End Credits:
The Happytime Murders

The Happytime Murders is the new crime noir Muppet film for adults. It’s a gritty and dark comedy set in a world where puppets and humans co-exist, and begins with the stars of kids show Happytime being mysteriously offed one by one. The movie has been in development for over 10 years but while it may have some standout moments and the pedigree of the Henson family name attached, it’s been done better before – most obviously Peter Jackson’s kind of terrible and bizarre cult movie Meet the Feebles but also the Seth Green-starring Greg the Bunny, BBC Three’s Mongrels, Avenue Q, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and more.

Searching however takes an idea that’s been done before and improves on it. It’s filmed through the point of view of cameras on phones, laptops, CCTV, etc, like the Unfriended horror film franchise. The 16-year-old daughter of David Kim (John Cho) goes missing. With few leads elsewhere David checks his daughter’s laptop and must trace her digital footprint before he looses her forever. Its strength and originality come from the fact that rather than supernatural hauntings or some unlikely darkweb murder cult, the situation is realistic and believable.