The Muppets – “Bear Left Then Bear Writer”
Story by Dave Caplan & Gregg Mettler
Teleplay by Nell Scovell & Steve Rudnick
Directed by Randall Einhorn
Bear Left Then Bear Writer is a mixed bag episode, the storyline exploring the Kermit/Fozzie friendship is supported by two very weak B-plots, producing a show that has what may be the best long joke in the series so far, but makes us wander in the wilderness too long to get to it.
Kermit and Fozzie’s friendship isn’t really harped on that much in Muppets fiction, even though the two are always depicted as best friends. They just are friends, so an episode that gives some depth to the friendship is a welcome thing. We see Kermit’s reluctance to tell Fozzie the truth about his awful skit, first trying to hide from Fozzie, then lying so much Fozzie thinks he should quit his job and become a movie screenwriter, running off to the woods to work. Of course Kermit has to go bail him out of the latest jam, but not before we see via slideshow Kermit explaining how Fozzie helped him get out of a funk when he was striking out in getting Hollywood work.
The b plots are: Gonzo doing online dating, only he used a photo of the lesser Hemsworth brother on his profile and is meeting the lady, Debbie, later that afternoon. They use the Muppet influence to get Liam Hemsworth into their plot to do a switcheroo, except Liam decides he wants Debbie all for himself. They try to lead you away from the obvious conclusion by making Debbie a Muppet as well, but that wasn’t enough, and we get sadsack Gonzo as our payoff. =(
**Stephen Chow is rumored to star in a sequel to the latest Journey to the West film. Of course, he was rumored to start in the last one that he directed, and he doesn’t show up in it. There will also be more horror elements, and as the first one is sort of 50-50 horror-comedy, the new one might be scare-inducing. I’ll still watch…
**There will be a GI Joe 3. No word on how long this will get randomly delayed mere weeks before it’s set to open.
**The Biker Warrior Babe vs. The Zombie Babies From Hellmade enough off IndieGoGo to get distribution online.
**If you like weird movie titles like that, remember there is also a Steampunk Samurai Biker Chickthat filmed last year!
**The world needs more programs where a heroic white guy saves Asia, and we’re getting that again thanks to a remake of the Shogun tv miniseries (based on the novel by James Clavell). If heroic white guys saving the day aren’t your thing, you can also watch a heroic black football player get away with murder with an OJ Simpson miniseries. What company is giving us these gems? Fox, of course!
**Christina Applegate is rumored to be up for the role of Rusty Griswold’s wife in the new generation of National Lampoon’s Vacation films. Ed Helms is already cast as the new Rusty, who will be the one taking his family on vacation. And if you are wondering if Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo will appear, they are in talks now!
**Sex.Violence.FamilyValues is a 47 minute Singaporean flick banned in Singapore (until some scenes were deleted), but it just scored a US distribution. I’m not keen on paying to see such a short movie, though the fact it was banned/censored makes it more appealing. Though I’ll still wait for it on video.
**The Pete’s Dragon remake that has been rumored for ages has hit the point where they hired someone to make a script. David Lowery is the lucky ducky, and this Pete’s Dragon will ignore most of the story except the “core” and not be a musical. Will Disney drop the abused kid creating an “imaginary” dragon guardian angle and make this just a randomly dumb film? Or will they keep all that and make it all gritty? Considering Pete’s Dragon is the first film I remember seeing at a drive-in theater, it holds a special place in my heart. Which means I’ll burn down Disneyland if they fuck it up!!!
**Here is a kick butt article about things in the Peruvian rain forest, including spiders that make huge decoy spiders, macaws licking clay, very hairy caterpillars, and a moth that uses a basket as a cocoon.
Until next time, remember to vote early and vote often!
**Anchorman 2 will drop in theaters December 20, 2013. I hope someone is there to catch it! Adam McKay directs and Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate return.
**The Raid 2 (aka Berandal) is filming soon and has some new cast members: Julie Estelle as Hammer Girl, Alex Abbad, Marsha Timothy, Mathias Muchus, Tio Pakusadewu, and noted silat master Cecep Arif Rahman.
**Summit Entertainment has picked up Revoc, a pitch from Olaf de Fleur that is a “post-alien invasion thriller.” We’ll keep an eye open to see whatever the heck that is.
**The YA scifi novel Unwindhas been optioned for a flick by Constantin Film. Written by Neal Shusterman, it is yet another dystopian future book that takes place after an American civil war about abortion, where kids 13-17 can be harvested for organs if their parents want. The synopsis is filled with all sorts of book specific terms and I would probably never read it, but The Hunger Games made a lot of money, so prepare for dozens of dystopian futures!
**Hugh Jackman is officially in X-Men: Days of Future Past
**Angeilina Jolie will directUnbroken, a World War II POW flick about Louis Zamperini, who was an Olympic athlete before becoming a pilot and then a POW in Japan. It’s based on the book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.
