Review of The Peanuts Movie (2015) by Shpostal — 08 Nov 2015

I have adored "Peanuts" since I was able to read, at least as far back as I can remember. At age 54 I still love the strip for its groundbreaking work, with kids facing adult problems, antics, and artwork that would influence every strip that contained kids. "Calvin" from "Calvin and Hobbes" would be impossible without Shulz' being there with his own imagination first, like Snoopy's never ending battle with the Red Baron or other imagined characters like the great "Joe Cool", various star athletes or a great novelist.

So the movie was one that would be a tough call - make it wilder and decidedly different from the "Peanuts" we grew up with, or pay slavishly close attention to the original strip, with some of the classic jokes and keeping that original feel and magic. Wisely this movie is true Peanuts all the way, the most startling evolution, if you can call it that is the more dimensional characters, a big change from the flat cartoon style previous Peanuts TV and movie productions were.

While this movie won't replace "A Charlie Brown Christmas" as the classic and best Christmas special ever, in my opinion, it is a delight for us lifelong blockheads, and we get to see the little red haired girl for the first time!

Snoopy and Woodstock provide the yucks as this pair work on that "famous" novel "It Was A Dark and Stormy Night", and Snoopy finds himself rescuing his love Fifi from that despicable Red Baron.

But it's Charlie Brown who steals the show, and the movie does focus on what makes Charlie Brown so likable in the first place - a heart of gold, and despite his never ending failures, a spirit that refuses to give up. It's a good life lesson for all of us, to be the best, most honest people we can be, and never let the world beat us down. I for one appreciate the conclusion which I won't spoil here, and recommend this movie for all "Peanuts" fans, young and old. The director didn't mess with a winning formula, and Charlie Brown fans worldwide rejoice.