The Peanuts Movie.

I've been a Peanuts fan ever since I was a kid. Like most everyone else, I grew up watching all of the different holiday specials. Peanuts has always been my favorite comic strip and for a long time, it was the only one I even read in the newspaper. I used to cut out the Peanuts comic every day and keep them in a box under my bed. (No, I don't do that anymore and I've since thrown them out. I'm not a hoarder!)

 

When I first heard about the new Peanuts movie, my reaction involved a lot of scoffing and eye-rolling. (I'm generally not a big fan of modern remakes. When the original is good enough, why even mess with it?) But when I saw the trailer in theaters, it was actually cute and made me want to see the film.

 

I was so pleasantly surprised with The Peanuts Movie! It was adorable. Really, that's the best word I can use to describe this film, ha.

This movie pays homage to Peanuts in such a sweet, respectful way. It feels modern but somehow it has all of the charm and timelessness of the original specials and the comic strip. It's familiar, full of classic Peanuts quotes and characters and themes, but it never feels repetitive. Even the animation style isn't too glossy or modern...it's got a slightly sketchy, imperfect look. I also really loved the voices of all of the kids. (And they still used Bill Melendez's voice from recordings for Snoopy and Woodstock, which was such a nice touch!)

It turns out that Charles Schulz's son and grandson were very involved in the making of the movie, which is why it turned out so well, I'm sure. I'm glad that the humor is classic Peanuts style, and not dumbed down jokes or potty humor like so many modern kids' movies.

I'm sure nostalgia had something to do with it, but I had a goofy grin on my face during the whole film. It made me laugh a lot, and I even got teary-eyed several times. At almost 25, I'm quite a bit older than the intended audience, but I enjoyed this movie so much. And honestly, to me Peanuts has always seemed just as much for adults as for kids. I wish they were making more films like this.

{My only complaint is a tiny one: there's a modern song in the film that feels out of place. It's a bit jarring after the classic jazzy background music and it clashes with the timeless feeling of the movie.}

 

 

Have you seen The Peanuts Movie? What did you think?