Let's Rank The Muppets!

[00:00:02] Let's get together, talk about the movies that we saw this week We'll have discussions, talk film news, we'll laugh a lot and act like geeks Sometimes we'll have a guest or two, sometimes it's just the two of us Let's crack some jokes and tell some folks to come along and hang with us! Mike and...

[00:00:41] It's time to play them to light the lights It's time to get things started for an app of Mike and Mike It's time to press record now It's time to sit upright It's time to make a podcast for an app of... Always dreamed we'd be back here Dreams? Those were nightmares! It's time to get things started I'm the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, movetational It's Mike and...

[00:01:15] Wow, good job Mike! Snaps! It's Gonzo doing the horn thing Yep, yep, yep I'm Mike Smith and joining me as always is someone who wants to know Why are there so many songs about rainbows? Mike D'Cruccio How you doing today Mike? I'm doing pretty good, I'm excited for today's episode It was a real fun excuse to watch a bunch of real good movies Yes, yeah, absolutely So today we are bringing back a segment that we haven't really done in a while We haven't really done a Let's Rank

[00:01:43] in I think quite some time, right? I think, yeah, I think at least since we've gone to the bonus episode format for this, I don't remember actually when was the last one we did Yeah, I mean we used to do this pretty frequently I think especially during COVID it would be like Okay, we're doing like discussions, let's rank Discussions, retrospective Discussions, let's rank We had a pretty consistent Let's Rank schedule And so I know we did like a Let's Rank Mel Brooks movies at one point, that was pretty fun We did Let's Rank The Fast and Furious I believe Vin Craig was our guest for that episode

[00:02:13] And so yeah, we've done Let's Ranks in the past, but it's been a minute The last one I have is Let's Rank Gateway Horror Oh yeah! That's before the top ten Michelle Yeoh list So we must have finished season three of Complete Works After we've done that Wow, okay, so it's been like probably over a year since we've done like a proper Let's Rank episode Yeah On the podcast And now we've got this one and another one coming down the pipe By popular demand The people demand Let's Rank episodes I think so

[00:02:42] Although the other one maybe we can switch into a retrospective or something I don't know, we'll figure that one out We'll figure it out That one's gonna be unwieldy Yes But yeah, so we've been putting the work in for this one So here's the backstory behind today's episode We did our in-person end of year episode at the end of 2024 where we talked about Die Hard And of course we were talking about Die Hard within the context of being a Christmas movie Right At some point I believe we started talking about Muppet Christmas Carol Correct Is that how it happened? I think, yeah I don't remember if we were talking about like

[00:03:12] Yeah, annual watches and stuff And I think Kyle mentioned the Muppets in context of showing his children the Muppets and stuff Right So we're talking about Christmas Carol first and that whole thing Yes And somewhere in that conversation I think you mentioned that you hadn't really seen most of the Muppet movies Correct I had only seen Christmas Carol, Treasure Island and I believe the Muppet movie Okay And that was it But you have like no conscious memory of watching the Muppet movie as a child Right? Basically, yeah Okay

[00:03:41] So you mentioned that kind of offhandly and the rest of us, me, Colin and Kyle were all just like What? You haven't seen all of the Muppet movies? Yeah You Philistine, you Plebeian And apparently one of our listeners also felt that way And he took it personally And he took it personally And so who was it that donated the money to make us watch to make, do a Let's Rank of the Muppet movies, Mike? It was a friend of the show, David David, okay Well, thank you to David so much for donating to the show

[00:04:10] And you really found the loophole in the $50 episode Yeah You got a lot of homework in this $50 episode Yes So normally when somebody donates $50 that gives them a movie for us to talk about But we always say that you can really make us do anything We do say pick a topic for an episode Yeah Pick a topic We never specified It has to be one movie But I mean in the past Like somebody did make us watch two movies once and they gave us $100 Remember that? That was David Oh, that was David Both of the D&D movies Yeah

[00:04:39] Okay, so by that logic David should have given us $400 for this episode We don't need to berate the audience, Mike They understand I'm just saying No, no This was such a delight to do And so yeah David paid to make us watch to do a Let's Rank of the Muppet movies He didn't necessarily say we had to rewatch all of them No That's true That's a good point Or all of them Yes, he didn't necessarily say we had to do that But we decided Let's go the extra mile And so We spent pretty much all of January I mean not all of January

[00:05:09] We spent like We kind of spaced these movies out throughout the month of January Yeah It's eight movies It's not that much No You know? But we kind of spaced these movies out throughout the month of January and we watched all of the Muppet movies Now I had seen seven out of the eight I had not seen The Great Muppet Caper before this episode Okay It might be It sounds like you had only seen two, maybe three of these movies Right Correct, yes I mean yeah, I mean broadly, you know, culturally familiar with the Muppets

[00:05:37] Yeah, well yeah, before we even get into our, you know, rankings and stuff like that What's your take on The Muppets? I mean, what was your relationship to The Muppets like before this episode, Mike? Before the episode, the main things that I consumed from The Muppets was Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, which we had on VHS Yeah So those were the two I'd seen the most But even then, I hadn't seen either of them really in years Which is crazy, because I don't know, you're, I'm sure you're gonna talk about Muppet Treasure Island

[00:06:06] I somehow missed all the times you watched them in college Yeah I wasn't around for them Yeah, so Muppet Treasure Island, similarly That was a movie that we had on VHS We watched it a lot And actually, it was my sister's very first movie in the theater Was Muppet Treasure Island Whoa Who was one year old at the time And I believe we had to leave Because she started crying the second the movie started Because Muppet Treasure Island starts in a pretty dark way I don't know if you remember Muppets are scary in that movie

[00:06:31] Yes, and that, the opening number of Muppet Treasure Island is like skeletons singing at you about how you're gonna die Yeah And my one year old sister was not having it Wasn't into it Okay Wasn't into it So I don't think I got to watch all of Muppet Treasure Island in the theater that day But we had it on VHS and I watched it a lot back when I was a kid And then when I was in college, my buddy EJ, who has been on this podcast before He was on the Lego Movie 2 episode back in 2019 Way back when He and I kind of bonded over a lot of different movies The Evil Dead movies especially

[00:07:01] But we got really into the Muppets I mean, we were already pretty into the Muppets And that, my freshman year, which is when we met That was when the Muppets 2011 came out So like, America had Muppet fever at the time It was in the zeitgeist, you know? Yeah, yeah And so we started talking about the Muppets at one point And we realized how much we both loved Muppet Treasure Island And he ended up buying the DVD And we watched it over the course of like the four years that we lived That we lived together in college, all that stuff We probably watched it like in the double digits number of times

[00:07:29] Like we watched it quite a bit It was a big favorite of ours Yeah And even when COVID was happening We did like a, you know, a Zoom watch along of Muppets Treasure Island With like the old college group So yeah, I'm shocked that you weren't there for any of those times that we watched it Yeah, I don't know how that happened But it did So there was those two movies that I watched predominantly And then also I remember as a little, like young, very young kid Watching like Nick Jr. or whatever I remember loving the Muppet Babies animated cartoon show

[00:07:59] Okay, yeah So I watched a lot of that I remember watching that all the time when I was, you know, however old you are When you're watching Muppet Babies And then those two movies So those are really the, like Muppet things that I watched and had nostalgia for Other than just like, oh, the Muppets are cool, like culturally Like I enjoy, I enjoy when they're in things and stuff Yes And I guess Sesame Street too, which aren't specifically Muppets, but Henson stuff Yes, I mean, you know, not specifically Muppets Although there are Sesame Street characters in the first three Muppet movies There are, which is a lot of fun Which is very fun, yeah

[00:08:29] Yeah, no, I am also, I would say I'm probably a bigger Muppets guy than you in general Yeah Not one of like the weird Twitter Muppets guys Those guys There was a whole thing a few months ago I don't know if you can remember What was that? That was the Muppet History, right? It was the Muppet History Twitter channel Yeah

[00:08:58] It was the weird thing and I remember that it was so silly because it was just, it was just the Muppet Twitter history Yeah The Muppet History Twitter account And people were acting like it was the end of the world And like, I remember somebody being like, this is a dark day for the Muppets And I was like, this has nothing to do with the Muppets The Muppets aren't involved in this This is a random guy on Twitter who likes them Right It's very, very weird But yeah, no, I've always been a big Muppets fan Like I said, I had Treasure Island on VHS We also had Muppets from Space on DVD

[00:09:27] That was like a DVD my brother owned and so we watched that quite a bit when we were kids Nice And I had seen the Muppet movie, Muppets Take Manhattan Like around when I was a kid, Christmas Carol of course, all that stuff And then I remember when Muppets 2011 was coming out It kind of like rekindled my love for the Muppets a little bit Like it was just the hype surrounding that movie and all that stuff kind of brought it back to the forefront a little bit I watched Sesame Street when I was a kid I watched Bear in the Big Blue House was also a Henson thing Yeah, whoa Core memory unlocked Yeah Incredible

[00:09:57] Yeah, and so I've always really enjoyed the Muppets And I think as I've gotten older I think one of the things I've really like appreciated about them Is like the insane level of talent and dedication that is involved in all of these projects The shows, the movies, all that stuff Just the puppeteering is insane Yeah It's really incredible And I think what I like the most about the Muppets is it is this, you know, huge ragtag group

[00:10:22] Of all these different kinds of puppets that really feel like they are real I think No, no, they are real, Mike Correct, yeah, I mean that's what I mean Yeah, of course, yeah But yeah, it's a weird thing where like you're watching, you know, a Muppet movie And it's like Tim Curry as Long John Silver and Kermit the Frog as himself or whatever Yeah You know Or the great Gonzo as Charles Dickens, yeah Yes, and you're like, yeah, that makes sense Our greatest actor, Kermit the Frog, is playing Smollett in this movie Yeah

[00:10:53] You know, I like, like the puppeteering is so good and so dedicated that these characters really do feel real To the point where there are true like feats of wonder in some of these Muppet movies where you're like, how do they do that with these puppets? This is insane So I love all that and that's something that I've grown to appreciate a lot more as I've gotten older And I've kind of gone back to some of the other Jim Henson stuff that I'd missed when I was a kid Like I never watched Labyrinth until I was like 25 That movie rules, it's really cool Have you ever seen Labyrinth, Mike? I don't know

[00:11:22] I'm gonna say no Wow Okay But I don't know if it was one of those I've seen it on TNT or Like I mean also just like iconography of that is so ingrained in a lot Yes I don't know if I've ever actually seen it I've seen it like three times and every time it was with the crowd and the crowd always goes nuts for Labyrinth It's really really fun But yeah, so I you know he had Labyrinth he had Dark Crystal He was experimenting with all these other kinds of things But the Muppets were like the big thing and it all started with the Muppet show in the late 60s early 70s

[00:11:50] I think this is when that show premiered and yeah sure But that show ran for five years and then it led to the Muppet movie and like it became a movie franchise Jim Henson dies in the early 90s So he's not involved in anything past Muppets take Manhattan But Christmas Carol and Treasure Island are both directed by Brian Henson So it's his son And Frank Oz is still involved with the movies too and he's doing the voices and all that kind of stuff So there is like a you know a core group of people that are that are involved with most of these movies

[00:12:17] And then at some point the Muppets get taken over by Disney like everything else Yeah Yeah, I just saw there's a whole recently like just this past week Sort of like a resurgence in that following the Grammys is what I was talking about Where oh yes, I think in particular It was either Chapel Rhone or and Sabrina Carpenter's performances People were like oh they're doing like old-timey I think it was Sabrina Carpenter specifically is the one I saw Yes That like she's doing like old-timey Hollywood bits

[00:12:45] In a just world Miss Piggy would be alongside her Yes Yeah, I think you're right Yeah, which is totally correct Yeah, and I think you know there has been like talk about how Disney has sort of been mishandling the Muppets over the last like 10 years or so They had the Muppets 2011 they made Muppets most wanted And then from there there was a there was a Muppets TV show on ABC that ran for one season Which was called the Muppets and I did watch most of that show It was a pretty good show. I liked it It got a lot of bad reviews when it came out, but I thought it was pretty good I don't know if you remember the show at all

[00:13:15] It was like not even a little bit Yeah, it was like an office style mockumentary thing I was gonna say this is definitely like a three camera traditional sitcom bullshit, isn't it? No, yeah, no, it was a it was a mockumentary So it was like the office style where they're like kind of talking to the camera and all that kind of stuff It was like the backstage of like, you know the Muppets are doing a late night talk show or something So it was like the Muppets version of Larry Sanders show I had a good time with it Not even 30 Rock than Larry Sanders show Other than anything else. Yeah, uh, yeah, I had a good time with it. That was pretty funny. Uh, it ran for one season and then it was gone

[00:13:44] Uh, they had they've had a couple of disney plus shows and like special too. They had like the Muppets haunted mansion in disney plus Uh, they had that's familiar. They had muppets now, which was like a six episode like what if the muppets were on the internet? Uh, it was sort of a variety show kind of thing. It was okay. It wasn't great and then most recent I think the most recent thing they did was the muppets mayhem Uh, which was a like a six or eight episode series. I haven't watched it Okay, uh, that's just about the electric mayhem

[00:14:09] Uh, and it's about them like kind of recording their out like they've never recorded go on like a world tour as the electric mayhem right or something or a tour Something like that. Yeah, it's like them going on a tour and like recording the album They never actually recorded or something Yeah, and the only thing I really know about the show is that peter jackson makes a cameo in it and they reference the feebles Amazing as if they are like part of the muppets universe, which is pretty fun But yeah, I think that's the last muppets thing they did, but I there's recent news Muppet vision 3d in disney world is like being torn down

[00:14:37] They're getting rid of it and it's it just kind of feels like oh man They really don't like don't know what they're doing with the muppets Um, I was just thinking about earlier today while we're getting ready for this that uh, maybe you maybe I think you tweeted it That it's been you know, 2014 was the last muppets most wanted, right? Yeah, uh, yeah I think my letterbox review was like, yeah, it's kind of a crime that it's been nine years since the last Since muppets most wanted and there hasn't been any new muppets movies since yeah, that's crazy Yeah, it's it's kind of a bummer and I know I know most wanted like when that came out

[00:15:06] It was kind of considered like, you know The muppets 2011 was so big and this was like definitely it made a lot less money and all that kind of stuff But they could have made more they should they should have made more But honestly, I think the best thing they could do for the muppets right now before we even get into the less rank Which we're gonna do in a second. I think the best thing that they could do is just bring back the muppet show I think just do it again. Yeah, why not, right? Yeah, it's I don't know You do like you know you make it where it's like you're doing 20 episodes a year

[00:15:32] Yeah, um, you know and it's a different guest every week and it's just like a variety show type thing That's the muppets baby that that'd be fun. That'd be great We also live in a world where sesame street didn't get renewed this year. Uh, that's true Yeah, which is by warner brothers, right? Yeah, which honestly sesame street being on tv should be like a human right at this point Right this so that's kind of insane But yeah, sesame streets in a weird because that was pbs for a very long time and then hbo bought it I guess or warner brothers bought it and like made an hbo thing

[00:16:00] But pbs still gets the reruns like a year later or something So yeah weird stuff like that. I'm sure sesame street will find a home somewhere Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. It's crazy to talk about and uh, just before and we get into it Um, brian henson was just recently like two or three weeks ago was on mike flanagan's podcast, which is a director's commentary So they watch they did uh christmas carol up at christmas carol as the commentary And so they were discussing before they started the movie that they were watching the version on disney plus

[00:16:27] Like the main version on disney plus because if you go into the extras there's the version that has the cut song Oh, yeah, I didn't watch I watched the the shorter version theatrical. Yeah, yeah Brian henson talked about it and said that like basically the agreement was for the theatrical release and we'll get into this I'm sure I don't know, uh, but whatever that for the theatrical release They would cut the the song and then first all subsequent versions forever after we're going to include the song Uh, and he said and somehow disney lost the negative

[00:16:55] That had the song and for 25 years that song was gone Uh, and and they they finally recovered it. Somebody had an archived like it wasn't disney Uh, somebody found a negative or something wow And so they restored that song and so now it's available in the extras on christmas carol Uh on disney plus like the full-length movie, uh, and he was like real pissed He was getting real mad that like he's like the our agreement was After the theatrical cut that movie would that song would be in there and disney lost it

[00:17:24] Uh, and I was like, whoa, that's crazy. So I I feel like there's a lot of tension Yeah, sounds like some shenanigans. I think michael eisner lost the negative on purpose or something Sort of what he was implying. Uh, not not quite but it's that's the vibe I got, uh, interesting And it's finally back is where i'm getting at all right Yeah, and neither of us watched that version. I don't think no, uh, because it's not the quote-unquote main version But it's not the theatrical. Yeah, and no It was supposed to be on the vhs. It's according to him. Yeah. All right. All right So I think it's time to get into it mike. I think we should talk

[00:17:53] We should talk we should do the let's rank so let's do it. It's time To it's it's time to rank it's time to let's rank It's been so long. You don't know how to throw to the main episode. Yes, here we go, mike

[00:18:23] Let's Rank all eight theatrical muppet films So, uh, we're saying that right now it's only the theatrical movies that we're talking about, right? Because there are you know, various tv specials. I mentioned muppet haunted mansion before Uh, there's like a muppets wizard of oz thing Uh, these were all tv or direct dvd or whatever those don't count those aren't real movies Those aren't real movies Uh as as as good as many of them probably are like most of them are probably pretty good because the muppets are in them

[00:18:48] You know, that's that's the thing but you know, uh eight eight movies is a lot for us to watch for one episode Uh, and yeah, it was it was good to re-watch all these movies, but i'm glad I didn't have to go through more Yeah, you gotta you you gotta define a parameter at some point and doing the theatrical releases or you know The theatrical movies was good enough. Yes, exactly And we're and we should also say these are just the pure muppet movies So this does not count the sesame street movies Uh, like follow that bird or adventures in grouch land

[00:19:16] Uh, and it doesn't count the other jim henson puppet movies like labyrinth or dark crystal This is just the muppet stuff correct And so yeah, we basically each created a list uh eight through one And we'll be talking about each of these movies. So mike d we're gonna start with you. What is your number eight muppet movie? What what do you think is the weakest of the eight films? So this is pretty tough I think because they're all all the movies I think are good to excellent Um, yes, you know, I think the worst one is like, yeah, it's still pretty good. It's still pretty good. Yeah

[00:19:43] Um, and so for me number eight is from 1999 muppets from space muppets from space Muppets from space is also my number eight which still pretty good like baseline good I thought there'd be more space, you know from the title. I thought I also did think it was muppets in space like my whole life And so that's why you thought they would be more space because I thought they were gonna be in space. Yeah Uh, and then I was like, oh no, it's muppets from space. Um, but yeah, I think the the

[00:20:08] Plot for this one is the weakest plot. Um, I did discover throughout the watch of the movies. I enjoyed More the movies that are the muppets in a normal movie, uh, rather than just like muppet stuff I don't really know how to make that distinction without like getting talking about the movies higher on my list Um, okay, but yeah, the plot of this movie being that gonzo does not know who he is Which is one of my favorite running gags for the other Uh six movies before that five movies before this, I guess

[00:20:35] Right. Whereas, you know, they'll talk about kermit as a frog foszie's a bear and gonzo's a whatever Whatever. Yeah And like it keeps coming up that nobody knows what kind gonzo doesn't know what he is, uh, and all this stuff So this movie is about gonzo receiving these dream messages and stuff from these outer space, uh, you know Deep in space kind of things, uh, and they're gonna he believes he'll he'll find out who he really is right kind of thing

[00:21:00] Right. And of course it's the muppets. So it escalates to an insane degree. Uh, jeffrey tambor plays like this deep secret, uh, I forget what the The organization is but like black site government alien monitoring guy who who thinks he's he also picks up these transmissions and is like we're receiving messages Look at this hidden message and it's just are you there carved into the pyramids of giza like hilarious? Uh, stuff like that. Um, and so it becomes this big military government conspiracy, uh, of course laden with celebrity cameos

[00:21:28] Which is the bit and everything and I think some of those are more successful This one is so funny to watch now because the thing with the cameos is they are of the time the movies are made Which becomes a joke in 2011 in the the muppets 2011 where they're like going through their rolodex and they're like is president carter available? Like hilarious, uh That's very good. Yeah, very good bit. But yeah in this one, it's all you know late 90s like kathy griffin, uh, yes

[00:21:54] Kathy griffin, uh, rob schneider is one of the guys. Yeah, hulk hogan the one muppet Looks like andy dick the doctor like the brain surgeon guy. I was like, is this any dick? What's going on? Um, so yeah, I think it's There's a weird, um, just it's not like oh cool Remember when dom deluise was in this movies and it's not like oh cool. It's amy adams. It's like kathy griffin Like I don't know Like kathy griffin's bit is kind of one of the funnier bits and i mean her bit is good

[00:22:22] Yeah, but she's just the most like, uh, of 1999, but I guess hulk hogan more is that I would say the most of 1999 is actually the dawson's creek cameo Oh my god, I forgot that even happens. Yeah, you're right It's katie holmes and like the other guy from dawson's creek. It's not james vanderbeek. It's somebody else. Jackson Uh, he's the guy from fringe. Okay. Yeah. Um, yeah, I think you're right Um, that's his name, but uh, yeah, they're playing their characters from dawson's creek Right. I forgot about that. Yeah, and they're like hanging out just like at the end of the movie with like, you know Waiting for the aliens to show up basically

[00:22:51] Yeah, um, but but on its face So like that that's kind of the negatives for me a little bit But also it's a movie that also heavily features gonzo and rizzo the greatest muppet duo in my opinion Yes, uh, which you know, we we were the generation that was raised on gonzo and rizzo. Um, you know, that's that's very much a It's a pairing that happens in the three movies from the 90s and nowhere else. It's so funny Uh, just a weird thing, but yeah, i'm a huge gonzo and rizzo fan rizzo especially I think for a long time was my favorite muppet

[00:23:18] Yeah, um, like just he's a he's a new yorker. He's a rat, you know, it's he's just a new york rat. Yes, he's great So yeah number my number eight muppets from space. Yeah, it's my number eight, too I think it's the weakest one. Um, I think you know, one of the things that uh, I We're re-watching all these movies I think the muppet movies do generally like thread the needle pretty well between like zany comedy But also occasionally like, you know emotion and you know, yeah heartfelt drama and all that stuff

[00:23:45] I think pinning the entire movie's dramatic arc on gonzo who is one of the silliest characters in the In the whole, you know, muppet oeuvre is an odd creative choice I get the appeal of like, oh, but where does gonzo actually come from? Um, but I do think that's one of those things like it's better if you just don't know I think it's kind of like it's it's funnier if you if he's just a weird thing Yeah, like jim henson doodled one day and they made a puppet out of because that's what happened, you know

[00:24:11] Yeah, that's and so I I do think um by the end it kind of works Like I think the scene with uh when the other gonzo aliens show up and they it's just a rock band And it's just a rock band and they sing celebration and it's a good time. Uh, and then gonzo, you know Thinks he has found this family but then realizes he had his family all along like all that works That's yeah, that's pretty solid and I also will say this is the only one that's not a musical This is I mean true there is music in it, but it's all like 70s funk songs Right. Yeah, uh

[00:24:40] It's the only one without any original songs Uh, and I think that does hurt it because honestly like the track record of all these movies in terms of like original songs A lot of bangers throughout the the muppets movies, you know, that's funny Yeah, I mean I didn't even realize that but that the opening brick house number is really good Yes, that's fun. That's fun And and I always liked the fact that the muppets just like all lived in one big house together. I don't know Yeah, that's fun Uh, and yeah david arquette scene as the like evil lab lab guy with rizzo and the rat the lab rats and stuff

[00:25:09] Yes, but uh, yeah, I think I think just you're right the the kind of hanging it on that question of like who is gonzo kind of thing is Is a bold move and it just doesn't really come together the way some of the other movies do, you know? Yeah, but it's still fun. It's a good time good Like it's not bad with it. Andy mcdowell's in it right leota's in it right leota's in two of these movies in two of these Yes, and so is elliot gould elliot gould's in two of them. That's right. What a time. Yeah, what a time to be alive Yeah, uh, that's got to be like, you know making a cameo in a muppets movies

[00:25:35] That's got to be like you've made it as a as a celebrity being making a cameo in two muppets movies That's an elite club of people right Only elliot gould and ray leota. Oh, not only but uh, there might be one or two more but like that's those are the two names That come to mind for sure. Yeah. Yeah. All right So that's our number eights. Uh, we had the same number eight which was muppets from space, uh, and the last rang So mike d what's your number seven? Uh, muppets movie my number seven is the most recent one muppets most wanted That's also

[00:26:01] My number seven incredible. We're gonna diverge pretty soon. I think I think so, too Uh, my number six is a real hot take. I think actually spicy and yeah, muppets most wanted is, uh, the most recent one Which is crazy. Um, I thought I was thinking about how like you said before it's been nine years It's almost as long as the gap between muppets 2011 i mean 2011 and 99 is 12 years, but yeah, um, and and Muppets 2011 is all about how it's been too long and everyone hates the muppets now Like we're almost in the we're doing it again

[00:26:31] Yeah, that's the thing now if they make another muppets movie it almost has to be a redux of the muppets 2011 Yeah, it has to be like a redo of like we gotta bring them back. It's so funny. Um So anyway, yeah, muppets most wanted is is, uh About now that the muppets it's so it's also hilarious to you because I was like, oh, I can watch these sort of in any order It's not like there's continuity in the muppets movies Um, and this movie literally and or starts with them calling cut at the end of the last movie. Yes It's like, oh my god, um, so that's pretty fun and yeah

[00:27:00] They they decide to go on a world tour or rather are convinced to go on a world tour by ricky drew race playing a Some something bad guy dominic bad guy dominic bad guy is pronounced bad. Yes It's french um And he's going to be their tour manager and of course they just so happen to be going on tour playing these venues directly next to you All of these the high the most important art museums throughout the world where dominic bad guy is stealing uh

[00:27:26] Stealing art alongside constantine the world most dangerous frog, which is kermit with a mole. Yes incredible incredible design and um, yeah, I don't know There's just something I I thought actually the thing about this movie is that there's too much pop music in it pre-existing song And I didn't even put the connection that like oh, actually it's kind of muffets from space has no original songs in it I thought this one had no original song no, you just like 70s funk music better than uh, I just do um, but yeah, I don't it's just weird

[00:27:54] Uh, have ricky drew race be in a muppets movie considering his persona now in 2025 Uh, which is strange. This was back when we let ricky gervais be in movies, right? This was like we were allowing this to happen I saw one of the reviews on letterbox was like you can you we this is this movie is hard evidence that the timeline has diverged because ricky Gervais used to be in a muppet movie Yes, like that. He was okay enough to be in a muppets movie. Yes, and I do think he's he's not bad in the movie He's pretty good. He's pretty good. He's pretty good in it. Um, when he shows up in the lemur costume at the end I left

[00:28:23] That's pretty funny. I do I do enjoy ty bril as inspector cluso but not really inspector cluso Yes, uh pairing sam eagle pairing him up with sam the eagle is really really funny That's a good touch, but um, yeah, I don't know. There was just something about it that that uh Was kind of like yeah, this is okay, you know, and it's like it's fine Yeah, uh, so I saw this movie in theaters, uh when it came out back in 2014 and I had pretty much the same reaction where I was like I I was so high on muppets 2011 It's a movie. I really liked I think I saw it in theaters twice and like I you know all that stuff

[00:28:53] I had seen it a few times and muppets most wanted I was looking forward to it It has like the same creative team behind it except for jason siegel jason siegel Um, who co-wrote the first one and starred in it didn't return for this movie didn't write it or anything like that Yeah, but it was same director uh still songs by brett mckenzie from flight of the concords who also did the songs from up to 2011 So I was like, yeah, i'm i'm in and uh watching it in the theater, you know, I went by myself I remember that and I was like, I don't know. It feels weird to be Like the 122 year old in the in the muppets movie like sitting by myself, whatever

[00:29:23] Yeah, uh, but I remember thinking it was just okay Like I I enjoyed parts of it There's a couple but none of the songs are really stood out to me outside of uh, they're doing a sequel Yeah, which is really really funny. Uh, it's a great opening number for this movie and uh watching it this time I did like it more. I I there were more bits that I had forgotten about. I was like, oh, yeah That's pretty funny. Tina Fey and the gulag Uh, is pretty good the fact that uh, there's like three main like prisoners and it's like jermaine clement ray liota again And then um danny trejo who is playing himself

[00:29:52] That got a really big laugh out of me. Honestly, it's like good night danny trejo It's like yeah, good night Yeah Very very funny all that stuff So yeah, I think it's a pretty good movie. Uh, it it's I think a little over complicated for its own good Maybe um, there's a little too much going on But I I had a good time with it. It's it's still pretty fun Yeah, and they do the whole thing is it is it this one? It might be the other one about like how they just oh no Yeah, because they just they talk about walter then the new muppet right and they like we just spent the whole movie

[00:30:21] Exploing having walter be and like he's not really in this one that much. I don't know It's it's kind of weird. I think that was the end of the first one where he's gonna leave or something, right? Well, the end of muppets Yeah, well the end of this movie, um, where he like dominic bad guy comes in and he's like, oh bad news Everybody walter quit the muppets. Oh, that was it. Yeah Walter quit the muppets and somebody's like what we just had a whole movie where he joined them

[00:30:46] Yeah, and you know, maybe we there were some other moments. We could have focused on it falter was just gonna leave and rizzo and like rizzo says Come on robin Yeah Which is great because rizzo and robin are just like basically not in these two movies otherwise. Yeah Yeah Yeah, that got a pretty good laugh out of me, but that's sort of my uh, you know These two movies focus pretty heavily on walter and I think the first one, you know that kind of makes sense Well, we'll talk about muppets 2011 a little bit

[00:31:11] But weirdly, I do think it's kind of the prototype for like your star wars the force awakens and like Oh, yeah Legacy sequels that come through and walter really feels like ray where he's just kind of like wide-eyed and like whoa the muppets Yeah, crazy And so that that is interesting to kind of look back at muppets 2011 now Uh, but I do think walter's like not that interesting outside of being like a muppet fanboy Yeah, it's it's the like I said before like I was like, well, there's no continuity and immediately

[00:31:38] Like it's the immediate cinematic universification of the of the muppets. It's like, oh my god, come on um So That's you know, like that's a whole thing I guess But you can't really fault the movie for that sure existing in 20 in 2014 Uh, and I do think it's still pretty good. Uh, I I liked it a lot more this time than I did when I saw it back in 2014 And uh, even the songs that I thought were kind of unmemorable back then like a we're doing a sequel I think is still a banger that movie Yeah, that's a great song that song is still really funny

[00:32:06] The interrogation song is also one that I really made me laugh a lot this time around which is pretty good So yeah muppets most wanted so both our eight and our seven are the same the same Um, and so for number six, uh, let's let's keep talking about muppets 2011 because that's my number six How dare you? Um, there is just a a I think distinction between you know with the with the the old and the new and I think

[00:32:31] These uh, it's I mean they're it's good. I like they're all like most wanted and from space are 3.5s And everything else is four plus, you know four or higher So like they're all great for like they're all good to great. Uh, like I said before So but so I do want to mention muppets most wanted I had never actually seen But that was the movie that was in the blu-ray player at fye when I worked there for six months or whatever Like till frozen came out or I don't know what the actual timeline was, but

[00:32:59] Like you know, because it had to be a family friendly movie So it was always you know, it was cloudy with a chance of eat balls. It was frozen It was and when muppets most wanted came out. It was muppets most wanted so I saw it in 45 second chunks while I was looking at the tv and not gonna yell that by my manager Yeah, for a long time. So I had never actually seen it but uh muppets 2011 I had never never seen at all And I thought that it was like people didn't like this one or something like that was before I had watched

[00:33:26] I thought that was the perception of this interesting. It was beloved when it came out Which is great. Yeah, I don't know where I got that from and I was like people didn't like like that You see their legs or whatever or something. I thought I remembered but you see them in all the movies So like I don't know where that came from That's kind of one of the most impressive things about the puppetry is that you can see their legs sometimes Sometimes they have legs the great muppet caper when they're riding bikes. How the fuck did they do? How'd they do that? And so what was I gonna say? Oh, yeah, the muppets. Yeah, uh, 2011. It's pretty good fun I like the I think that is a clever way

[00:33:54] Walter is a clever way to get back to the muppets, right? The whole idea that he's a muppet He's uh, whatever. He's a puppet or is he a man? Yeah, I don't know and he's looked up to them his whole life and he's got this chance finally Whatever to go to muppet studios and sees this this dilapidated rundown thing by whatever richmond, uh Tex richmond chris cooper chris cooper who's great in this movie except for his rap, which is weird I love his rap I mean, it's very funny But um

[00:34:19] Yeah, and they walter overhears the plan that tex richmond is buying the studio to make it into a museum, right? It's the is what he's claiming from the standard rich and famous contract from the first movie, which is very funny Fun callback. Um, yes, but it turns out there's a clause whatever or no It turns out there's oil underneath the studio and so he's gonna tear it down and Build an oil drill for oil here unless the muppets can raise 10 million dollars by midnight or whatever

[00:34:46] Whatever it is. Um, and so then it becomes a classic getting the band back together storyline, which is very fun Um, it does this does feel like the I think the the proto ray force awakens thing like it's a legacy sequel We have to like literally they say didn't you see the first movie? We're gonna drive or whatever like, you know Like they're just straight up referencing stuff from the other movies Which is fun because I had happened to just watch them all in the past two weeks. Sure. Um So yeah, I mean it's good. I think jason siegel is funny

[00:35:13] I can't imagine how hard it must have hit in 2011 to have the guy from how I met your mother and the guy from big bang theory sing a duet together But it's uh What's his name jim uh, jim parsons? Yeah, manor muppet. Yeah, yeah, uh, which won the oscar for best original song that year. Yes, it did. Yeah So I don't know where I thought that people hated this movie where I got that from but yeah, it's it's it's pretty good My number six. Okay. Yeah, i'll i'll talk about it more uh in a little while Um, yeah, I I think I like this movie a lot more than you do

[00:35:40] But here's my hot take for the whole uh list mike. Uh, my number six Is muppet christmas carol? Nuclear that's a nuclear team. My god Uh, you were taking a drink while I said that and I thought you I thought you were gonna spit it out I can't believe you've done that to me Yeah, no muppet christmas carol is my number six a movie. I like quite a bit And although maybe I don't like it quite as much as a lot of other people do I know people make this, you know We talked about it before that this is a traditional like christmas movie that people watch every year

[00:36:09] Uh, I do think it is possibly the best adaptation of a christmas carol Which I think is uh, you know, one of those books that is sort of timeless in quality where like you can kind of just adapt it Anytime with any kind of cast of characters and it will be good because it's a christmas carol except for christmas carol the movie star nicholas cage Uh, which is pvc adaptation or whatever that was Yes, so you you can screw it up Uh, but I think for the most part if you just do a christmas carol you're halfway there like that's 100% you've pretty much got it and so this movie takes christmas carol adds muppets great love that

[00:36:38] uh, michael cain, of course plays ebenezer scrooge, uh in muppet christmas carol giving one of the 10 best performances ever put on film Uh, he is incredible in this movie. I was I was my review of it was like I don't I don't know exactly like how like my top 10 best acting performances of all time would shake out But I know two names that would be on it and it would be gina rollins and a woman under the influence and michael cain and muppet christmas carol Hell yeah, I think he's amazing in this movie It's it's really incredible what he does here where he does treat the muppets as like actual scene partners

[00:37:08] Yeah, and I I think for the most part everybody pretty much does that Like everybody feels like they're really interacting with people when they're talking to muppets in throughout the muppet movies Michael cain takes it takes it a step further like for whatever reason like he he just has this intensity about him That really really works The reason I have it at number six is because I think it is a better christmas movie than it is a muppet movie Whoa, I think one of my things watching mother christmas carol and watching all of these muppet movies Is that uh when i'm watching them up movie? I want some zany muppet hijinks

[00:37:37] Yeah, and I think this movie really Strives to go for an actual like real adaptation of a christmas carol that happens to have muppets in it And there are hijinks in there. Obviously gonzo is playing charles dickens and rizzo is his partner And you know, they're getting up to some mischief uh here and there But I think this movie does actually like relegate most of your actual like muppet pals Into pretty minor supporting roles like even kermit the frog. He's playing bob cratchit

[00:38:03] He's maybe in like 10 minutes of the movie. Uh, you know through the whole thing fozzy plays fozzy wig, uh, which is a good pun But like it's you know, he's only in like that flashback Uh, and even like the three ghosts that show up are all new muppets They're all like people that you like they're all you know And I don't think they've appeared anywhere else like they're just for christmas carol Yeah, for the most part and you know, you do have like, you know statler and waldorf playing marley and marley, which is great The songs are fantastic. Paul williams, uh did the songs for this movie absolute goat man Yes, who we'll talk about again with the muppet movie because he also the songs for that

[00:38:30] Um, which I don't think I realized that he had did he had done these muppet movies So I I know paul williams from being fans with a parrot from fans Yeah, you know, I didn't know he also wrote rainbow connection. That's insane Um, but yeah, he does the songs for this movie and the songs are fantastic. Uh, i'm a big fan of this movie But in terms of like muppet hijinks this one rates pretty low Yeah, um, like there's just not it it feels much more dramatic than any other muppet movie And I like it a lot, but it's my number six

[00:38:58] That's totally valid. That's real fair. Um, I yeah For for a movie for ranking like muppet movies that yeah There for sure is the least amount of like muppetness in this movie Right, and yeah, it was pretty interesting listen I definitely recommend even if the uh, don't listen to the commentary for uh Episode of brian henson on director's commentary because they always do an episode that's just like an interview set up Take it's like a 30 minute, you know, just to set up how you got there Well, all this stuff and then the actual like commentary where they watch the movie

[00:39:26] Um, and they were talking about like the idea for doing muppet christmas carol or the notion of doing like Muppets adapting work not doing like spoof stuff Um, and he was talking about that. It was actually his agent broadly called called him one day brian henson's agent called him He was like I had this idea, you know, like what if it's like the muppets do christmas carol and brian was like I get like, okay Sure, and he's like great. I already sold it to disney What no, yeah

[00:39:55] And so he said they started with the idea of spoofing christmas carol and in the eye And while they were trying to write it they were just like you said christmas carol is already one of the best works of fiction Already made ever made ever created like you're halfway there. Uh, and they were like we can't rip that we can't spoof that like They're like what if we just do christmas carol? Uh, and so yeah, you're right It is it is just current the frog as crotchet like, you know, it's or whatever, uh, small it

[00:40:21] Um, so crotchets right crotchet. Yeah, I got there. Yeah, uh, crotchet Um, so yeah, I think it's interesting to see that like kind of evolution and the idea of uh, they said having he talked about gonzo Being charles dickens himself because they were like, well, how do we actually get like the literal prose from this story into this movie? What if we just have gonzo narrative? Like that all day. So yeah, I totally make sense and i'll talk more about it later on and then and then the actual commentary track is also very good

[00:40:49] If you're anybody out there is interested in that and hearing about how they made all that shit very cool Cool stuff. All right. So that's uh, my number six is my but christmas carol and mike's number six was the muppets So now we're down to number five mike d what's your number five muppet movie nine number five muppet movie? I think this is my nuclear take interesting The muppet movie Get the hell out of here Shut your mouth So here's the here's the thing right crazy. Yeah, I discovered over the course of watching this movie that I enjoy the muppets in

[00:41:19] Movies like like and not just literally the adaptations but like the muppets in a in a in a caper again a heist movie the muppets In a broad doing a show on broad like whatever those things This is the muppets in a road movie the muppets in a road it is the muppets in a road movie Uh, but it is the one that is the most depending on now Dependent on the nostalgia of the show um, because it is how we got the show started and how we all came together and all that stuff and found each other So I think I think this has the most hijinks it has the most bits

[00:41:47] It obviously has the most cameos and it also it is all it is very funny It is very good I just enjoyed the other the other movies where it is a movie with the muppets in them Then a movie about the muppets. I don't know how to describe that distinction if that makes sense to you That does make sense to me. I'm still wrapping my head around this being number five Yeah, well, so then there's four other movies with Movies with the muppets in them and this is just the the last one of that. I don't know

[00:42:13] Um, but yeah, I mean it is hilarious rainbow connection incredible was not expecting that to be the opening credits song Yeah, you know It had been so long since I had seen the muppet movie because I had definitely seen it when I was a kid And I think I don't think we had it on vhs But we had like a vhs that maybe had clips of it or something like we had like a muppet best of compilation or something It's like a thing. Yeah, you know, uh, and so I definitely like, you know I'm more familiar with like certain clips of it than I am as the movie as a whole Although I had seen the whole thing before but uh, yeah, I completely forgot that rainbow connection starts the movie

[00:42:42] Um, yeah, like I figured that was like the ending song like, you know, you're you know Like which is kind of how the muppets 2011 ends It's like using rainbow connection as a big like ending finale sort of thing. Um, yeah, no, uh, well We'll talk more about the movie in a little yeah, but all the bits are great. All the cameos are great I think it is so funny to see um I think it was brought in the brian henson thing not to keep coming back to that But it just so happened to be the january episode of that podcast

[00:43:08] Um about how like nobody knew about the muppet show would work and I forget who the is the first guest bob hope or somebody like it It's um, like the first couple episodes are like not really that big bob hope obviously be a big deal But uh sure. Yeah first ever host of the muppet show i'm finding it out right now Okay, so technically there was there was two pilot episodes One was called the muppets valentine show which is the first one that had mia farrow. Okay, uh, and then there was the muppet show sex and violence All right

[00:43:36] Awesome. It does not look like there was a host for that one But then the first episode joel gray is the host. Okay, maybe that was it then Uh, joel joel gray from cabaret, uh, the mc from that movie Right so that the his point was like the first couple episodes. It wasn't people like weren't really sure is Is this gonna work kind of thing and so like the cat the celebrities aren't like that major until they very quickly become Like major celebrities, but anyway So to see this movie and it's like it's dom deli

[00:44:03] This is the first guy, but it's all it's all people like, you know That I love to see and stuff, but i'm not super familiar with all their things Uh, so anyway, I don't know what i'm going with that point But it's fun to have james coburn be the guy that owns the bar And telly samalas and madeline khan Yeah, there's like a moment. I mean almost every like bit part in the muppet movie is played by you know Somebody famous and looked at when they enter the bar and like the first like just one right after another

[00:44:28] It's like oh here's james coburn madeline khan telly savallis carol kane. Yeah, which is a great like recurring bit too Where that's my favorite recurring bit. Yeah, or they say miss or miss is like yes, uh Yet with the lisp. Yeah, very good It has big uh mill brooks energy of course and he eventually appears towards the end of the movie has like a It's like a nazi scientist or whatever Uh, yeah, I think that's one of my favorite things about the muppets is they they do feel of a piece with like the mel brooks era Of comedy, um, yeah

[00:44:57] From the 70s and 80s, uh, where they're, you know, constantly breaking the fourth wall They're talking about the fact that they're in a movie. There's a bit in this movie where they like stop and read the scripts Uh, it goes back in time. Yeah, yeah Which is also like space balls does the same thing where they like go back and watch the movie that they're recording, right? There's actually I forgot to mention it in muppets 2011 when they are at kermit's mansion All right, and they try to hop the fence and it's like electrified or whatever. Yes And kermit appears and he's like backlit and it's like oh like angel angelic choir

[00:45:26] It turns out it's the headlights of a bus behind him headlighting And it's like a church choir on the bus choir, which is the bit from in in blazing saddles when when they rides past count basie Didn't do it during the opening credits and then in um high anxiety when there's like this big dramatic sting and an orchestra drives by in a bus Like yes, so anyway, I mean i'm sure that bit's been done a million times But it's like oh specifically the the the lineage between mel brooks and the muppets, uh is great

[00:45:53] Yes, and and he's in this movie which is in this movie is what i've gotten that yeah Yeah, I do think the muppet movie has the best cameos out of all of the out of all the movies, right? I mean it just has like a 70s time capsule because like we mentioned those people before bob hope is also in this movie elliot gould Milton burl, uh steve martin, uh plays the waiter in the movie and he's hilarious in it and uh chloris leachman's in it Yeah, and also orson wells is like the guy who like green lights the muppet show at the end of the movie if the standards Uh rich and famous contract. Yeah, yes, which is pretty amazing. I'm a big

[00:46:23] It's just that's a huge get that's huge I think the uh one of my favorite cameos in all of them is actually the big bird cameo in this movie When they drive past big bird and they're like do you need a ride and big birds like no i'm going to new york to break in a public TV and they're like, okay Good luck Yes. All right. So your number five is the muppet movie the original

[00:46:47] Uh, my number five is muppets take manhattan, uh from 1984, uh, which this is the one that uh frank oz directed Um, so yeah, the uh, jim henson directed caper. I think, uh, frank oz directed manhattan somebody else I think somebody who worked on the muppet show, uh directed the original muppet movie But uh, yeah, muppets take manhattan I think, uh, you know these three movies the muppet movie great paper and muppet take manhattan These are kind of like the original trilogy of muppet movies Yeah, these are the ones that jim henson frank oz all those guys were working on

[00:47:15] Um, and so jim henson obviously, you know puppeteered like a lot of it He was the voice of kermit and many other muppets frank oz voice of miss piggy And they were all like heavily involved with the actual puppeteering aspect of it, too In the later ones, obviously jim henson is replaced by steve whitmire I think as kermit and other people kind of take on some of the other roles But frank oz Was still voicing miss piggy up through I think space Uh, but he's not doing the puppeteering anymore after christmas carol

[00:47:42] I think I think christmas carol is the last one where he's doing the puppeteering for it because he's also directing his own movies at this point So it's like I got I got other stuff to do. I got I gotta make bow finger, you know I gotta be out of here. Um, but he's still voicing miss piggy. Um, but yeah And then I don't I don't think he's involved with the 2011 and 2014 ones at all But muppet take manhattan this one has the muppets graduating college Uh, and they have a play that they're putting together. That's like all about new york city Uh, and so they go to new york to pursue their dream of putting this play on

[00:48:09] Uh, and quickly find out that that's a more difficult task than uh Than they would expect it to be. Uh, I like this movie quite a bit I I think there's some really really funny stuff in here. The joan rivers scene is really funny I like uh, this is the one that really introduces rizzo I mean rizzo's on on the muppet show, but he's not really in the first two movies Uh, and this is the first one that kind of gives him like a real role and that's pretty great. Uh, there's rats in the kitchen Hilarious always skating on the butter on the on the on the skillet

[00:48:34] Like always good and this is the the one of the three movies that goes I think for the uh More deepest emotional arc Um, where all the muppets then disband and kermit has to try to figure out a way to get them back He has to sell the show on his own and then he can bring them all back to new york city And so it's all about them being separated and I think that's Because the movie is a little bit sadder than the other ones. It's a little bit lower And you know also the muppets are separated for a lot of it and uh, the muppets I think are at their best when they are together

[00:49:03] Yeah, and so that's a factor of it as well. Um, but there are so many fun bits Uh, so many silly moments and then towards the end there's a you know An amnesia plot where kermit doesn't remember who he is and the muppets have to find him And it when the way he gets his uh memory back is very very funny or miss piggy just like kicks him across the room Great stuff. Love that and then uh, yeah, no, I I think the muppets take manhattan is good Uh, there's a weird moment like halfway through where it takes a break and it's like, okay Muppet babies is coming out, uh, pretty soon

[00:49:31] Yeah, but uh, yeah, I liked it. I was take manhattan number five. Hell yeah, uh, yeah My number four muppets take manhattan. Oh, there you go. There it is. Um, yeah, I think, uh, I the muppets baby sequence is fucking incredible That song is so good. It is good. Yeah, it's really good It's a weird like out of place moment in the movie where it's like, okay, and now we're doing this I guess Uh, however, it it is impressive. It looks good. It's so good Uh, gregory hines's cameo in central park is that is so funny. That's so funny

[00:49:59] Miss piggy like steals his roller skates. I think right to catch up to kermit who she thinks is cheating on him or on her and gregory Hines chases them down and is like my skates and then gets just like totally wrapped up and they're like you're two-timing her and like He's like, oh, but did you consider this like he just totally gets wrapped up in it. He's he's so good and uh The guy I was gonna say mr Sopakia, but that's the guy That's a different movie the guy that owns the uh, the restaurant where kermit works

[00:50:27] He's great, but people's is people's thing, you know that whole bit, right? Yes, uh, lewis zorich the The guy from mad about you. Yes Okay, he's great Everybody. Yeah, I just really like this movie and this one is a little bit less of the muppets in a in another movie thing You know, it's really the great muppet caper christmas carol and treasure island. Um, but yeah I had a lot of fun with this movie I thought it was weird This one does feel the most like maybe a series of sketches

[00:50:54] Then the other ones a little bit, uh, there's a through line through it obviously, but the cameos are good art carny It's great. I was like is is that art carny like what? Right, you know, because he's so old in 1982 or whatever this movie's from Yes, 84 uh, daphne coleman's cameo is also really really funny where he's like a con artist who's like is going to Accept their money and then he gets found out like while they're in his office This is so good and and the eliot gould cameo where I forget Exactly what the setup is where kervit's like I gotta go. I gotta go kill him right now

[00:51:23] And he runs out of the diner as eliot gould is walking in as a cop. Yes He just pauses and he's like nah Yeah, this is what he ignores it Uh, very fun. So yeah, but muppets take manhattan. I really liked this movie. Yes This one is ed kotch also, uh, oh, yeah I was like I was watching with some friends that are not from new york and I was like, that's the real That was the real bear That was yeah, that was him That's that gosh, uh, and john landis also Which uh, you know, there it is. There's john landis. There's john landis. Um, yeah

[00:51:51] And this is the one that uh ends with kermit and miss piggy getting married Uh, and it's a it's a very nice moment I wanted to talk about that too. So yeah, the marriage is great. Um, but all the all the times of kermit of miss piggy spying on On kermit when she's in the trench coat and fedora and sunglasses like watching them Uh, and when she's in front of the construction workers, uh, and they like start Uh, like cat calling miss piggy and but she gets so mad at seeing kermit hug this woman and she just beats them up

[00:52:20] And they're just like, okay, anyway, and they go back to work. It's fun. It's good stuff. Yes All that's good. Also the scene where actually that's the scene with john landis where kermit's like trying to get into his office and he has the script Uh, it's like, hey, baby, you know, we'll have lunch sometime. What are you doing? It's it's fantastic It's so good. I think, uh, you know, kermit is often like, you know, the straight man to the rest of the muppet shenanigans Uh, and this one does allow him to uh, go a little bit crazier with it and that's pretty fun When he gets to be the pretend big-time producer and go into the restaurant

[00:52:50] And he covers liza minnelli's picture with his own picture and then she shows up With all the rats trying to the whisper campaign and all that stuff. Yes. Good good shit Yes, all that stuff is good and the uh, the wedding at the end is also really nice and I like that the sesame street gang is also there Yeah, I do like that continuity that they're like, yeah, they we all exist. We're all we're all real It's also it's all very nice and it feels like a good like, you know This feels like jim henson's like this is the series finale for the muppets. This is it

[00:53:17] It does. Yeah, like we're done with the muppets now and then of course, you know, there were more there's more stuff There's more explain why they're not actually married in them in And later on in the other movies. I mean the next two movies were yeah, I mean the next two movies were christmas carol and treasure islands There's a book adaptation so that's not like taking place in the real world quote-unquote Well, but I mean like by the time you get to most wanted miss piggy's like how come you won't marry me, right? Like it's like yeah, didn't you actually get married though? Yeah, I mean it's it's uh I would call it a loose continuity between all the movies, right?

[00:53:46] That's fair only because those muppet 2011 and most wanted like are so concerned about muppet past that it's like Yes, like why like why hasn't it been brought up that they were married at some yeah? Yeah, uh, that is interesting Yeah, I think it's um, you can kind of pick and choose what your continuity is first The muppet movies especially because half of them like don't count Uh, so yeah, that's uh my number five and mike's number four the muppets take manhattan, which means we can get into my number four And my number four is the great muppet caper

[00:54:14] Uh, and so this is the only one that I had not seen I had seen clips of it here and there I was aware of like the bicycle scene and how like, you know revolutionary that was for whatever reason I never got around to watching the great muppet caper Like never came on when I was a kid, uh, and man what a delight What a picture what a great time this movie is. Uh, yeah, no the great muppet caper, uh is the second muppet movie This the one directed by jim henson who also appears in a cameo appearance, uh in the restaurant, which is pretty fun But yeah, this is just a you know, a heist caper movie that the muppets are in

[00:54:43] Uh, kermit and fozzy are playing so yeah, this is like one where they're like playing characters as opposed to just playing kermit and fozzy, right? Although I think are they still called kermit and fozzy? I think they are still called that but it is just like what if it's a heist movie, but the muppets are in it Right. That was my like revelation. Yeah. Yeah, and so they're like journalists or something They're they're investigative reporters and they are identical twins, uh, which is one of the funniest gags in any movie uh, just the running bits where, uh, you know

[00:55:12] Nobody can tell they're identical twins until fozzy takes off his hat right and suddenly it's like, oh, well, yeah Obviously these guys look exactly alike To the point where like at the very end of the movie when they're separated, um, you know, it's there's like a Like you see kermit and like a dad and his daughter are walking past and it's like, oh, daddy daddy. Look a bear It's like no, sweetie. That's a frog bears wear hats um You know, there's if they were if the muppets are one thing it's committed to a bit

[00:55:38] Yes, absolutely. Uh, and so yeah, this one has kermit and fozzy and gonzo and they meet up with miss piggy and they're looking for this These jewels that have been stolen, right? And diana rig is the uh, is the one who her jewels were stolen But charles groden is her brother and he's the one who stole the jewels, right? Yeah And charles groden also falls in love with miss piggy and that's uh, an endless well of hilarity uh, I the one thing I was very shocked by for most of the movies is just how like absolutely feral everyone is to fuck one of these muppets

[00:56:08] Uh, like they're all so horny for the muppets, you know One of my favorite are horny for each other too What one of my favorite jokes that in muppet treasure island that I've forgotten about? Um until I rewatched it was when um long john silver meets miss piggy and she goes oh hello Long john And it turns out they had also dated like yeah So good so so good. Anyway, yeah, great muppet caper is really really fun. Uh some good This is the one of the three original love movies

[00:56:37] It probably has like the least cameos like the least amount of them But the ones that it has like it has peter fox showing up as the block salesman at the end, which is amazing Uh, he's so good that scene is so funny Yeah, just like I know exactly what you're going through Yeah, everything is wrong. Everything he says It's so so good. He's great in that moment. Uh, and then also I think the uh, the john cleese scene is also really funny Yeah, uh, where they're breaking it like miss piggy is breaking into john cleese's house to kind of pretend that it's her own

[00:57:04] And she like and he finds them in the closet, uh, kermit and miss piggy, but he's just kind of helping them out he's like She's asking them like where where a good restaurant is and he's like, oh, well, you know, we go here sometimes again It's more of a dinner club. Yeah Uh, yeah, and diana greg and charles gordon are so so funny in this movie, too They're a really fun pair here. Yeah, one of my favorite jokes, which they I think they reuse later in one of the movies

[00:57:28] It might have been in the 2011 or most wanted. I don't remember, uh, which one but it's uh, when miss piggy This is my number three. Um, so we'll just Just go right into it Um, yeah, when miss piggy is I believe interviewing for a job with diana rig, uh at the fashion house or whatever Right and diana rig is is telling her this whole backstory all this stuff like blah blah blah And miss piggy's like why are you telling me all this and diana rigs like well, it's plot exposition. I gotta tell somebody Uh, it's basically the joke

[00:57:57] Uh, and then they reuse that later on in one of the movie and I in one of the other movies where they're like Well, we have to get it out there. It's plot exposition like yes kind of thing So anyway, yeah, this movie was great. I had so much fun Probably one of the movies that um, I had like the least expectations for just because I think it's not really talked about I don't you know, i'm also not super well connect tapped into the muppets Yeah, I mean I feel like it's not talked about in the same vein as some of the other movies But I think there is like a large contingent of people who believe like this is the best one

[00:58:25] Yeah, that makes sense honestly, but uh, so yeah, very it was very good totally took me by surprise I think the this is the movie when I like I said I liked the muppet movie and I had fun with it and all the bits and it's all this stuff Uh, and then when it was just like here's a normal plot of a movie that just happens to have muppets in it I was like i'm fucking in I was totally locked in. Uh, so yeah, I had a blast with this movie and the the the hotel that they're staying in Uh, is so funny when he's like, oh, we have the three payment options you need cash credit

[00:58:55] Or just leave in the middle of the night and uh, posi or kermit or whoever it is. I forget He's like we'll probably do the third one and he's like, yeah popular option Very funny And uh, yeah had a really good time with the great muppet caver But nice more than I thought I was gonna yeah, and this does have the bicycle riding scene Which is like like we mentioned before like how the fuck did they do that? It's I don't understand Because they're real they're yeah, they're yeah, exactly. They're real people the muppets Uh, and so they can ride bikes and that's a normal thing for them

[00:59:24] Uh, all right So the great muppet caver was my number four. It's also mike's number three Uh, so our lists are actually kind of in sync. I think a little bit yeah other than what we both had nuclear takes Yes, scorching hot takes. Yeah, and then we're just like one off a little bit. Yeah, exactly So, uh, we're going into my number three now, uh, which is, uh, the 2011 the muppets, uh, which was down at mike's number six Uh, or your six or your five your five was the muppet movie your six number six

[00:59:51] Yes, so yeah, the muppets is my number three and Like you said like we kind of said before this is like sort of a prototype for like what legacy sequels would become in the next decade Yeah, which is kind of interesting to think like I I feel like we think of like force awakens as being like the one that like okay Everything's imitating force awakens in a weird way force awakens is imitating Kind of yeah, and I remember the hype for this movie being very big Jason siegel was like a really really big muppets guy and he was the one who was kind of trying to make a muppet movie happen

[01:00:20] Uh, and you know ultimately did and he co-wrote it with uh, nicholas stoller who directed him and forgetting sarah marshall and get him to the greek Uh, he wasn't getting three, but he directed that movie. Yeah, but yeah, they co-wrote the script together. Uh, The songs were written by brett mckenzie from flight of the concords. Uh, so I was like, yeah, i'm all in this is fantastic This is such a good creative team to have for this muppets movie And I really really loved it at the time. Uh, I was a big fan of this movie It came out in like november 2011. I think I saw it like over thanksgiving break with my brother and my sister

[01:00:48] And we all really enjoyed it. It's uh, I think it's a really really funny movie Uh, it's a very sweet movie. I I think the uh, you know It kind of harkens back to the stuff that I really like about the muppets, which is the zany bits I think I respond more heavily to the muppets as like a a theater troupe as an organization Uh, as opposed to them doing their own story Like, you know slouting characters into stories, which I also like and my number two We'll talk about that in a minute. It sounds like it might be your number one. Uh, but uh, we'll see

[01:01:17] But I think this one, um, does a really good job of like, you know Showing the different personalities of the muppets I think the one drawback I had against it is it takes a little bit of time to get to the point where like the muppets are there Yeah, um, because you're really focused on jason siegel amy adams and walter Uh for the first like half hour of the movie But I think that first half hour is really really funny and really sharp and I think all the songs this movie are really really fun Uh, life's a happy song is great big fan of that one big fan of man or muppets Uh me party with amy adams miss piggy is really fun

[01:01:46] You know, there's a lot of like good stuff throughout this movie And then when you finally do start getting the the band back together It does harken back to the muppet movie It's definitely like really heavily in the same way that force awakens is redoing a new hope Uh, the muppets is sort of redoing the muppet movie But it kind of does all the road trip stuff in like a pretty quick montage Like it takes like maybe 15 20 minutes to do all the road trip stuff Which is the bulk of the muppet movie right and then and then it becomes more about we're doing the muppet show We gotta save the barn, you know, yes

[01:02:15] And we're doing the show and we haven't really seen the show on film before and so that's pretty cool And so it's playing a lot of those old songs. It's playing the theme song. It's playing rainbow connection It's it's hitting those nostalgia buttons But I think in a more innovative way than a lot of the other lego sequels stuff has And it's really really funny which counts for a lot. Uh, I think this and and we It also brings back the tradition of like we're doing crazy cameos Yeah In this movie, uh, and like the muppet movie

[01:02:43] I think the muppets is a movie where every bit part is like somebody famous, uh, where it's like rashida jones is like the neck The network executive, uh, who's like kind of putting it all on But there's a moment where like donald glover bursts into the to her office has two lines and then then is never seen again You know, yeah Neil patrick harris and uh, john krasinski are like taking phone calls at the telethon and all that stuff Like there's just people like that jack black is the host of the muppet show, uh as himself Uh, which they had to kidnap him to do it and that's really fun. He's animals sponsor

[01:03:12] Yeah, uh in like the in his rage Anonymous meeting, uh, which is so funny and I I love the um Like where all the muppets like end up in their various like, you know destitute lives Like the muppets were like fozzy is like doing this like show in reno with the boopets Uh And dave graal is their animal is the drummer. Yeah, it's the animal which is great Uh, I love that's uh, you know It they do a montage for all of them and one of my favorite jokes in the whole movie Hey, the driving by map thing is very funny. Yeah, but b uh

[01:03:41] Rolf's thing where it's like, hey, why don't we skip over some of the buffets and the ralph's like, yeah I thought my story was pretty interesting and they it cuts to them at ralph's house It's like hey ralph you want to come join the muffets again and it's like ralph's like in a hammock. It's like, yeah, okay And That's such a good bit. I do like they redo uh, I don't know the the Muppets name the giant like sweetums sweetums. Yeah, they redo the bit from the muppet movie when they're he's at the used car lot

[01:04:08] Yes, and they take the car and he's like chasing after them like guys. I want to join Yeah, I can't believe this is happening again. Yeah, we're going to hollywood We're gonna in the first one. Okay, and he comes out with his suitcase and they've already left He spends the rest of the movie like two minutes late to every scene. Yes, which is very funny Yeah, yeah That rolf thing got a really big laugh out of me He's just like yo, okay So funny so good. Uh, so yeah, the muppets uh 2011 is my number three

[01:04:35] Uh, I think that movie is really really great and I wish that disney could produce stuff of this caliber for the muppets again At some point. Uh, that'd be nice. That'd be cool They're so obsessed with everyone's so obsessed with like ip. I don't think there's anything like more ip than than the muffets like come on Yeah, no, this feels like a goldmine that you're sitting on here, man Why aren't you making more muppet stuff? Uh, yeah 25 star wars tv shows Nobody's gonna watch but we can't make a single muppet. Come on

[01:05:03] Well again, they did make a couple of muppet shows on disney plus, but yeah, they don't count They're not on tv. They're not on movies They're not in the movies That's how upset you are That's how upset I am All right, so that is my number three the muppets 2011 mike d we're down to number two Number two. What is your number two muppet movie of all time? My number two muppet movie of all time is your number six muppet five six six my number six

[01:05:28] Your number six muppet movie of all time muppet christmas carol which I think you're totally correct Like I like I totally you're valid totally valid It's the least muppety of the movies, but I think it's the second best movie Okay, you know, uh, I think it's incredible the the the whole Michael kane thing, uh, which in the brian henson interview with mike flanagan He talked about like asked him about that and he was henson said that uh, he's like, yeah I wish I could take credit for that

[01:05:53] But like no that like the first meeting we had michael kane was like I have to play this as if it's the royal shakespeare company We were like this guy gets it. Thank god like Like it was his idea or like he totally understood that wasn't any like direction from brian henson Um, and yeah, I think it's it is scary at points. I am, you know the I think the ghost of christmas past is creepy as fuck Yeah, like they're like underwater muppet. Uh, yeah, which is weird as hell um, and uh, the marley and marley the song is very funny

[01:06:22] But like marley is terrifying in general as a character sure. Yeah, and everything so yeah, it's it's it's it's a great movie What else what can you say about muppet christmas carol? It's also, you know, I feel sort of cheating my one into or the two movies i've seen Um, they were your two childhood favorite muppet movies, right? Yeah, so I didn't really change a whole lot in that aspect Um, but yeah, love love this movie and uh, I don't watch it a lot Um, you know the way like how people a lot of people do like we talked about. Um, yeah, but I do I do really enjoy it

[01:06:50] Nice. Okay. So that is muppet christmas carol mike d's number two muppet movie of all time There's one more scene. Actually, I want to talk about that's one of the funniest scenes in the movie Where it's it's an in-between ghost of christmas past and christmas Present I think it's rizzo trying to jump off the fence and gonzo's like i'll catch you and like And then he can just walk through the bars. Yes. He uh He realized he like left something behind so he just walks through the bars Yeah He just walks back through the bars

[01:07:19] Yeah, what? Hilarious very fun, uh a great pick gonzo and rizzo one of the great comedy teams of our life Like literally though. Yeah, so so great. Uh, I do love in general like that There are like teams within the muppets, you know, like, uh, honeydew and beaker obviously and then all those kind of things But yeah, like the electric mayhem off their own. Yeah, absolutely And yeah and gonzo and rizzo they were like two independent characters who just for whatever I think with muppet christmas carol was the one where they were like we got to give gonzo somebody to bounce off of

[01:07:48] Uh in this movie, right? And so that was rizzo and uh history was made exactly That could have very easily just been like kermit or something, you know, and uh, yeah, I think it's it's so much funnier that it's rizzo And then the whole schtick being that rizzo's like why are you doing that? Like you're not charles dickens You're just calling attention to the fact that it's you're just gonzo. What are you doing? Yes, uh, and rizzo's obsession with food is a Great through line throughout all the movies. Uh, and yeah That opening line where it's like I am here to tell the story and I am here to eat the food

[01:08:18] Uh, fantastic love it. All right. So that's your number two muppet christmas carol my number two Uh, which by process of elimination also has to be your number one Yeah, yeah is muppet treasure island Which I feel like this movie being this high on both of our lists is a little bit of a hot take Um, just in terms of like, you know, I don't know the greater muppet fandom or whatever We can't even check twitter anymore about yeah

[01:08:44] Who knows? I have no idea what the history of the muppets are anymore because my history is gone Um in terms of like the greater muppet fandom. I think this movie is seen as you know, pretty good or whatever Um, but I think I think in general like the original three jim henson movies are the ones that are kind of Held up and christmas carol kind of gets like kind of grandfathered in there Because that was that was made like a year after jim henson died Like it was like he was still a year or two like he was still I don't think he was involved really with the making of it

[01:09:10] But it's still directed by brian henson who also directed this and there's still like vestiges of like the old guard in that movie And all that all that kind of stuff, right? I think treasure island is often seen as like well, this is just some silly bullshit. They did once like Yeah, yeah, you know, uh, but I I think muppet treasure island rules This movie is incredible. Uh, i'm glad that you had the balls to put it as your number one mike because I didn't In my heart it might be it's uh, you know, it's it's one of those things where like I I had to put

[01:09:40] My my number one movie at my number one and we'll talk about that Uh in a bit but Muppet treasure island is the movie that I definitely watched the most when I was a kid Right, uh, it's and again we had and we talked about it already I had like a renewed life when I was in college Yeah, which is a very weird thing that happened. Um, but we were all very into it And yeah, I think it was a combination of like tim curry's insane performance in it Uh, is it's definitely part of it where he you know, i've seen this kind of comparison made a lot I think kyle said this exact same thing in our diehard episode where like, you know, michael kane's playing

[01:10:09] Muppet christmas carol as if you know his muppets are fellow humans and tim curry is playing muppet treasure island as if he is also a muppet Right, uh and uh, that's I think a pretty apt comparison. Yeah, I think he's amazing in this movie I think the songs are all really really fun and I think it's like compared to christmas carol I think this is a story that like makes more sense for the muppets to adapt Like in terms of like capturing the tone of like the muppets in a general kind of sense Yeah, you know, uh, like this is a big rip roaring adventure movie

[01:10:38] And it the movie takes great pains to kind of actually be that much like christmas carol kind of takes pains to be that too Where it's like an actual dramatic telling of muppet christmas carol, uh, like this has a hans zimmer score You know, which is crazy, uh, which is nuts Uh, and you know, they're like really actually telling the story of treasure island But because it's like, you know a crazier adventure story I think it lends itself better to like wackier muppet hijinks Uh, and so there is a lot more of that in treasure island and I appreciate that about it

[01:11:06] Yeah, I think it's interesting that they do two classic literature adaptations back to back Uh, yeah, I mean I think christmas carol was so successful. They were like we got to do another one, right? Yeah, yeah It's fascinating that they land on treasure island and then they and they don't do more I mean, I guess it's kind of weird Yeah, I I wonder yeah, maybe if this one wasn't as successful as christmas carol or whatever But I know muppets from space like was kind of a bomb when that came out, you know But that was like the next one So they obviously pivoted back to like doing an original muppet story, uh, from treasure island

[01:11:34] Well, actually the he henson brian henson talked about that a lot in the the in the mike flanagan episode about um We'd like to thank our sponsor mike flanagan I mean, hey, it's it's it happened to be very relevant. Yeah, absolutely And they talk a lot about how they landed on christmas carol and stuff and the the always the driving force and in particular With honoring jim henson his father and like he was terrified to direct it He had never directed anything and he was like frank oz Please for the love of god direct this me like christmas carol and frank oz was like no you have to do it

[01:12:03] Like yeah, like absolutely not. Uh, and all this whatever but like always having to do something new, right? It is always like it always like we can't they're like the muppets the whole thing is something new innovative every movie something We've never done before. Uh, so maybe that was part of it that like hey, we've done two of these now Okay, we got to do something new. We can't keep just doing this So maybe that's why they end up with from space. But uh, anyway, yeah Muppet treasure island my number one Yeah, yeah tell us about it mike. Uh, what a picture man. Um, yeah, I mean I was just like instantly brought back to see

[01:12:32] I think I think the thing is everyone's mistake was not being four to six when this movie came out That was their big problem. That was their big issue. Yeah Yeah, I mean that that is genuinely like, you know I bet there's like a generation of kids that were like well muppets most wanted is actually like low-key the best one I'm sure there are. Yeah, exactly Um, so yeah, I mean I was brought right back to it. I I forgot how creepy it is like that. Uh, the the blind, uh

[01:12:58] What's his name that muppets name that shows up there? Oh, um, what uh, not not dead tom? That's a later thing but uh, captain flint the blind. Uh, yeah Yeah, yeah He shows up in the black spots, right black spot thing. He's creepy as hell. They burn that house down the the the Like stepmother lady or whatever is so good Um, the weakest part is Is it jim the boy? Oh, yeah He sucks. I mean he's fine. He's whatever. I think he's fine. Yeah, yeah, you know

[01:13:27] Maybe it's because I grew up at the movie or whatever, but like, you know, he's he's fine He's he he's serviceable in the role of jim hawkins. I think exactly. Yeah, he's okay But yeah, I don't know. I was just like it's just such a rip roaring adventure The songs were great having the like the shtick of kermit everyone being terrified of the captain And he's the most bloodthirsty guy there and then it's just kermit who's like normal And sam being sam eagle having to be like, well, what he meant was like translated into scary pirate

[01:13:56] It's a very fun bit. Um, yeah, I just I just really love this movie and I haven't watched it in a really long time Like we've been talking about. Uh, so I just yeah Nostalgia number one, I guess. Yeah, no, it's uh, sometimes that's how it works But yeah, no, I I really love this movie the opening first like 15 20 minutes with billy connelly and uh, jennifer saunders Uh as billy bones. Yeah, uh is so so funny. Uh when he when he's dying and

[01:14:18] Like he's like jim jim jim jim jim jim jim jim jim and he grabs gonzos nose and gonzos like i'm not jimmy jim jim jim jim jim jim He's jim jim jim jim jim jim jim Um, yeah, very funny and then once he dies they're like isn't this a children's movie? We're in a room with the dead body. Yeah, he died. This is supposed to be a kids movie Yeah And that's I think part of what i'm drawn to about this movie is that it is much darker than the other one

[01:14:45] It is pretty dark. It goes to some darker places. There are people with guns who are killing people Yeah, uh, which is fun. I think the only other one I think muppets most wanted might be the other kind of darkish one Um, just because that takes a lot of it takes place in a russian gulag Right. Yeah, yeah Even if they're doing show tunes in the gulag Yeah, still still still a gulag. Yeah, um, but uh When they do the the chorus line song in

[01:15:11] Anyway, sorry. Yes, very good. There was one joke I mean, I talked about the long john joke before but one other joke that like really stuck out to me that I think I had Completely forgotten about or like when I was younger. Obviously, I would not have known the reference Uh was when uh billy bones is dying and they're gonzo and rizzo going through his like treasure chest of stuff And they keep pulling out like random things and rizzo pulls out a copy of henry kissinger's diplomacy. Yeah

[01:15:39] Uh, just a really good bits and yeah all the songs I mean professional pirate is one of my favorite That's such a good song musical numbers. Uh, and that has the uh, the iconic You know, there's the bit where's like I could have been a lawyer Uh, but I just had too much heart and then the the one like kind of line where's like I could have been in Politics because i've always been a big spender and then the guy the bald guy comes up and say and me I could have been a contender

[01:16:09] That's got mike smith written all over it I think uh, maybe maybe watching mum at treasure island at five years old is what turned me into a cinephile, you know I was like it I was like, huh, I gotta I gotta understand on the waterfront you say Um, but yeah, I mean this is definitely like I read treasure island as a result of watching mum at treasure island over and over again Like I was like I gotta read the real thing and then you know, it was a I I really loved that book as a kid and loved this movie I saw treasure planet in theaters. I remember that being a big thing. Yeah, um, yeah

[01:16:37] No, my treasure island rules, uh, and I think everybody's like really well cast in it in terms of like the muppets I'm talking about now We're like, yeah, it's gonzo and rizzo as like jim hawkins's sidekicks. They're just like original characters playing themselves But then it's you know kermit's the captain of the ship obviously fozzy is a squire trelawney who What are dimwitted like what are half-witted sons for you know, it's right? Yeah Sam the eagle as like the first mates Uh, all that stuff is really really great and then miss piggy showing up like two-thirds of the way through the movie as benjamina gun Very very funny. It's it's very very good

[01:17:06] Uh, and cabin fever is also one of the best songs that's ever been put on film cam fever is great I also really like the like the newer muppet like the the new muppets like the uh, yes Yeah, the roll call scene is one of my favorite things also old tom real old tom dead tom Very good. Uh, uh, the lobster muppet whose name I can't remember uh, polly polly, right? Yeah, because he's supposed to be yeah, they're like what what parrots? What's next a second dancing mouse with his own amusement park?

[01:17:38] Uh, good shit. This movie's good. Yes, absolutely. All right, so uh, my number two and mike's number one Uh, muppet treasure island and then my number one I mean it had to be the muppet movie, uh, I mean fair 1979, uh, you know re-watching this one. Uh, I think it is such a man It's such a blast. It's a it's it's such a good like road movie hangout movie I think it is kind of an internet an interconnected series of just like bits and sketches Uh, but all of them hit really well I think the cameo is like really kind of make it a time capsule of 1979

[01:18:07] Yeah, which is really fun like we've heard or kind of saying before and yeah, I think it has the uh, the kermit fozzy dynamic Which i'm also a big fan of, uh, so they're they're great in this movie together Yeah, no, the muppet movie rules. I don't know what else is there to say? You know what's one of my favorite things? Well, two of my favorite things about the muppets is just anytime someone throws a muppet is the funniest thing ever The bit in gray muppet caper where they are getting thrown out of the plane Oh, yeah, that's yes So good so funny

[01:18:37] But like yeah, anytime a human just picks up and throws a muppet is so funny And then two the fact that the swedish chef just has human hands, uh, is very funny But um, yeah, one of the things I liked to about the muppet movie was the guy the like sidekick of the evil dude You know what i'm talking about the there's like the the main guy that's like Oh, yes or whatever, right? The whatever basically it's trying to recruit. Yeah, it's uh, isn't it like papio daniel from uh, oh brother or arthur? Or something He's the bad guy

[01:19:05] Uh, isn't that charles derning is the uh, is the bad guy? That's right. Yeah, yeah, uh, but his sidekick is the bad lawyer from the beginning of uh, my cousin vinny the guy with the stutter Oh, yeah, austin pendleton is the actor. Yeah, he's great And that's the only other thing that i've ever been like oh shit. That's the guy from my cousin vinny. Uh, he's really fun And um, yeah, just all the cameos are great. I I do I did love the carol kane like myth myth and she's like Yes, like with the list comes back. Yep

[01:19:35] And the electric mayhem rule everything's good Everything's yeah, the scene where they end up at the church with electric mayhem there is so so funny Uh, it's great. Yeah, no, I all the cameos are great and I like, uh, you know It is obviously like part of the muppet show like it's it's about the creation of the muppet show and how it all came together And I think to that end I think it does a really good job of like, you know Just being a very fun silly movie that like is about the muppet show. Yeah, it's great Yeah, I really I also do really like the sort of like framing device of them

[01:20:03] Like being in a screening room and like just at the beginning and the end of the movie And you're getting to see just all the all of the muppets and I think some of the other henson puppets are in there Yes, so yeah, I think you see a couple of sesame street characters. Uh, also, uh, emmett otter's jug band christmas characters Yeah, yeah Are in there and uh, the land of gorge characters even make an appearance Which if you're unfamiliar with that is that's um in the first season of snl jim henson would do like these muppet sketches Right, uh, and they were the land of gorge dreadful

[01:20:29] Like they were really I mean, so I i've seen most of the first season of snl I had it on dvd and they were like the uncut episodes Okay, and Every time like a land of gorge sketch would show up. It would be like 15 minutes long Oh, god, it would be like the unfunniest thing you've ever seen just come to a grinding halt puppetry very impressive But it was like oh god this and even in um, uh, the new movie saturday night that like kind of You know does the whole like this is the backstage of the first episode of snl kind of thing

[01:20:57] The movie itself is just okay, but they have uh, jim henson is portrayed by nicholas brawn in the movie Right, uh, and everybody's just giving him shit the entire time because of how like lame land of course amazing So yeah, that that's neat. I think that's what I was getting like the the framing they're like getting just seeing all of them together Which anytime that happens in any of the movies is like, yeah, you know, we used to have movies. Yes, exactly Yeah, uh, and that's uh, that's it. That's the muppets baby. We did it We did it. We talked about the muppets for an hour and a half. Yes, we did

[01:21:26] Uh, should we run down our lists one more time mike should we uh, all right? What's what's your ranking at your official eight through one ranking of the muppet movies? Uh, my official ranking starting at number eight is muppets from space I'll buy muppets most wanted the muppets The muppet movie at number five Don't tell anybody. I said that you psycho Absolutely mad man. Um, muppets take manhattan at number four the great muppet caper three

[01:21:52] Uh, the muppet christmas carol at two and at number one muppet treasure island Nice, uh, and then my eight through one my number eight is muppets from space number seven muppets most wanted My number six was muppet christmas carol like a madman Uh, number five was muppets take manhattan. My number four was the great muppet caper My number three was the muppets 2011 my number two is muppet treasure island My number one is the muppet movie, uh, you know what?

[01:22:19] I want to say one more thing about muppet treasure island that I forgot about which is hilarious Yeah, what the running like f plot or whatever of uh, the the rats just being on vacation just on a regular cruise Yes, uh, that's a terrific running gag. Uh, this moment where like fozzy keeps like pouring wine out of the window Uh, it just lands on their shuffleboard court Yeah, uh, is great. Also one of my favorite lines in the movie is in the song Uh, when they when they start off sailing and they're talking and they're like singing the big song about how

[01:22:48] Great it is to be on an adventure on the open sea And then one of the rats goes and margaritas at the midnight buffet and then all all of the like crusty like devious pirates go Margaritas at the midnight buffet hell. Yeah So so good. Uh, yeah, that's a great running bit in muppet treasure island everything about the movie rules If if people are listening to this and they're like, how could they like muppet treasure island so much? I I highly encourage you to give you give it a rewatch

[01:23:13] Most of them are on disney plus right now, uh, including treasure island. Uh, the only two that are not are manhattan and space Uh, yes, which is weird. It's weird. It's weird. They're not just all on there. They're the muppets, you know? Yeah Yeah, I think I remember. Yeah, anyway, it doesn't matter or they have other studio logos So like obviously duh It could be some right stuff, but disney like in now just generally owns all the muppet stuff Uh, everything. Yeah. Oh everything too. Yeah, but muppet stuff in particular. Yeah So yeah, weird that those two aren't on there

[01:23:43] Uh with this rewatch my having now watched all eight movies. Do you have a favorite muppet? Uh, rizzo Probably still rizzo. Okay Yeah Rizzo is so funny in that the bit of the joke at the end of the other one or beginning whatever between 2011 and the most wanted Where they're like, yeah, it's new characters at the expense of some favorite carry, you know, whatever Like some fan favorites. Yeah. Yeah. Where is he been? Um, he's great. Gonzo's great I mean, they're all great. Yeah, they're all they're all great I'm a big rizzo and gonzo fan as well

[01:24:10] I think when I was a kid got like I kind of went back and forth with gonzo and rizzo because they were the ones that were like Most prominent in my lifetime like they were so heavily pushed in the 90s Yeah, it probably was gonzo forever when I was a kid, but just like now rizzo gives me the most enjoyment Just like a little rat guy. Yes The best. Yes. He reminds you of people that like, you know, we're both from new york I think it reminds me like rizzo reminds me of people that I know, you know, which is 100% sometimes we are rizzo, you know

[01:24:35] Yeah, love rizzo love gonzo. Honestly, fozzy is one of my guys. I'm a big he's pretty great I'm a big fozzy guy. Uh, any anytime fozzy tells a joke, uh, and it completely bombs Um all in uh, you know also just rolf just being a dog. Yes, rolf rules They all rule. They all rule. Yes, uh, there's the scene in the muppets 2011 where uh, fozzy is telling jokes at the crowd and jack black is like tied up to a chair next to him And uh, I forget the joke he says but it's just like something like so awful

[01:25:03] Like unbearable or whatever like it's some dumb pun Yeah, like just and jack black is like literally like wincing in pain like Oh, that joke is like 50 years old. Yes And uh, and the crowd is laughing, but they're laughing at jack black's reaction to five to fozzy. Yeah It's very good. It's like we're not a team. I'm not his partner is like what he's trying to say Yes, also zach galifianakis is hobo joe. Give a shout out to him Man, yeah, and he comes back and most wanted I was yeah, it does yeah

[01:25:29] It's good stuff. All right. Any last muppet thoughts before we wrap this up mike? Yeah, I think I think the the broader uh, lack of muppet content is uh, and just muppet culture and stuff is really a sign of the decline of the american empire So like, uh I think you're right. I mean, I think you're correct. Yeah I think to defeat the burgeoning fascism in the country. We need to bring back the muppets That's what muppets new muppet should be indiana jones, but muppets

[01:25:57] Uh, it's just kermit beating the shit out of nazis. Yes, that would rule. That would be really fun Uh, I mean, yeah, I mean they've done I mean they've done tv specials like wizard of oz and haunted mansions They have done like movie things before all the mansion. I guess it's more the ride than anything But there was there was a haunted mansion actual movie a couple years ago Well, there was that but there was another one Oh, I think you're right way more recently like owen wilson, maybe and like danie de vito. I think you're right Yeah, I want to say I didn't see it but like I know it existed Yeah

[01:26:24] For a very long time. I remember guillermo del toro wanted to make a haunted mansion movie There's nothing i've ever heard that makes more sense than yes Guilermo del toro wants to make a haunted mansion movie And that's one of those things where it's like well, why didn't they let him? Yeah I don't understand. Yeah society man. It's all crumbling. They wouldn't give david lynch money. They wouldn't get they won't give John waters money. They won't give carol del toro money. Well, del toro is he is making stuff now for a very long time

[01:26:51] For netflix like come on. That's true. That's true for a very long time Like anytime del toro was attached to something you could be like you can pretty confidently be like well, that's not happening Yeah, I know yeah For like five years. It's like oh, yeah del toro's at the downs of madness. It's coming. It's it's how it's gonna Tom cruise is attached sure Del toro's the hobbit can't wait Yeah In any case that's gonna bring things to an end for mike and mike go to the movies mike d

[01:27:17] Where can we find you online this week? You can find me at md film blog on letterbox and blue sky You can also donate to support the show on our ko-fi page, which is ko-fi.com slash mike and mike pods Where you can donate 50 and pick a topic for an episode just like we did this one. Yes So do that what we dare you I guess uh If you want merch we have merch available on a red bubble, which is mike and mike pods dot red bubble.com That's right Shout out again to david for uh donating money uh to the podcast to make us do this episode

[01:27:44] Uh, this was a lot of fun. Uh, you can find me online at msmith film blog on twitter mike smith film and letterbox radio mike sandwich instagram Thank you so much for listening to mike go to the movies. I'm mike smith. It's mike the cretio Don't forget to rate and view the show on apple podcasts or any other podcast app And if you want to contact us you can tweet at us at mike and mike pod You can find the rest of our podcast and rapture press alongside many other podcasts All kinds of comic books and movie news and all that good stuff You can check out the main podcast the complete worst to keep up with all of our roy scheider movies And that's going to be the end of this week's episode of mike my go to the movies. We will see you on the other side