This gets a pretty good rating from me...I bought this movie thinking we'd see it once and it would get stored in our videos forever. But we watch it constantly. Even if my son watches it back to back, he's still captivated by it. It's a good movie...not bad for Sesame Street. The songs are good, except the one by Vanessa Williams - it's a bit bland, but of course, it would get stuck in our heads all day long. Mandy Patinkin is GREAT in this movie, just awesome. Perfect guy for the part. Good singing voice too.

It's a cute movie. It does have lots of funny parts that only a kid will find funny and a parent will roll their eyes when the kid is not looking, but on the whole, it's amusing. The interruptions from Ernie and Bert are actually kind of cute, but any more of them would have been annoying.

We like it. Good, clean, wholesome entertainment.

I admit that I'm not that familiar with the "Sesame Street" episodes that focus primarily on Elmo. The funny thing is that Elmo was originally just a background character and didn't become the focus until the 1990's. It's still great to have a movie based on "Sesame Street", especially when there are only two in existence. I did find this to be too short. I mean, I look at the Muppet movies and find that they're a lot longer and a lot funnier. A downside here was probably how I really wanted more focus on the other characters. "Sesame Street" has given us so many iconic characters and only Elmo and Oscar the Grouch really have a big role here.

I admit that I'm not familiar with Zoey. Well, it was nice to be introduced to her more, I suppose. This just didn't seem like it was enough for a full movie and more like just a long episode of the show. That being said, it's by no means bad. It's especially fun to see Bert and Ernie appear throughout the movie and literally comment on it. I guess I'm just not much of an Elmo fan and am a lot more into Big Bird. Characters like Cookie Monster and the Count should have had way more of a role. Of course, it does nothing to ruin a beloved series and "Sesame Street" really should live on forever. I guess I liked this for the nostalgia, it just didn't have the characters I'm more familiar with. **1/2

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999): Dir: Gary Halvorson / Cast: Mandy Patinkin, Vanessa Williams, Roscoe Orman, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath: Question as to what is inside Oscar's trash can is answered as Elmo anxiously tumbles in after his blanket. He ends up in Grouchland where his cheery personality penetrates. The place is overpopulated with grouches with one common enemy in Mandy Patinkin. He takes ownership of everything he touches including Elmo's blanket. Director Gary Halvorson develops a colorful new world but the story is limited segments or episodes to test Elmo as he draws closer to his prize. Why Patinkin needs Elmo's blanket is something only a psychiatrist can answer but he is perfectly cast and never talks down at viewers. Vanessa Williams plays the Queen of trash given a lame task against Elmo but she manages to glimmer and be of good sport. Veteran performers from Sesame Street including Roscoe Orman as Gordon, Bob McGrath as Bob, and Sonia Manzano as Maria make appearances from the popular show and overact horribly. Elmo may be too annoying for adults but children will grasp the message of sharing and friendship. Grouches learn that there is much in life to smile about while adults may want no dealings in Grouchland. They may take time for that once school report cards are issued. Score: 7 / 10