The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

“The Muppet Movie” behind him, clearly made for and dedicated to the unbounded imagination of children, literal and those of us north of 39, Jim Henson moved forward with “The Great Muppet Caper” as a 1940s mystery movie that’s honest to God something made for himself, with a wink of genius satire. Once again in the “We’re making a movie” vein, Kermit the Frog (Henson) and Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz) play twin (!) newspaper reporters who get caught up in a diamond heist masterminded by Charles Grodin against his diva sister (Diana Rigg) in London. Along the way, they meet Miss Piggy (also Oz), and end up staying in a hotel populated by other Muppets (Scooter, Animal, etc.), and ride bicycles, drive in a bus, break in into a museum, and skydive. The bike scene blew my 7-year-old mind in 1981, and still does. Henson directs this go-round and it’s just a magical romp that again let’s children be in on the joke, no cynicism. Happiness. Best gag: Kermit teaching a taxi driver (Beauregard) to, well, drive, when the guy does not understand straight from reverse. New films pale. A

The Muppet Movie (1979)

“The Muppet Movie” is perfection. This is one of the first movies I saw in a theater. The very Jim Henson fourth-wall tweaking story has Kermit the Frog making his way from his tiny swamp to Hollywood, meeting his felt gang (Fozzie, Piggy, Scooter, Gonzo, and even Big Bird) along the way, and outsmarting Charles Durning as a seller of fried frog legs. Yikes! The kick, so to speak, other than seeing the Muppets move freely, ride bikes, and drive cars: Henson’s unparalleled love of entertaining children with no pandering still warms my soul. He celebrates each child in the audience, upholding above all the joyous wonder, curiosity, imagination, and intelligence of the very young. No studio does that now. Not one. “Rainbow Connection” truly is one of the greatest film songs, that final verse saying you -– the children -- make all this possible. For the adults, the humor – loner Rowlf takes himself for a walk -- and guest stars –- Richard Pryor! -– never tip toward concession or ridicule. I can drone on forever of my love for “Muppet Movie.” I love it now as I did at age 5. A+

The Muppets (2011)

My childhood has a pop culture Holy Trinity: “Star Wars,” Superman, and “The Muppets.” So, a new film – after a long silence following the 1999 dud “Muppets from Space” -- is massive in my life. Ask my wife. (No. Don’t.) So, is this rebooted comedy-musical farce, with Jason Segal and Amy Adams as the human leads, all it can be? No. Devout to classic Muppet spirit? No. But it is a start. The plot concerns the old gang -- Kermit, Miss Piggy, Scooter, Fozzie, Gonzo, etc. – reuniting to save not just the rundown Muppet Theatre, but their felt bodies and ping-ball-eye selves, and souls, too. And these things have souls. Better than CGI. It is daft, and spends far too much time on its human stars and has too many fart-shoes jokes that seen unwise, but it’s a blast. As with the TV show and original films, guest stars abound. Jack Black leads the pack. Heaps of hip comics. But no Steve Martin, who knows his Muppets. I wanted that. But I loved seeing Scooter again, and hearing “The Rainbow Connection.” Just wow. I can’t wait for more. RIP Jim Henson. Oh, Chris Cooper raps. Hilariously awkward. B+