The Peanuts Movie

Cafe Society
1

Hey that Peanuts movie was pretty good.

I took my 8-year-old son to it on Saturday and we both enjoyed it. The movie was true to the characters though I think they softened them just a wee bit (they seem awfully mean now in the TV specials).

They have a lot of callbacks to previous stuff like when the kids dance like in the Christmas special or when Lucy flips out when Snoopy kisses her on the nose. A lot of the story is based on the strips much like the specials were but I also think Charlie Brown stretches a bit as a character. There’s a nice moment near the end where he’s talking to the Little Red Haired Girl and it feels earned and not forced into place.

I did like the animation as well. It was kind of an odd mix, the characters were CGI modeled but their eyes and teeth seemed “flat.” Also Snoopy’s nose was textured like a real dog. This all worked for me, they had the spirit of the characters but they are in a new medium. Much of the backgrounds during Snoopy’s battles with the Red Baron were also realistic which also looked interesting behind a flying doghouse.

I recommend it. I don’t think a teenager would appreciate it but my grade school son liked it. I think adults looking to appreciate the nostalgia will like it too.

2

Took my 7 and 5 year olds to it on Sat. I didn’t really care for it and I thought it had few original laughs (or really any laughs).

My 5 year old laughs hysterically at snoopy in the ‘old’ specials but I think he might have only snickered a few times during the movie. The animation was good for sure though and I like the way it seemed old and new at the same time.

Overall a big meh from me though.

3

I thought it was very competently done but not inspired.

4

I refuse to spend money to see it. Based on the ads, the artwork is an abomination. It looks like those godawful ViewMaster reels from when I was a kid. It’s anything but true to the characters.

5

I’ll probably wait until it comes out on Redbox. Our Q4 budget is probably enough to see maybe two films in theater, and I’d like 'em to be Spectre and Star Wars.

6

Based on the ads, the artwork is impressive. It looks like those cool ViewMaster reels from when I was a kid. It’s updated but true to the characters.

7

A viewmaster reel burned my house down and killed my family.

Not sure if I’ll see the movie.

8

You shouldn’t have left it plugged in right next to the bathtub.

9

My husband is a lifelong Snoopy fan, and my kids (5, 6, 8 and 9) have seen all the TV episodes and specials over the years.

We LOVED this film. It was sweet and funny, without resorting to being crass or gross. I actually got a little choked up during the ending, which was beautifully done.

I think it was everything it should have been. Is it similar to other movies (pixar, etc) aimed at the same demographic? Not at all. Very different from other current kids fare. But I thought it was quietly fantastic, myself.

10

Was it one of the talking Viewmasters?

11

#NotAllViewmasters

12

I was looking for a thread. I saw it on Saturday and was thoroughly entertained. I did think that it was sweeter than classic Peanuts – this story would not have been told during Charles Schultz’s lifetime.

I thought they did a nice job with the animation – the characters were extremely recognizable, but dimensional enough to work in this form of animation.

The kids in the theater with me all seemed to think that Snoopy was hysterically funny.

13

My 10 y.o. loved it. I was entertained, but thought it was fairly standard Peanuts.

I think it’s a good movie for younger kids. Nostalgic parents may enjoy as well.

14

I am a huge Peanuts fan and I thought the movie was very respectful of the original cartoons, which was my biggest concern. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I can see why others might not-- it is a lot of rehashing of Peanuts Greatest Hits and not much ‘new’ stuff other than the new animation.

Incidentally, we ended up seeing it in 3D because the other showing was sold out, and I thought the 3D was pretty well done (normally I hate 3D).

15

Snoopy has always been the only good thing about Peanuts, the rest of them are horrible people.

16

Saw it last night. Delightful! Check out the name on the moving van. Probably other Easter eggs, but that’s the one I noticed. Scene at the end was a very positive message. And if you didn’t already know it, Snoopy’s sounds were all the original Bill Melendez voices, restored.

Just one thing I wonder, though. When CB admitted the test paper wasn’t his, why didn’t he say whose it really was? Even if Peppermint Patty was zonked out, he knew when he saw it that it was hers, so he should have added that bit of info before leaving the stage.

17

I think this sums it up.

I saw a sneak preview sponsored by my company (since Snoopy is our mascot), and it was OK. It mined nostalgia pretty well and we liked the message that caring, integrity, and hard work are better character traits than “effortlessly smart” or “popular.”

Still, it seemed to drag, and maybe I’ve been reading too much Flick Filosopher, but gads, the representation of female characters is terrible (3 girls whose main trait is sexually harassing boys, and one who has no traits except being a romantic object - to the point she doesn’t even have a name!). I fully concede that this is consistent with Schultz’s work and not an invention of the movie-makers though.

18

Just saw this today.

Saw it in 2D, and that was fine with me. I wish I could have seen it in 3D, but it wasn’t an option. And I really doubt I’d pay to see it again in a theater just for that.

As others have mentioned, I thought they did a pretty good job with character continuity. If you remember a character from the past, they are pretty consistent and did a nice job updating it for today’s audience.

The other thing I thought they did great was the voices. To me, there was very little difference in what memories I had of the characters and how they sounded today. Kids wouldn’t care as much, obviously, but for an adult with better memories of the voices from those animated specials, I was surprised at how close they were.

One strong memory of the “Peanuts” strip that I never enjoyed as a kid was the Snoopy as the WWI flying ace, fighting the Red Baron, and all that nonsense. I never got that as a kid, and as an adult, it was still painfully unfunny. Charles Schulz had some sort of a weird connection with the “Sopwith Camel”, and I always wondered if he got one as a toy when he was a kid or something. But that “theme” always fell flat for me, and IMO they used that a bit too much in the movie.

I also enjoyed the dancing that copied the old Christmas special exactly. There were a couple of new characters they added and their dances were equally unique and funny. Kids and adults both laughed during the dance scenes.

I don’t remember any of the little girls having a crush on Pig Pen, but that was an ok addition. And they gave Good Ol’ Charlie Brown a nicer finish than he’s ever had. He wasn’t the perma-failure that he was from the old strips, but I think that was to be expected in today’s PC environment. It was even better than the “Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!” finish from the original Christmas special in that he was seen as a good guy by everyone (including Lucy!) for much of the movie.

One thing I am curious about… I haven’t followed Peanuts for a long time, but I don’t recall the “little red-haired girl” ever being seen. She was always out of the picture, someone Charlie Brown always admired from afar. She is “unmasked” so to speak in this movie, and I was curious if this is the first time she has ever been animated… Anyone know?

I understand why they decided to show her in the movie, but if this was the first time she has ever been seen, I would have preferred if they kept her face hidden from view. I always liked the mystery of “the little red-haired girl”.

Nothing special here, but a very good “G” rated movie for kids. Very tame by today’s standards, and I think that was a good thing. No need to go crazy with this brand. I don’t think Schulz would have objected to this movie at all.

19

For a long time, I thought Peggy Jean was the little red-haired girl, but I eventually learned I was mistaken.

To the best of my knowledge, no, the little red-haired girl was never shown, but I haven’t seen most of the later TV specials.

20

Which Snoopy was in the movie? The self absorbed asshole from the strips, or the lovable little elf from the specials?