I got to watch the Peanuts movie a couple of weeks ago back in November and I gotta say, I enjoyed it, every moment of it, it was a great cartoon/comic to movie I have ever seen in years, and I shall explain why.
Story: Charlie Brown is still being ridiculed for his actions and is being put down because of it, but once a new red haired neighbor moves in, he does all in his power and capabilities (with the help of his friends) to try and turn things around and try to be popular and cool and get teh red haired girls attention. Now, I was kind of expecting to see some kind of big humongus adventure out of this movie given the nature of Blue Sky's movies, but I was plesently surprised by how they were able to keep to such a tame level when it came to a story based on a simple comic strip of kids and a dog doing their everyday things and just being kids of course, so it was fresh to see that in an animated movie. Again, it's not the kind of story that most people would think if they watched an animated film, but it really captures the essence of what made Peanuts so popular. Oh, and also, their is a subplot which involves Snoopy finding a typewriter and making a story about him challanging the Red Baron and rescuing Fifi the poodle from him. It helps break up the pace if things become to slow for the audience, or the kiddies.
Characters: I know a lot of you probably know the characters, but lets just run through them anyway. Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) is the typical kid who tries to do good but usually screws up and takes the bad end of it. but in this movie, he tries to be a much better and popular guy once the Little Red Haird Girl enters his life. Linus (Alex Garfin) is Charlies best friend who is famous for carrying a nlue blanket around and sucking his thumb. Despite his child-like appearence, he speaks very smartly and offers a lot of insight and advice for Charlie Brown in his times of need and frustration, a voice of reason if you will. Lucy (Hadley Belle Miller) is the big sister to Linus and is pretty much the bossy one of the movie who, at times, offers her help to Charlie (in return for a nickle) when he is in dire need of asistence. shes what you'd expect to be the antagonist of the film, but in a way that's not to be a threat to Charlie, but a means for him to keep persuing his goals. Snoopy (Bill Melendez, archive recordings) is Charlies pet and companion who not only goes off to do his own shinanigans, but is willing to be their whenever Charlie is in trouble or offer support and encouragement to his owner. While their are more characters in this film then I can count, let me just say that all of them are portrayed very well and really keep to what we know the characters by from their strip and animated adaptations. The voices of Charile, Linus, Lucy, and Sally are well picked and suit them perfectly, almost like their cartoon counterparts. and while you could have gotten someone else to do the voice for Snoopy, the voice that Bill Melendez created is so iconic, you can't picture Snoopy with any other voice (well, except for Cam Clarke in the Snoopy Musical tv special)
Animation: Oh my god, oh my dear sweet god. How do I put this. The animation is beyond spectacular, it's incredible. I've been wanting computer animation to reach new heights and try new things, and Peanuts movie delivers it in spades. What Blue Sky's did is beyond anything I'd of ever expected from the company, it's by far their best looking animation to date. Blue Sky was able to take the old style of the comics and cartoons and transfer them into the CGI flawlessly. Characters move around the enviornments like they were 2-D with limited frames in animation that compliment their rather simple designs perfectly. Sure, their are some detailed affects like Snoopy's fur or outfits the characters wear, but that adds to the flair and creativity to the animations. Also, the enviornments and gorgous and really capture the world that the characters live in, I'd of sworn just looking at them, they were actual photographs taken and placed in the CGI world.
Music: While you'd expect some kind of simple musical composition in the same veins as the original, you'd be right for the most part, but then you have some very nice sweeping compositions provided by none other then Christophe Beck (Buffy, Frozen, Muppets 2011) who really captured the feel of Peanuts without steering away from what you'd hear from a special, it really compliments the overal gorgous animation and scenery to near perfection. also, you get some familiar toons from the specials like the Peanuts theme and the Peanuts Christmas theme too.
The overal score I give this film is a 9 out of 10. It is wothout a doubt the best animated movie to be based off a cartoon/comic ever. It never steers away from its original formula to enter into the world of pop culture and crude humor jokes that plague other kinds of movies of it's genra *Cough* Smurfs, Chipmunks, Yogi *Cough* and is a must watch for anyone who is a die hard peanuts fan, or even someone wanting to get into animation. I highly recomend it.
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9 years, 8 months ago
02 Dec 2015 23:53 CET
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