The Muppet Movie

The Muppet Movie is a 1979 musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, and the theatrical film debut of Jim Henson's very popular Muppets.

Why It's a Frog's Dream

 * 1) Amazing and unforgettable songs, like Rainbow Connection, Moving Right Along, and I'll Be There Someday.
 * 2) It launched a series of Muppet movies that feature the lovable Muppets.
 * 3) A lot of hilarious and funny moments.
 * 4) Great celebrity appearances by Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Austin Pendleton, and others.
 * 5) Great voice acting for the puppets.
 * 6) The puppetry is great.
 * 7) Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Miss Piggy (along with the Electric Mayhem) are lovable characters, as usual.
 * 8) Great climax where The Muppets get into a big showdown with Doc Hopper.
 * 9) Great storyline.
 * 10) "Frankly, Miss Piggy, I don’t give a hoot!"
 * 11) Great and comedic dialogue.
 * 12) Amazing direction by James Frawley.
 * 13) Animal scaring Doc Hopper and his henchmen off is very satisfying comeuppance for the former, as he got what he deserved for almost getting Kermit killed by Krassman.
 * 14) Very good visuals for 1970s standards.
 * 15) Big Bird makes a cameo in the Moving Right Along sequence, and his cameo is pretty funny.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Some of the visual effects of the movie have not aged well.
 * 2) Doc Hopper, while intimidating and entertaining at times, is a very unlikable antagonist, and hiring Dr. Krassman to try to mind control Kermit was rather handled in a cruel and unforgivable matter for a G-rated film (not even trying to kill someone who refuses to star in a commercial for frog legs like Kermit is any excuse for this). Thankfully, he and Krassman get what’s coming since Miss Piggy brutally attacked Krassman in order to save Kermit, and Animal did scare Doc Hopper and his minions away, which was satisfying considering Doc Hopper's actions (as already mentioned on WIR #13). Additionally, Jim Henson wanted him to reform, but Frank Oz said the climax wouldn’t be as exciting if that happened so he had him remain evil for the rest of the film.

Reception
The Muppet Movie received critical acclaim upon its release, with the humor and the original songs receiving high praise. It currently holds on aggregated critical score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 52 reviews, with the critical consensus reading "The Muppet Movie, the big-screen debut of Jim Henson's plush creations, is smart, lighthearted, and fun for all ages." The film also has an audience score of 88% based on over 50,000 reviews. Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times gave the movie 3 and a half stars out of 4, with Siskel describing the film as one of the most entertaining films of the summer. The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, for "Best Original Song" and "Best Adaptation Score".