Reminiscing is a lot of fun. No, really, it is. Everyone loves sitting around, talking about the good ol’ days with his or her family. Granted a lot of them eat their feelings later, but hey! That’s definitely not the point I’m trying to make here. My point is, everyone’s up for a good amount of nostalgia. You don’t need to be looking all deep into the specifics of it, just agree with me and move on.

Nostalgia takes some not-so-human form in Jason Segel’s reboot of The Muppets. Bringing back all of the familiar faces that we know and love, The Muppets succeeds on so many levels that it’s hard to count them all, but I will try. First off, the writing and jokes are absolutely wonderful. 2011 has been a great year for good-hearted family comedies, and The Muppets is no exception. It appeals to both fans of the original show (AKA Parents) and the knee-knockers who don’t know what the hell a Muppet is (AKA their Children). The perfect blend of wit and slapstick pretty much guarantees an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Puppet animation has come a long way since the 1979 The Muppet Movie, and it definitely reveals itself in the form of legs.

That’s right, folks. The Muppets now have legs that come in handy (no pun intended) during the equally elaborate and hilarious dance sequences that take place in various parts of the film. The songs are catchy, the lyrics are ingenious, and the result is a musical that even musical haters such as myself will enjoy.

The plot is familiar; the Muppets need to put on a telethon to save the Muppet Theater. It’s something we’ve seen before, but I think it’s the only plot that would’ve worked. It brings back memories to older viewers regarding similar scenarios, but is also simple and enjoyable enough for the young ones. More importantly, the Muppets themselves are brought to life by fantastic voice acting and even better puppeteers. You really connected with the characters on a whole new plateau. In this case, the Muppets seemed more human than the actual humans.

And who can forget the cameos! There’s an insane amount of star cameos in this movie. More than I’d even care to name. It really does keep you on your toes the entire time, seeing who just might pop up next.

Everything in The Muppets is near flawless, and it really is a welcome return for the lovable puppets. Also, I got to hear Chris Cooper rap. This is something I never thought I’d see. I think I can now die peacefully.

4.5/5 Bears