Random Movie Review - The Peanuts Movie

So when compared to other animation studios such as Disney (which includes Pixar as well as their own animated works), DreamWorks Animation, Illumination Entertainment and WAG, Blue Sky just aren't that interested in making other films besides Ice Age. With the other studios, they do more films for one franchise as well, but generally have other films in the pipeline to add more variety. Illumination Entertainment for example have done at least 4 Despicable Me films and manage to create original stand alone films to great success. Meanwhile WAG have made a number of LEGO films and they too have stuff in the pipeline. The bottom line is that a studio needs variety in order to succeed and last I checked, I don't think anyone on the planet really cares about the Ice Age films anymore. So now we come to Blue Sky's most successful film other than Horton Hears A Who which is regarded as the best Dr Seuss film out there. And it is all too nostalgic for those of you who remember characters like Charlie Brown and Snoopy from our childhood. And with it being directed by the director of Horton Hears A Who and produced by the son of the comic strip's creator, I think we are in good hands here. So let's get to it:

Commemorating the 65th anniversary of the comic strip as well as the 50th anniversary of the TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas, the film sees Charlie Brown (voiced by Noah "Stranger Things" Schnapp) is up to his usual shenanigans with the rest of the children in the neighbourhood as well as his dog Snoopy (voiced by the late Bill Melendez from the original cartoon via archival recordings) and his birdy friend Woodstock (also voiced by Melendez, again via archival recordings). A red haired girl (voiced by Francesca Capaldi, no relation to Doctor Twelve) moves into the neighbourhood which attracts the attention of all the children as well as Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown then starts to have crushes on this girl and spends the film trying to impress her to win her affection. Meanwhile, Snoopy and Woodstock find a typewriter and start writing a story about romance and action.

It's a great film. It shows that when given to the right people, it can be done faithfully to the original source material and people will like that. This is what we need Blue Sky. More films like this and less of Ice Age. The animation brings the world of Peanuts up to date while giving everyone a 3D appearance while still looking recognisable. They all sound like kids which is how it should be (along with the iconic "wah wah" voice for the adult characters) and its just a sweet film with an action packed subplot to go with it. 10/10