It is a performances centric movie

A different way of telling a story

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

It's Christmastime in New York, and the Muppet gang have posted their cards and wishlists, but after causing mayhem at the Post Office Gonzo is left with three undelivered letters to Santa. When he gets back he discovers that the office is closed and he must deliver them to the North Pole by hand. After a few false starts he and a few of the others manage to get to the spot with an all-southern view and save Xmas, for three people. Cameos from Uma Thurman, Nathan Lane, Mayor Bloomberg (!), and, obviously, Whoopie Goldberg come and go.Directed by Kirk Thatcher, the "Punk on Bus" himself, this is a lot better than his previous attempt at Yuletide Muppetry. I found A Very Merry Muppet Christmas to be rather flat and TV-ish. There's nothing wrong with the TV platform as many Xmas specials have become classics, a few Muppet efforts among them, but the atmosphere matters and Letters to Santa is slightly better than the 2002 in that regard. I don't know what it is, I can't put my finger on it, but maybe the real locations detract from the feeling. I think that the Muppets work best when they are shot entirely in studios where the lighting and effects can be more competently controlled.It's worth watching, but not up to the better Muppet Xmas specials.

I am a bit of a Muppets fan, when their not being too cheesy and concentrating more on entertaining both the kids and the adults, annoyingly, this is one of the times when they are cheesy in this short TV movie. Basically it is Christmas Eve and the Muppets: Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire), The Great Gonzo (Dave Goelz), Fozzie Bear (Eric Jacobson, replacing Frank Oz), Pepe the Prawn (Bill Barretta) and Rizzo the Rat (also Whitmire), are all sending their letters to Santa in the North Pole. It is when they return to their apartment that Gonzo notices three letters, including one from his best friend, sweet little girl and neighbour Claire (Madison Pettis), have been undelivered. After trying a few attempts to find a way to get the letters delivered, Gonzo insists that all the male Muppets should help him take the letters to the North Pole themselves, while mean Miss Piggy (also Jacobson) stays behind for a vacation. They get a ride from Taxi Driver (Whoopi Goldberg) to the airport and find North Pole Airlines, where clerk Joy (Uma Thurman) gives them their tickets, before getting caught by a security guard. Officer Frank Meany (Nathan Lane), who has been a bully since not receiving his most wanted present from Santa, eventually lets them go, but they only get to the North Pole hanging tight onto the plane wing. After looking like they are too late to see Santa Claus (Richard Griffiths), he overhears them and comes down to give them a sleigh ride, and read the letters, Claire's, Meany and Pepe, before dropping them off home, and it turns out all Claire wanted was friends round. Also starring Whitmire as Statler and Beaker, Goelz as Waldorf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Zoot, Barretta as Swedish Chef, Rowlf and Dr. Teeth, Jacobson as Animal and Sam the Eagle, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jane Krakowski as Claire's Mom, Steve Schirripa and Tony Sirico as Mobsters and Paul Williams as Elf. There aren't really any highlights I can remember in this, apart from of course the cast cameos, but even they and the puppet characters we have grown to love over the years can't save this from schmaltzy Christmas mush, a silly short seasonal family comedy adventure. It was nominated the Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the Paul Williams song "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus". Adequate!

Synopsis: Kermit, Pepe, Miss. Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzy, and the rest of the Muppet crew go to the post office to deliver letters to Santa. While there, some mishaps occur and Gonzo forgets to deliver 3 letters. The gang has to find a way to get the letters to Santa and help him fulfill the Christmas wishes. The film has appearances from Jane Krakowski, Uma Thurman, Whoopi Goldberg, Jesse Martin, and Nathan Lane.Review: I am a big fan of the Muppets, but this film was more boring than magical. The sad thing is that the concept has potential: letters to Santa are accidentally left out of the mail and the Muppet gang has to first deliver them to Santa and then help Santa fulfill the wishes.The problem is this: the film wastes time in the letter delivery process. At the 30 minute mark of the 44 minute feature, Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzy, and Pepe are just arriving at the North Pole. The film spends less than a minute there-- with a beautiful exterior that goes to waste. We meet 1 elf, and never venture inside. Then, it's back to delivering the letters again, and the viewers finally see Santa 10 minutes before the film ends-- rushing the meat of the story: giving Santa the letters and making wishes come true.If the writers had been more intelligent, they would have spent only 10 minutes on delivery and the journey to the North Pole. The other 34 minutes then could have been spent in hijinks at Santa's Workshop (instead of the Post Office) and going from house to house making 3 or 4 special children's wishes come true.You might be better off re-watching The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Family Christmas, or even It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas (which parodies It's a Wonderful Life). All 3 are gems.

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.