Review of The Peanuts Movie (2015) by Josh K — 08 Mar 2016

A film based on Charles M. Schulz's classic comic strip finally arrives to the big screen, the first feature film in 35 years. The film is a visual delight, with a strong nostalgia feel, honoring Schluz's memory and the love of the characters.

Most composed as a series of vignettes, the film's main focus is around Charlie Brown trying to improve his odds when he falls in love with the new girl at school, the Little Red-Haired Girl, while Snoopy writes a book about the Flying Ace trying to save his love interest and fellow pilot, Fifi.

Unlike the television specials which were hand drawn, this film is entirely computer animated, though still capturing the feel of a Schulz comic. The characters match the look of their comic strip characters perfectly. The child stars in this film who depict the main characters are perfectly cast, especially Noah Schnapp as Charlie Brown, Hadley Belle Miller as Lucy, Alexander Garfin as Linus and Mariel Sheets as Sally Brown, Charlie's younger sister. The new actors not only honor the original actors from the television specials, while also making the characters their own. The use bringing back the archive footage of Bill Melendez as Snoopy and Woodstock further honors the nostalgia, proving that no actor can be seen as these two classic characters, further adding to the comedy and hilarity of the story.

The music adds wonderfully to the storyline, such as the use of Vince Guaraldi's source music in several key scenes, such as Linus and Lucy and Christmas Time is Here. Christophe Beck composes a very good and memorable original score for the film which perfectly fits in the universe of the Peanuts World.

While viewers may grow tire of Charlie Brown constantly failing, I will say that I defend this, since it suits the character and shows that he is human, almost like most people in real life who constantly fail and repeatedly pick themselves up. Also the involvement of Schulz's family, Craig Schulz (his son) and Bryan Schulz (his grandson), helps this film feel a lot like the Schulz comic strip and television specials. Even no involvement of the Schulz family was present the film wouldn't feel like a Peanuts film, it would just seem weird, but having Schulz's family involved further helps the film succeed and work as a true Peanuts film.

The end result is a film that not only honors the memory of the Peanuts, but also introduces it to a new generation of filmgoers and also pleases the people that grew up with the comics and television specials. The Flying Ace is present, a staple of the comics and television specials, while Lucy is still up to her old tricks and Charlie is constantly worrying.

For me, this film is the best animated film of 2015 and not only enjoyable, but a film that you will want to watch over and over again, even along with the television specials. Well done everyone!