Everyone loves the Muppets. That is simply a truism in life, for anyone with a working pulse and a healthy joy gland. And so therefore everyone loves Jim Henson, the godlike creator/inventor/father figure of the whole Muppet project, whose creations — the colourful ensemble of goofy, absurdist, felt-based marionette-puppets — have become a beloved staple of film and television for seven decades.
This is a lovely feature-length documentary portrait of the Muppet man, as gentle and warm-hearted as the legend himself, if not exactly challenging or overly probing. It comes from director Ron Howard, these days as much a documentarian as anything else (in the last decade he has made roughly as many nonfictional films as he has fiction). Howard gives the piece some sparky, peppy visuals, via animated flourishes — Henson’s personal sketch book comes to life at one point — and a visual backdrop for its talking heads nodding to The Cube,...
This is a lovely feature-length documentary portrait of the Muppet man, as gentle and warm-hearted as the legend himself, if not exactly challenging or overly probing. It comes from director Ron Howard, these days as much a documentarian as anything else (in the last decade he has made roughly as many nonfictional films as he has fiction). Howard gives the piece some sparky, peppy visuals, via animated flourishes — Henson’s personal sketch book comes to life at one point — and a visual backdrop for its talking heads nodding to The Cube,...
- 5/31/2024
- by John Nugent
- Empire - Movies
Universally beloved figures are increasingly rare these days, with a distressing number of our former heroes having been outed as one kind of monster or another in recent years. Jim Henson is a notable exception. The creator of the Muppets remains as revered today as he was during his too-short life, an enduring icon of wholesomeness whose legend has only grown since he died in 1990 at the age of 53. Among his legion of admirers is Ron Howard, whose documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man” premiered at Cannes earlier this month and will be available to stream on Disney+ this Friday.
A multihyphenate if ever there were one, the puppeteer, filmmaker, animator and actor is described here as both a “boy genius” and “very rare creature” who was “so internal and quiet that his inner life must have been sparkling.” It’s certainly true that his life’s work sparkled, and not...
A multihyphenate if ever there were one, the puppeteer, filmmaker, animator and actor is described here as both a “boy genius” and “very rare creature” who was “so internal and quiet that his inner life must have been sparkling.” It’s certainly true that his life’s work sparkled, and not...
- 5/28/2024
- by Michael Nordine
- Variety Film + TV
Thursday 22 December, 2022 Nzt — Introducing Best In Show, a twelve-episode limited podcast series brought to you by Letterboxd, and hosted by the service’s West Coast editor Mia Vicino, with editorial producer and Hollywood veteran Brian Formo and editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood.
From the Letterboxd Year in Review through to the 95th Academy Awards, Best In Show will cover the noms and gongs from this awards season, chat with contenders, look back at snubs and surprises through cinema history, and shine a spotlight on the magnificent films from the past year that can get lost in the noise.
“Awards season is the only time I ever truly understand why sports fans root so hard for their teams,” says West Coast editor and host Mia Vicino, “How Los Angeles feels about the Dodgers is how I feel about Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár.”
“As Rowlf and Kermit once sang: ‘You can’t live with ‘em,...
From the Letterboxd Year in Review through to the 95th Academy Awards, Best In Show will cover the noms and gongs from this awards season, chat with contenders, look back at snubs and surprises through cinema history, and shine a spotlight on the magnificent films from the past year that can get lost in the noise.
“Awards season is the only time I ever truly understand why sports fans root so hard for their teams,” says West Coast editor and host Mia Vicino, “How Los Angeles feels about the Dodgers is how I feel about Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár.”
“As Rowlf and Kermit once sang: ‘You can’t live with ‘em,...
- 1/3/2023
- Podnews.net
The Daytime Emmys completed its third and final pandemic-delayed ceremony on Sunday night, with Amazon Prime Video, HBO and Netflix all landing six wins in the various children’s, lifestyle and animation awards handed out, while Disney Channel and sister network Disney Junior combined for a total of nine wins.
Among the top winners were Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor,” Disney Channel’s “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure,” and HBO’s “Sesame Street” and “Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration,” all of which each won three awards.
Among individual wins, Mike Rowe (“Returning the Favor” was named outstanding host for a daytime program; Giada De Laurentiis (“Giada Entertains”) was named outstanding culinary host; and Tamron Hall (“Tamron Hall”) was selected as outstanding informative talk show host.
Then there’s the case of Alan Menken, who won the outstanding original song in a children’s, young adult or animated program Emmy for...
Among the top winners were Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor,” Disney Channel’s “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure,” and HBO’s “Sesame Street” and “Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration,” all of which each won three awards.
Among individual wins, Mike Rowe (“Returning the Favor” was named outstanding host for a daytime program; Giada De Laurentiis (“Giada Entertains”) was named outstanding culinary host; and Tamron Hall (“Tamron Hall”) was selected as outstanding informative talk show host.
Then there’s the case of Alan Menken, who won the outstanding original song in a children’s, young adult or animated program Emmy for...
- 7/27/2020
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Another round of winners for the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were unveiled Sunday night as the ceremony handed out trophies honoring Children’s, Lifestyle, and Animation programming. The ceremony also paid tribute to Regis Philbin, who passed away this weekend, by sharing his acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award he received at the 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2008.
Hosted by Loni Love, the virtual ceremony follows last week’s event which honored the best in Digital Dramas with Amazon’s The Bay, After Forever and Studio City walking away as big winners. During the livestream, winners accepted their Emmys from the comfort of their own homes — or wherever they are in quarantine.
Presenters included Izabella Alvarez (Nickelodeon’s The Loud House and The Casagrandes), actress and social media star Tabitha Brown (Actress and Vegan Foodie), Josh Dela Cruz (Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You!), Quintessa Swindell (Netflix...
Hosted by Loni Love, the virtual ceremony follows last week’s event which honored the best in Digital Dramas with Amazon’s The Bay, After Forever and Studio City walking away as big winners. During the livestream, winners accepted their Emmys from the comfort of their own homes — or wherever they are in quarantine.
Presenters included Izabella Alvarez (Nickelodeon’s The Loud House and The Casagrandes), actress and social media star Tabitha Brown (Actress and Vegan Foodie), Josh Dela Cruz (Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You!), Quintessa Swindell (Netflix...
- 7/27/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday.
This week’s question: What’s your favorite puppet character on TV of all time? Why?
Allison Keene (@KeeneTV), Paste Magazine
Given my lifelong love of Henson productions, most especially the Muppets (and all related movies), it’s no surprise that I’ve become fully obsessed with “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” But to pick a favorite puppet? It’s nearly impossible. I have to pick two. Ok, three. It’s important that they’re all represented!
For one: Deet, a Gelfling. The heart and soul of the series, so sweet, so cute. One of the series’ writers revealed recently that Deet is based off of the way his girlfriend talks about horses. It fits; Deet is pure goodness and joy, but she’s also strong and brave. Two: Hup, the...
This week’s question: What’s your favorite puppet character on TV of all time? Why?
Allison Keene (@KeeneTV), Paste Magazine
Given my lifelong love of Henson productions, most especially the Muppets (and all related movies), it’s no surprise that I’ve become fully obsessed with “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” But to pick a favorite puppet? It’s nearly impossible. I have to pick two. Ok, three. It’s important that they’re all represented!
For one: Deet, a Gelfling. The heart and soul of the series, so sweet, so cute. One of the series’ writers revealed recently that Deet is based off of the way his girlfriend talks about horses. It fits; Deet is pure goodness and joy, but she’s also strong and brave. Two: Hup, the...
- 9/4/2019
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
During Disney+’s presentation at Disney’s D23 Expo event Friday, the company confirmed a short-form series featuring the Muppets. The “unscripted” series, titled Muppets Now, will debut in 2020.
The variety show, featuring celebrity guests, harkens back to the classic The Muppet Show, which too featured a celebrity guest in each episode.
The Muppets are among the most recognizable characters in the Disney IP library, and Disney+ had been trying for more than a year to get a new scripted series with them off the ground, going through two rounds of development with different creative teams, including a take co-written by Josh Gad, Muppets Live Another Day, which went to pilot. Set right after the events in 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan, that project features Kermit and the gang searching for Rowlf.
From Disney+’s announcement: “Forty years after leaving the swamp in his big screen debut in The Muppet Movie,...
The variety show, featuring celebrity guests, harkens back to the classic The Muppet Show, which too featured a celebrity guest in each episode.
The Muppets are among the most recognizable characters in the Disney IP library, and Disney+ had been trying for more than a year to get a new scripted series with them off the ground, going through two rounds of development with different creative teams, including a take co-written by Josh Gad, Muppets Live Another Day, which went to pilot. Set right after the events in 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan, that project features Kermit and the gang searching for Rowlf.
From Disney+’s announcement: “Forty years after leaving the swamp in his big screen debut in The Muppet Movie,...
- 8/24/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Simon Cowell and Edna, Darci Lynne Farmer‘s naughty old woman puppet, have a notoriously rocky history on “America’s Got Talent.” They originally met back in the semifinals of Season 12 when Edna professed her love for Simon and sang Aretha Franklin‘s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” directly to him. As it turns out, Simon never bothered to call Edna after that performance and so she became rather “cranky,” revealed ventriloquist Darci. When Edna appeared in spinoff series “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” during Monday’s season finale, lightning struck as Simon not only made up with the elderly puppet, but he also made out with her. Watch the video below.
SEEWho won ‘America’s Got Talent: The Champions’: Shin Lim or Darci Lynne Farmer?
“I’ll tell you what the problem is,” Edna told Muppet character Rowlf the Dog during the act. “People...
SEEWho won ‘America’s Got Talent: The Champions’: Shin Lim or Darci Lynne Farmer?
“I’ll tell you what the problem is,” Edna told Muppet character Rowlf the Dog during the act. “People...
- 2/19/2019
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Following seven weeks of fierce competition, America’s Got Talent: The Champions has finally crowned its winner, someone Simon Cowell claims to be “the best of the best of the best of the best of the best.” (Did we miss any?)
But before revealing the champion of Champions, Monday’s two-hour finale looked back on the high points of the season. Viewers were even treated to encore performances from fan-favorite contestants like Tokio Myers, the Clairvoyants and Jackie Evancho.
And if behind-the-scenes history is more your speed, you probably loved the finale’s special look at how America’s Got...
But before revealing the champion of Champions, Monday’s two-hour finale looked back on the high points of the season. Viewers were even treated to encore performances from fan-favorite contestants like Tokio Myers, the Clairvoyants and Jackie Evancho.
And if behind-the-scenes history is more your speed, you probably loved the finale’s special look at how America’s Got...
- 2/19/2019
- TVLine.com
Wil Jones Dec 16, 2019
Yes, The Muppet Christmas Carol is wonderful, but children of the '80s might remember another classic Muppet special...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is wonderful. It’s perfectly pitched, sharp and witty, yet also genuinely moving. It’s genius lies in how seriously it takes the material. It lets the full horror and pathos of Dickens’ original tale fill the screen, letting the Muppets maneuver around it, instead of dominating, so it’s just as riveting as it is hilarious. But without wanting to get heretical here, it might not actually be the best holiday themed Muppet special. I’d argue that title actually falls to a criminally under-seen 1987 ABC television special, called A Muppet Family Christmas.
Adored by those who’ve seen it, it’s been mostly keep out of circulation due to a copyright mess. A mess...
Yes, The Muppet Christmas Carol is wonderful, but children of the '80s might remember another classic Muppet special...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is wonderful. It’s perfectly pitched, sharp and witty, yet also genuinely moving. It’s genius lies in how seriously it takes the material. It lets the full horror and pathos of Dickens’ original tale fill the screen, letting the Muppets maneuver around it, instead of dominating, so it’s just as riveting as it is hilarious. But without wanting to get heretical here, it might not actually be the best holiday themed Muppet special. I’d argue that title actually falls to a criminally under-seen 1987 ABC television special, called A Muppet Family Christmas.
Adored by those who’ve seen it, it’s been mostly keep out of circulation due to a copyright mess. A mess...
- 12/17/2014
- Den of Geek
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.