Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)

[Drunk Monk]

Gonzo & Pepe the prawn spend a night in the Haunted Mansion. All the HM roles are replaced with muppets like Miss Piggy is the head in the seance crystal ball. Taraji Henson & Will Arnett are leads and there’s cameos, mostly in the graveyard including Ed Asner (kinda creepy since he’s dead now) and Danny Trejo, who gets off a taco line, omen of his few lines of dialog.

I liked this much more than I thought I would. That cheesy muppet recipe of bad jokes made for a good fit and even got a tiny chuckle at one point. I’m surprised how well the formula holds up - perhaps it’s the nostalgia of it for me. My family watched the show all the time - my parents and me as a kid, not Tara - I’m not sure that she’s seen much of the muppets. I don’t think the jokes will work unless you know the show.

Pepe was killing me. Such a great muppet. 

This was better than the movie. Sorry Greg.

[Greg]

tQ and I saw this as well. It was kind of funny but in my mind the original Muppet show was far funnier. But there were some guffaws. It seemed it was geared for a young audience. The movie had the big lesson to tell. I did like how it followed the original house very closely. I didn't think Taraji P. Henson did a very good job. I wanted more from Ed Asner since this was his last role.

[Drunk Monk]

Geared for a young audience? Muppets on Disney is for kids? Really?

I’m not sure how well some of it works for kids. You need to know the ride well as well as the original show to fully appreciate it. I found it on par with an original show, at least in my memory of the original, which I watched a lot as a kid but haven’t engaged in decades. I tried to watch a muppet movie a while back but didn’t get far. It was nostalgic but didn’t work for me.

Agreed about Ed. Creepy final appearance. 

I thought Will was weak but I’m not a fan. I’m always wondering why he’s a celeb. Taraji worked ok for me, not so much for her hammy performance (most guests Star were hammy on the muppet show because they had puppeteers at their crotches). I liked the reveal on who she was - the creepiest resident of the HM. Plus Pepe was really working for me. I don’t remember Pepe being so significant a player in the original. 

Sounds like we agree on the whole but for entirely different reasons.

[Greg]

I don't like this thing where we agree on things. It's seems off brand.

[Drunk Monk]

I disagree. We disagree on the details and the devil’s in those.

We only agree on the overall. Agreed?

If you really want to stay on brand, go see Venom 2 and like it.

[Greg]

You and your word mishegoss! Of course I don't agree with your agreement.

When it comes to the TV, I'll post my review about Venom. I have to see how bad it is. I'm just not wasting a visit to the theater on it.

[Drunk Monk]

I'm just not wasting a visit to the theater on it.

Good call. I'm sure you'll agree on that one, and thank me later.

[Greg]

I'm supposed to agree with you and thank you? Seriously? It's like you don't know me at all.

tQ was happy to skip Venom in the theater regardless. She had plenty of work to do and breathed a sigh of relief when I cancelled on your recommendation.

[Drunk Monk]

Yeah, well, we'll see about that. 

But who knows? Maybe you'll love the film because it's borderline MCU and be upset at me for preventing you from seeing it on the big screen. I suspect that won't happen, but we'll see.

[Greg]

I'm happy with the TV at this point, too. Although, our local Yosemite Cinema does have those big reclining chairs and a pretty good sound system.

[Drunk Monk]

What about the nachos.

HOW ARE THE NACHOS?!?

[Greg]

Don't know. But tQ swears by the salted pretzel. So much salt!

The Yosemite Cinema is kind of nice. They have a monthly subscription fee. You can pay one price and see any film you want all month long for that price. We don't do that, but when we pay our $6.50 ticket price that gives an all day pass to the movies at the theater.