My Movie Review on The Peanuts Movie (2015) · 11:13pm Mar 14th, 2021
Greetings, my friends.
This is your top-of-the-line film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Today, for my 210th film analysis, I'm gonna give you guys my take of "The Peanuts Movie".
Here's the rundown of this film:
After a Little Red-Haired Girl moves in across the street from Charlie Brown, Charlie himself becomes infatuated with her and becomes determined to impress her in any way possible. However, it will not be an easy matter because of how shy he is even when he tries to just talk to her. That, and he's constantly finding himself the subject of bad luck.
Meanwhile, when Snoopy discovers a typewriter that was apparently thrown away, he decides to write his own book. The story he's writing is about a World War 1 flying ace who falls in love with another dog named Fifi, and it's partially inspired by the events happening with Charlie.
In all honesty, I wasn't originally planning on doing an analysis of this movie yet. But, when I found out that Blue Sky Studios, the animation company who made this movie, was gonna be closing down due to financial problems and because Disney (who previously acquired Blue Sky's parent company, 20th Century Fox) was unable to continue supporting them due to the COVID-19 pandemic taking its toll on them...well, I thought that reviewing this movie would serve as a perfect dedication to Blue Sky.
The first time I ever saw this movie was a really long time ago, and while I don't remember exactly when I saw it...I remember having the time of my life watching it. Seeing it again via Disney+ was definitely something I had no hesitation to do, that's for sure.
So, what do I think of this movie after all these years?
I really can't lie, this movie's TOTAL AWESOMENESS!!!
As the very first Charlie Brown film to be made after the death of the source material's creator, Charles M. Schulz, I believe this is something that the big man himself would be very proud of.
For instance, the direction by Steve Martino, and the screenplay by Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, and Cornelius Uliana, were spectacular!
When it came to making sure the movie was as faithful to the source material as possible, the filmmakers managed to successfully accomplish doing just that. Under the direction of Steve Martino and the involvements of Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, and Cornelius Uliana (who were not just the writers but co-producers of the film), the team was able to capture the spirit and innocence that made classic Charlie Brown installments special, and they were obviously quite committed and passionate towards this project. The humor and comedic-timings the film had were a blast to watch, having a tremendous innocence and wit that made them irresistibly hilarious. In addition to this, the filmmakers created perhaps the most emotionally-invested member of the Peanuts filmography I've ever seen. It contained heart that made it larger than life, and great morals and themes about persistence and being yourself.
The animation was astonishing, if I may add.
Admittedly, I've sometimes wondered why Blue Sky couldn't switch things up by making the movie hand-drawn animated instead of computer-animated, because it would've been an interesting change of pace for the company and a great way to make the film all-the-more different from the rest of their filmography. Nevertheless, I was amazed by how well the computer-animation translated with the art style of the comics and classic installments of the franchise, and it not only helped the movie be unique as a Charlie Brown film but gave it a sense of something incredibly cinematic. Plus, the hand-drawn animation used for the thinking bubbles was both really fun to watch and a great compromise to go with the computer-animation.
The music by Christophe Beck was likewise magnificent.
Among many things, he not only managed to do the late Vince Guaraldi proud but directly capture the spirit originated by the late composer, all the while making everything his own. I particularly enjoyed the cinematic height and emotion he gave his score, and I loved that he took the time to quote or re-record much of Guaraldi's material too. And I'm not gonna lie, the song "Better When I'm Dancin'" (which was made and sung by Meghan Trainor) was a highlight among others, because it brought a great sense of fun to the movie and felt like an instantly uplifting fit for a Charlie Brown film. As a matter of fact, I thought the song was so good I uploaded it to my Music app.
Finally, the voice acting, characters, and character development were outstanding.
It was absolutely amazing how Blue Sky and the filmmakers were able to preserve the personalities of the characters, as well as capture the innocence that Charles Schulz himself gave them in every installment he wrote. There was even an increase in depth that helped the characters be remarkably three-dimensional, and the vocal performers portrayed their parts like pros!
It was Charlie Brown whom I thought developed the most throughout the movie, and his drive and determination to accomplish the goals he had made me root for him every step of the way. Plus, Snoopy had all of the funniest moments in the film, and I had a great time watching him write his story and imagine himself as the flying ace.
In conclusion, "The Peanuts Movie" is a movie that's not only one of the best of Blue Sky's works, but it's one of the most faithful and lovable adaptions of a cartoon or comic series I've ever watched. I can definitely see why it's Blue Sky's most critically acclaimed feature, that's for sure.
So, I rate "The Peanuts Movie" five out of five stars.
Farewell, Blue Sky Studios (February 22, 1987-April 10, 2021)
Your movies were truly one of a kind.
And to all the people who worked there, I hope you'll find a new place where you can gain work and success.
I loved this movie. It was just the sweetest thing.
As a long time Charlie Brown fan and of this film, 5/5 stars from me too!
It's a shame that Blue Skies Studios never got the chance to make a sequel for this film before Disney announced that it would be shut down.
I feel like this movie serves as a series finale to the Peanuts comics in a sense that Charlie Brown finally gains what he’s been craving since the series started.
true to the original peanuts comics and specials! Five stars indeed!