resurrected by Disney who acquired the characters in 2004. Fortunately, this film brings back much of the charm and oddball humor generated under the direction of the puppets’ creators Jim Henson and Frank Oz.

In the movie, the Muppets disbanded at the end of their television heyday and went on to find new careers. Fozzie Bear (voice by Eric Jacobson) does stand up comedy in a seedy Reno nightclub. Gonzo (voice by Dave Goelz) owns a toilet and plumbing emporium. And Miss Piggy (voice by Eric Jacobson) heads up a French fashion magazine while Kermit (voice by Steve Whitmire) leads a solitary life inside a gated complex.

Unbeknownst to the performers, tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) plans to raze their old studio and set up an oilrig in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. When the Muppets number one fan Walter (voice by Peter Linz) discovers the underhanded intention, he and his brother Gary (Jason Segel) launch a mission to reunite the puppets and help them save their dilapidated building by staging a telethon. Gary’s girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) agrees to come along. But she is really hoping Gary will acknowledge their ten-year dating anniversary with a marriage proposal.

Offering a gentler, more family-friendly viewing option than current reality shows to TV producer Veronica (Rashida Jones), Kermit finally scores a spot on a national network. The resulting program shares a familiar feel with the television series that ran from 1976 to 1981. The vaudeville-style variety program, hosted by Kermit, includes song, dance and comedy routines. Many of the movie numbers even hearken back to the original TV skits. The one exception may be a poultry performance of singer Cee Lo Green’s edgy song titled as “Forget You” in the movie’s soundtrack.Luckily the profanity-laden lyrics are replaced with clucking sounds from Camilla (voice of Matt Vogel) and her backup singers, the Chickens.

Clearly aiming to endear themselves to a new generation of moviegoers, these puppets provide plenty of laughs, silly asides from Statler and Waldorf (voices of Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz), big production musical numbers and a host of famous faces to entertain audiences of all ages.

Directed by James Bobin. Starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper. Running time: 103 minutes. Theatrical release November 23, 2011. Updated

Watch the trailer for The Muppets

The Muppets
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Muppets rated PG? The Muppets is rated PG by the MPAA for some mild rude humor.

Violence: A character is electrocuted while trying to climb over a fence. A villain reveals his evil plans. A character falls from the rooftop of a building. An owner blows up his place of business. Characters punch one another and fight. A reality show depicts students punching their teachers. A character is crushed behind a door.

Sexual Content: A woman wears a bikini.

Language: The script contains some name-calling and a crude double entendre.

Alcohol / Drug Use: A character drinks excessive amounts of an energy drink.

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The Muppets Parents' Guide

With the home video release of The Muppets, here are some fun family activity sheets you can enjoy:
Muppet Activity Page
Fozzie Bear’s Ten Things Every Comic Needs To Know
Miss Piggy’s Fashion Forward Tips
Recipe for Pepe’s Pollo Burrito
Recipe for Swedish Chef’s Turkey Meatballs
Muppet’s “Spot The Differences” Game

What kinds of entertainment do the Muppets offer during their telethon? How does their style compare with many of the reality shows on air? Why does Tex think the world has become too hard and cynical for these performers? Do you agree or not?

Although Gary and Walter share a strong sibling relationship, what do they learn about pursuing their own interests and taking on adult lives?

How does this movie contrast trends from the 1970s and 80s with current fads and stars?

Celebrity guest stars on the TV show included Alan Arkin and Liza Minelli who both make appearances in this movie. Check out the complete list of famous faces that appeared with the Muppets.

 

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Do you want to know absolutely everything about the Muppets? Then you will want to read Craig Shermin’s The Muppets Character Encyclopedia. You can find out where Miss Piggy was born, learn about Gonzo’s greatest stunts, and get details about classic Muppet Show skits. Filled with photos, this book is great for even young Muppet fans.

For more about the creator of the Muppets, check out Christopher Finch’s Jim Henson: The Works: The Art, the Magic, the Imagination.

The wit and wisdom of Jim Henson and the Muppets are immortalized in It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider.

If you ever wondered what it’s like to create the Muppet world, you can read Joseph Bailey’s Memoirs of a Muppet Writer: (You mean somebody actually writes that stuff?)

Muppet fans of any age can while away the time with Art of Coloring: Muppets: 100 Images to Inspire Creativity.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Muppets movie is March 20, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: The Muppets

Release Date: 20 March 2012

The Muppets release to home video in DVD, Blu-ray and a Three-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy + Soundtrack Download Card). Extras include:

- Audio Commentary (With Jason Segel, James Bobin, And Nicholas Stoller)

- Scratching The Surface: A Hasty Examination of The Making of THE MUPPETS.

- Deleted Scenes

- A Little Screen Test On The Way To The Read-Through

- Explaining Evil: The Full Tex Richman Song

- Disney Intermission (Pause The Movie And See What Happens!)

- Unreleased Theatrical Spoof Trailers

Exclusive HD Content

- The Longest Blooper Reel Ever

Related home video titles:

You can see Kermit, Miss Piggy and all of your other favorite characters in: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Muppets From Space, and The Muppet Christmas Carol. You can watch past episodes of the gang’s variety show (and the theater they are trying to save) in The Best of the Muppet Show. Actress Amy Adams plays another charter trying to get her long-term boyfriend to propose in Leap Year.

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