The Muppets

Admirably willed into being by devoted fan/actor Jason Segel and his screenwriting partner Nicholas Stoller, The Muppets is a heartfelt love letter to Jim Henson's beloved kid-friendly comedic institution. In keeping with the franchise's good-natured absurdist humor, Segel's easygoing protagonist, Gary, inexplicably has a puppet brother named Walter (voiced by Peter Linz). When the Muppet-idolizing siblings set out to Los Angeles to meet their heroes, along with Gary's rosy-cheeked girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), they end up inspiring a sullen Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire) to get the gang back together and save the Muppet Theater from the corporate machinations of scheming oil baron Tex Richman (Chris Cooper). Charmingly self-referential and filled with fun cameos, the movie makes frequent allusions to decades-old Muppet lore while including well-selected nods to contemporary pop culture, a deft balancing act that is aided by the talents of director James Bobin and songwriter Bret McKenzie, both alums of the revered TV show Flight of the Conchords. Segel, who performs two show-stopping musical numbers, wisely knows when to step out of the way and let his friends of felt and fur take the spotlight, resulting in a winning film that ranks with the best of the many Muppet outings. The production also successfully introduces the series to a whole new generation, ensuring that 21st-century youngsters will grow up with ever-endearing touchstones such as "Rainbow Connection" and, of course, "Mahna Mahna."