Sam Jones | Disney

Amy Adams and Jason Segel star as Mary and Gary in Disney’s “The Muppets,” coming to theaters on Nov. 23, 2011.

The Muppets were a very important part of my childhood. I was Beaker for Halloween once and won a costume contest.

Watching the Muppets 4D experience at Disney World remains the only time I’ve ever been okay with a 4D movie. So when I heard they were making a new movie, I was both excited and terrified. The franchise had been dormant for so long—could they really revive it? The answer is yes, and in near-perfect form, too.

“The Muppets” is the story of Walter, a puppet (voiced by Peter Linz), and his brother Gary (Jason Segel), a human, living in Smalltown, USA. Gary and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) go on a romantic getaway to Los Angeles, and Walter tags along. They go to Muppet Studios, where Walter overhears the diabolical plan of the oilman Tex Richman to buy the studio and destroy it for more oil. The only way to stop him is if the original Muppets can get back together and raise $10 million.

And so Walter, Gary and Mary travel to round up the Muppets. At this point, the movie truly begins to feel like a Muppets movie. They break the fourth wall and find themselves in absolutely ridiculous yet hilarious situations. There are explosions, maniacal laughs, and montages set to ’80s music. At one point, they kidnap Jack Black. And all of the best Muppets appear, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, the Swedish Chef, and Statler and Waldorf.

Segel, an actor I am not fond of, won me over with his pitch-perfect portrayal of someone who would believe that a Muppet was his brother. He also co-wrote the movie, and his passion for the Muppets really shows. Adams is also great in the girlfriend role, though some of her musical numbers feel like “Enchanted: Fully Loaded.” Chris Cooper is dynamite as the villain, and at one point he raps. Academy Award-winner Chris Cooper raps. And it works brilliantly. The cameos are all worthwhile. My personal favorite was Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as Miss Piggy’s secretary at French Vogue.

It’s not a Muppets movie without musical numbers, and those are some of the highlights of the movie. The new songs fit right in with the Muppet canon, and the old songs are given their due. Bret McKenzie of “Flight of the Conchords” wrote the songs, which look to be Oscar favorites in the Best Original Song category.

Most importantly, “The Muppets” will introduce their brand of classic characters to a new generation, which will hopefully love the Muppets as much as I do.