The Muppet Movie (1979)

A whoop-de-doo of funnyboneheadedness! I loved this movie greatly for its fast-paced (Airport! style) comic delivery when I saw it in the theatres. You need to see it more than once to catch all the jokes, lyrics, and sight gags. Many of the jokes are simple and sweet for the moppet crowd (viz. a literal fork in the road) and the cameos are simple and sweet as well (except for the perfectly snooty then snotty waiter played by Steve Martin). Mel Brooks's comeuppance doesn't work for me but anyone should love the cameos by Bob Hope, Edgar Bergen, Milton Berle, and many more. They don't make movies like this anymore! Anyone should be amazed to see Kermit playing banjo and riding a bike, plus Miss Piggy's antics, and I still guffaw at Kermit's romantic scenes with Miss Piggy (the poor sap). The song Rainbow Connection is a sentimental classic that everyone should see in situ (as sung and played by Kermit himself). The characters carry out a perfect blend of situational humor and schmaltz with plucky aplomb. You gotta love the hecklers (Statler and Waldorf), the manic wackos (Animal, Gonzo, and the bomb guy), and the adult humor in the songs. (I'm impressed with how they fit "A skunk was badgered, the results were strong" into a kid's movie.) If you don't find something to love in this movie, well, that's just un-American! Five stars.