The Adventures of Elmo In Grouchland

The Adventures of Elmo In Grouchland is a 1999 musical-comedy adventure film directed by Gary Halvorson, based on the long-running kids' TV show Sesame Street. It was distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.

This was the final Muppet-themed feature film to have the involvement of Frank Oz, who retired from being a full-time puppeteer the following year. This was also the final theatrical Muppet film to feature Caroll Spinney and Emilio Delgado before their respective deaths in 2019 and 2022.

Plot
Elmo has a blue blanket, which he is extremely fond of. However, his blanket is sent to a far-away land due to a tug-of-war with his friend Zoe.

Good Qualities

 * 1) The premise of having Elmo go into the world of Grouchland to get his blanket back is pretty interesting.
 * 2) Elmo is a likable and funny character and returns to his pre-Season 27 characterization from Sesame Street.
 * 3) It is extremely faithful to the kids' show Sesame Street, which is expected as it was made by the same people who worked on the show.
 * 4) Funny moments, such as a grouch denying Elmo's cry for help by saying "I'd love to, but I don't speak English," much to Elmo's confusion.
 * 5) Huxley is a decent but funny villain who plans to make everything in Grouchland his property and takes Elmo's blanket. Plus, Mandy Patinkin provides a highly entertaining performance.
 * 6) Great story that stays true to the spirit of Sesame Street.
 * 7) Pretty solid acting, especially for Kevin Clash.
 * 8) Great soundtrack from John Debney.
 * 9) The songs are pretty decent.
 * 10) *Huxley's number makes for a really fun and catchy villain song.
 * 11) *Together Forever is a very heartwarming song that shows how sweet Elmo loves his blanket so much.
 * 12) Some of the movie characters can be likable, especially the Grouchland characters.
 * 13) Good special effects for the film though some can be slightly cheap.
 * 14) The idea of going to another world from the Sesame Street world is pretty interesting.
 * 15) Despite the film mostly focusing on Elmo, other Sesame Street characters, including Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, have big roles.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The film is occasionally paused by Ernie and Bert, which can be annoying at times.
 * 2) Some Grouchland characters can be a bit creepy for kids.
 * 3) The green-screen effect for Elmo's dancing didn't age well.
 * 4) Misleading Title: Even though the title says "Elmo in Grouchland", Grouchland itself doesn't get a lot of screentime.
 * 5) That mean-spirited scene where Elmo encounters his friend Zoe and he refuses to share his blanket with her.

Reception
The film received mixed-to-generally positive reviews from critics and fans alike. It holds a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 43 reviews with an average rating of 6.72/10, and the film's consensus states, "This fun and moral tale entertains both first-time Sesame Street watchers and seasoned veterans." Metacritic scores a film a 59/100 "mixed or average reviews". IMDb holds a film a 5.8/10 rating.

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