I almost lost my holiday spirit this year. Haven't even bothered to haul the tree down from the attic. The soul of Christmas is now being sold by Circuit City, anyway (and they're going bankrupt)--much like Jim Henson's legacy was sold to a newfangled corporate Disney following his untimely death in 1990. I am pleased to report that the post-Henson muppeteers have finally redeemed themselves in "Letters to Santa".
Henson's son Brian took his first stab at continuing the holiday genre in 1992 with a remake of Dicken's "Christmas Carol." A little creepy but forgivable, given the circumstances. Alas, "A Muppet Family Christmas" (1995) was no "John Denver and the Muppets' Rocky Mountain Holiday" (1983). "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" (2002): forgettable (it starred David Arquette. Ring a bell?). "Letters to Santa" puts all of the above to shame (curiously, the junior Henson served as neither writer nor director in this one but did provide the voice of a very unmuppety "Sal Manilla". Why?).
The premise is totally believable (compared to, say, "Muppets in Space" (1999), which was kind of awesome, but there's no way sponge chickens can breathe in space, okay). I'll spare you any spoilers.
Pepe the Prawn is the new Beaker, but it's time to retire Bobo the Bear.
The cameos were mostly spot-on, but I'm not sure that today's kids will know who many of these faces are (and some faces they shouldn't, e.g., Steve Schirripa, or the dude from "Law & Order"), in the same way that I recognized Joan Rivers or Liza Minnelli in the 1984 classic set in Manhattan. Nevertheless, Paulie Walnuts turned in an Emmy-worthy performance. Uma: good move. Never looked better. Glowed like an angel. And mad props to Michael Bloomberg for, well, being Michael Bloomberg.
Decent music. Modern yet timeless. Sweet and corny. Someday my kids will watch it every year the same way I still look forward to "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" (1977). Whether they like it or not.
Henson's son Brian took his first stab at continuing the holiday genre in 1992 with a remake of Dicken's "Christmas Carol." A little creepy but forgivable, given the circumstances. Alas, "A Muppet Family Christmas" (1995) was no "John Denver and the Muppets' Rocky Mountain Holiday" (1983). "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" (2002): forgettable (it starred David Arquette. Ring a bell?). "Letters to Santa" puts all of the above to shame (curiously, the junior Henson served as neither writer nor director in this one but did provide the voice of a very unmuppety "Sal Manilla". Why?).
The premise is totally believable (compared to, say, "Muppets in Space" (1999), which was kind of awesome, but there's no way sponge chickens can breathe in space, okay). I'll spare you any spoilers.
Pepe the Prawn is the new Beaker, but it's time to retire Bobo the Bear.
The cameos were mostly spot-on, but I'm not sure that today's kids will know who many of these faces are (and some faces they shouldn't, e.g., Steve Schirripa, or the dude from "Law & Order"), in the same way that I recognized Joan Rivers or Liza Minnelli in the 1984 classic set in Manhattan. Nevertheless, Paulie Walnuts turned in an Emmy-worthy performance. Uma: good move. Never looked better. Glowed like an angel. And mad props to Michael Bloomberg for, well, being Michael Bloomberg.
Decent music. Modern yet timeless. Sweet and corny. Someday my kids will watch it every year the same way I still look forward to "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" (1977). Whether they like it or not.