By Barb Young —
I grew up in a home with a Peanuts obsession. Every holiday we watched the corresponding Peanuts film. We also decorated our house with Peanuts figurines, some that sang, some that danced and some that just sat there. Charlie Brown Christmas tree? Yeah, we had that up every year. So to summarize, I LOVE The Peanuts.
I was pretty excited to see this movie come out, but also nervous. They were using strange new animation and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
However, I’m pleased to report I enjoyed the movie. The movie focuses on the storyline of the Little Red-Haired Girl who moves into the house across from Charlie Brown, but it aggregates several subplots and mini-stories that call on classic Charlie Brown references. Snoopy and Woodstock gets their own subplot with the Red Barron, Joe Cool makes an appearance, Lucy holds psychiatrist sessions for a nickel and the Kite eating tree gets several meals.
The movie comes across as a collection of comic strips, but in a way that doesn’t feel disjointed, but instead methodically cut apart and pieced together. The overall flow of the movie isn’t something that’s going to suck you in, but it’s enjoyable to sit back and enjoy. The animation is a bit disorienting for the first few minutes. It looks as though someone has made a movie with felt cutouts of the original characters and given them a 3D feel, but the weird animation fades into the background quickly, allowing you to enjoy the film.
Despite the clear aim at children (as shown through the short shown before the film starring the obnoxious ice age rodent ‘Scrat’, who this time goes to space. Wooo.), I think college students are the perfect age for enjoying “The Peanuts Movie”
Charlie Brown and his friends have always been a strange combination of adult wisdom and childish issues, but combined, these two elements spell out every issue of the average college student.
The movie is charming. I can’t think of a better way to summarize it. Is it the movie of the year? No, but it is cute, enjoyable and chock full of nostalgia.