Muppets From Space (1999)

Directed by Tim Hill
Written by Jerry Juhl, Ken Kaufman & Joseph Mazzarino
Starring The Great Gonzo, Kermit The Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear

My Advice: Matinee.

The Great Gonzo is in a bit of a rut.  All these years of being known as a "whatever" have finally taken their toll, so now he's a bit tired of being so, as Kermit would call it, "distinct."  When he suddenly starts believing that he's an alien, and furthermore that his brethren are trying to contact him to take him home, everyone, including his roommate Rizzo, are positive he's finally lost it.

The beginning of the film, where the Muppets (all sharing the same house) get up and get ready to meet the day, would almost be worth the price of admission.  Luckily, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as the movie continues on a pace that is mildly frenetic, cleverly written, and simply lots of fun.  It has the smarts to keep the humor somewhere in the middle so it will appeal to all ages.  It also brings in the usual cameos, some hilarious (F. Murray Abraham as Noah), some moderate (David Arquette as an evil scientist, who is surprisingly much weirder in his 1-800-WHATEVER commercials), and some unnecessary (Hollywood Hogan as a MIB).  Those small lapses where the cameos felt forced were one problem.  The ending with its slightly cheesy dance number only cost it a few points because this film was actually supposed to be geared toward the kiddies... George.

But don't think this is a kids only show, like I said.  Not only does it boast a great soundtrack of 70's faves, but it also smartly does parodies of sci-fi movies.  In addition some of the jokes might aim a bit too high for the youngsters, but don't worry--Pepe the Prawn in a ballerina outfit is just around the corner.

Basically, this movie packs more laughs for the buck than the two previous Muppet Classic Illustrated films, although I do wish they could have had a bigger part for PIGS...IN...SPACE!!!!  Oh, and a Day The Earth Stood Still joke would have been okay, too.  Matinee for Muppet lovers and those with kids, although any other heartless bastard should catch it at home.