I’ve watched a lot of movies in this class over the semester, but it is hard to say that I was really affected by any of them. Did they offer contrasting views of New York City? Yes. But did any of them really change my life? Not really.

Now if I am being asked which movie I liked the best, the answer is simple: The Muppets Take Manhattan. Hensen’s 1984 film is a cut above the rest, in my opinion.

First, who can truthfully say that he or she does not enjoy a musical, especially one with puppets? The musical quality of the film lends a whimsical tone that the others movie lack, what with their murders, unnamed cats, and crazy cab drivers.

Next, Miss Piggy. Miss Piggy is a fantastic character who, while she is a wacky puppet, can serve as a role model for any girl. She does not allow herself to fall victim to cat-callers on the street, she chases down a thief all on her own when no one lifts a finger to help her, and she looks fantastic doing it all. And let’s not forget that she sings a song about how she wants to be a mother but will also master every career known to man and tricks Kermit the Frog into marrying her. Miss Piggy will not be confined in any gender boxes; that is important for young girls to see.

Finally, I felt like The Muppets Take Manhattan was actually one of the realest films I watched this semester, despite its being a goofy comedy, at least regarding people who want to make it big on Broadway. The gang, just out of college, thinks that they can make it on Broadway in just one day when they are discussing the locker situation, claiming that “It’s only for one night; we’ll be on Broadway tomorrow.” But then, they are rudely awakened to find that it is not actually that easy. They end up having to all go separate ways and take terrible jobs just to support themselves. I think that is really realistic because it is really representative of all the young people who come to New York hoping to become famous. The muppets could have been successful on Broadway right away and the film could have just shown them struggling during the production of the show, and that would have been much more unrealistic. This movie also does not shy away from showing the less-than-perfect parts of New York City: the cat-calling construction workers, the thief in Central Park, and the jokes about rats in the restaurants. It is really important that the director did not depict a perfect New York City because the only impressions some people get of other cities are from movies, so it would be almost cruel to lie to people and make them think that this city is a wonderland where the streets are paved with gold. Lastly, this movie shows the audience that, sometimes, people find success by luck; sometimes you just need to meet the right person with the right connections. That truth might be tough to hear, but it still is the truth.

So, maybe The Muppets Take Manhattan did affect me the most in a way. It confirmed some truths for me about New York City and provided powerful influences through characters that people need.

Side note: Did anyone else find it really disturbing that the Swedish Chef guy had human hands? That kind of messed me up for a few minutes.