Muppets from Space (G, 1999)

The plot of MUPPETS FROM SPACE focuses on a question that has intrigued Muppet fans for years: exactly what IS Gonzo? Gonzo feels alone and outcast, even in the midst of the busy Muppet group house. He dreams that Noah refuses to let him on the ark because there is only one of him, and Noah wants only pairs. But then he begins receiving messages and learns that he is an alien, and that his alien family is coming to meet him. There is a problem, though. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor), who works at a mysterious government office that tracks aliens, captures Gonzo and orders a scientist to remove his brain for study. Gonzo's pal Rizzo the Rat is put in a cage with lab rats. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, and the others set out to rescue them.

Like all Muppet movies, this latest entry has plenty of jokes to keep the parents happy while the kids are enjoying the story. There are sly references to just about every space movie classic, from The Day the Earth Stood Still to Independence Day and Men in Black (plus The Shawshank Redemption), and cameos from stars including Andie MacDowell, Ray Liotta, and David Arquette.

The score draws from performers like James Brown, The Commodores and Sly and the Family Stone, but the human performers are overwhelmingly white, a mistake also too often committed by the sci-fi movies so lovingly parodied. While this may not be the Muppets' all-time best film, it is a very pleasant way to spend a quick 90 minutes, and the best movie of the summer for families with younger children.

Studio: Columbia Tristar
Director: Tim Hill
Cast: Dave Goelz, Frank Oz, Jeffrey Tambor
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: July 14, 1999
DVD release: October 26, 1999
MPAA Rating: G