Jason Segel and Disney host a 'Muppets' reunion -- 3 stars

A frisky new film showcasing some old pals made out of felt, charm and some kind of genius, the Disney release "The Muppets" overcomes a jaded streak reflecting its makers' nervousness about selling Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and the gang to an audience unfamiliar with "Sesame Street" (a Muppets chapter conspicuously left out of Disney's production notes) or "The Muppet Show" or the best of the earlier feature-length films, "The Great Muppet Caper" being my favorite. Hence, "The Muppets" deploys a bit of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and a string of '80s jokes about Molly Ringwald and "Benson."

Michael Phillips

November 22, 2011