As I settled into the cinema to catch the Press Screening of Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie, I really didn't know what to expect from the film.
Was it going to be a 'for kids only' film? Like a joke shared between best friends that you keep from your mom? In this case, I'm the mom and I won't be able to 'get' the gist of the jokes.
How would the adults who have been following the adventures of Charlie Brown & his imaginative beagle (and of course, his lovable pose) for over 50 years respond to the movie? And how will a new generation of iPad-dependent children, those who did not grow up reading the Sunday Comics section in newspapers (I swear, if I get asked what a newspaper is, I will pull my hair out) relate to these kids and their simple adventures?
How would the beloved hand-drawn figures of Charles Schulz, which were first created in the 1950's come alive in today's 3D animation?
There were so many questions that were racing through my mind as my fingers made their way through the popcorn-filled Snoopy container and as I drank iced tea through my Snoopy tumbler but once the movie started, it was both adults and children who were laughing throughout the cinema.
And you know what? It seemed that it was the adults who were laughing more boisterously than the kids in the movie house. So when my 60+ year old mother-in-law asked me how the movie was (she has yet to show interest in any of the movies I've reviewed) I told her without any hesitation (and with much confidence) that it was a movie that both kids and adults would surely enjoy.
Indeed, The Peanuts Movie pays homage to the classic comic strips your parents (or even, your grandparents) grew up with. I loved that the movie stayed true to a much simpler time, when the neighborhood kids would gather outside your house and call you out to play. Or when all you needed, was a little imagination to make your afternoons better. Yes kids, there was no Internet or iPad when I was growing up!
The whole movie, feels like a number of episodes put together, at times it may feel a little 'draggy' but a trip down memory lane and getting to be in a sense a child again, while watching the movie makes it all worth it. Also seeing the familiar skits, the characters you grew up with and even the simple Schulz-pencil sketch in the cinema, was a real treat as well.
I loved the simplicity of the plot, of how an insecure Charlie Brown overcomes challenges in order to impress the little red-haired girl. I loved that the story was dealing with conflicts like book reports, or a talent show, instead of 'saving the world' or battling nature or aliens. I loved how simple it all was, it brought me back to a time, when I myself faced those conflicts too, albeit without the help of an adorable beagle. 🐶
8/10 ⭐️s The Peanuts Movie is the light hearted movie, you go see with your parents, your kids, your nephews, your nieces, the whole family! And the kind of movie, which makes you warm and fuzzy all over. Really, nothing beats the classics and The Peanuts Movie is a great example of that. Now I just want to go to Mc Donald's and get myself (another) a Snoopy toy!
A Blue Sky animation and 20th Century Fox presentation, “Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts Movie” will open January 8, 2016 in theatres nationwide in the Philippines.
