11/5/15

The Peanuts Movie

Yup. It's the old gang, ready for a trip down Memory Lane in this G-rated romp which celebrates the classic personalities we love...although for the little 'uns, it goes on a bit too long and the 3D i$ a wa$te! Remember, the story is the thing and in this one we have two stories running side by side: Charlie Brown's latest dilemma and Snoopy's air battles with the Red Baron.

This is capably directed by Steve Martino ("Ice Age: Continental Drift") with a script written by Charles Schulz's grandson Bryan and produced by Bryan's father Craig. Three Schulz generations have been involved in Charlie Brown's life. What a legacy!

The cast:
  • Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) is, once again, an underdog. That kite will NOT stay up and that new red-haired girl in his class has him tongue-tied. The book "How to Be a Winner" is his only hope. "Good Grief!"
  • Snoopy (Bill Melendez) is an underdog's dog, but he never stops trying. "Curse you, Red Baron!"
  • Lucy van Pelt (Hadley Belle Miller) is exasperated by Charlie's incompetence but even more upset when it looks like he might succeed. "You blockhead!" And let's not forget her unrequited love for Schroeder.
  • Sally (Mariel Sheets) is an upbeat and admiring little sister, but the stars in her eyes are for Linus.
  • Schroeder (Noah Johnston) even plays the 20th Century Fox theme as the movie opens! And that dratted Lucy will NOT leave him alone!
  • Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Capaldi) Just her presence reduces Charlie Brown to a red-faced mute. Watch him try to ring the doorbell at her house.
  • Peppermint Patty (Venus Schultheis) is the smartest one in the class ...and she knows it!
  • Marcie (Rebecca Bloom) is Peppermint Patty's faithful retainer. "Wake up, Sir!"
We can't forget Linus and Pig-Pen, either. As always, the central issue is acceptance and success, but the heart and soul of these characters rests on the shoulders of the brilliant animators, who remind us why we love these guys.

I saw reminders from my own childhood: a tooth-marked pencil, playing crack the whip, learning to dance, pinching fingers in three-ring binder, and overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. This movie puts Charlie Brown in the middle of a moral dilemma where it would be much easier to allow a lie than to tell the truth.

The adults, as you may recall, are represented by the "Wah-Wah" machine and the other voices are excellent.
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Take a look:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi503427097
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