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 When I heard this sequel to The Muppets was coming out, I was really excited! The trailer was just so charming, I just knew I was going to see it in the theater. And I did.

Muppets Most Wanted is about two frogs, Kermit and Constantine (the thief), who look identical except for the mole on Constantine's upper lip. When a fake mole is planted on Kermit, he is mistaken for the thief and taken to a Russian prison, while Constantine poses as Kermit in order to steal great relics at various locations. How long will it take for the Muppets to realize Constantine is not Kermit? And when will they finally put the right frog behind bars?

It's a classic switcharoo with a whodunit feel to it.

Although this is marketed as a sequel, it is not necessarily a continuation of the previous story. New characters are introduced, along with a new scenario. Each movie is its own story, both having a satisfying conclusion at the end.

The first film was more about the development of the human characters, while this sequel is more about the Muppets, which I liked. It's really a movie about how Kermit learns to be less uptight and the Muppets learn to work better with Kermit and realize they really need him.

It has a combination of mystery and comedy that really can only be pulled off by the Muppets. They can get away with so much: many cameos, people dressed up in funny costumes, ridiculous situations, strong fake Russian accents, Miss Piggy and Celine Dion singing together...the list goes on.

The comedy is admittedly juvenile, but I found myself laughing most of the time. Some scenes were so outrageous, I just had to laugh.

There were some moments when I had wished the actors had done a more convincing performance.  While the Muppets can get away with so much, the actors can't always do the same. For me, the formula for an ideal Muppets movie is to have the Muppets and actors be able to convincingly interact with each other while conveying an interesting story and clever comedy. I think some actors did do very well, but I think some didn't quite hit the mark.

Although I enjoyed Ricky Gervais' performance in Night At The Museum, I was disappointed in his performance in this movie. It just didn't seem like he had as much improvisational freedom as he usually is allowed in other films. I think the Muppets kind of threw him off his groove, honestly.

I am not generally a fan of Tina Fey's work, but I did like her performance in this movie. Her song "The Big House" got me tapping my toes. It's so catchy, I have it stuck in my head on occasion. And her accent, while obviously fake, was still well done.

Rizzo The Rat had a brief appearance along with Kermit's nephew, Robin the Frog. I had complained about the absence of Rizzo in the first movie, so this satisfied me.

Even though they brought back some old characters, I felt like it lacked the classic wit and charm the Muppets used to have. They did not include that many unknown Muppets in the background or little funny details. Like, one of my favorite things from Muppet Treasure Island is depicted in this photo:

Yes, that is a pirate knitting a Jolly Roger. It's not something you would expect to see at all, so it's hilarious. Every time I see this, I laugh out loud. But it's only on the screen for a few seconds. It seems as if they have swapped moments like this for CGI sequences and more cameos. Which, in my opinion, isn't quite as fun to watch.

Overall, I do like this film. It's fun and does have its share of clever jokes and silly song and dance sequences that are entertaining to children and adults. I would definitely recommend seeing it. I enjoyed it enough, I'm sure I will see it many more times in the years to come.


"Let it go, Let it go. Can't hold it back anymore. Let it go, Let it go. Turn away and slam the door. Here I stand and here I'll stay. Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway."


These lyrics from "Let It Go" really touch me in a deeply personal way. Whenever I hear it or sing it, it's like a therapeutic experience.

As a young adult, I'm going through the part of life where I'm trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be. I'm learning that I need to let go of some things, like bad habits and fears. This song perfectly expresses feelings I can relate to, and maybe you can too.

I'd love to be like Elsa and just stop worrying about what people think and start being myself. Being myself isn't quite as magical as Elsa being herself, but who I am is just as beautiful.

Frozen is about two sisters, Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel). Elsa has magic powers to create and manipulate snow and ice. She accidentally brings on an eternal winter and runs away from the kingdom. Anna and her new friends Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and a funny snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) go on a journey to find Elsa, facing obstacles along the way.

There are some deep messages in this film about the power of sisterhood and finding romance where you least expect it. 

With animated films, sisterhood is a topic that is not often addressed. That's one of the reasons why Frozen is so refreshing, heart-warming, and relatable.

Frozen considerably resembles Tangled with its plot and characters. Which, I admit, is a bit frustrating. But, with the popularity of Tangled, I can't say that I blame Disney for bringing back similar types of characters into a different environment and circumstance. 

The development of the plot and the characters was lacking a bit. While watching in the theater, I found myself asking questions about the story that were never answered. I think sometimes filmmakers create obstacles just for the characters to overcome, and don't include enough (or any) believable back story to explain why things happened the way they did. I'm sure this would not bother me as a child; but as an adult, it does.

Although I mentioned a few complaints, I would say that I loved Frozen overall. Most of the plot was quite different from that of Tangled. I found myself wondering what was going to happen next in the story; feeling surprised by the twists and turns and the progression of the characters throughout the movie.

Frozen is a real treat cinematically. The animation is breathtaking and enchanting and adds so much to the feel of the musical sequences. The songs by themselves are well composed, but the visuals really enhance the experience.

The writers wrote their lyrics and dialogue brilliantly to appeal to all ages. Some of the songs were constructed like songs from an opera where characters sang sentences you would usually expect them to just speak. 

Much of the dialogue between Kristoff and Anna was very much like charming banter from a romantic comedy, which was very entertaining and comedic. 

The comedy throughout the film was witty and whimsical. At times, Olaf's humor was a bit over the top, but I mostly found myself laughing at his silly remarks and slapstick comedy.

The most important thing to have in a good film is a good moral. The moral of this movie is to cherish the relationships in your life and to be yourself.

So, let's be like Elsa and let our true selves shine through, stop worrying, and let it go.
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