Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day. (C) Fox

We may not have asked for a feature length rendition of The Peanuts, but I was caught off guard with how much I really liked it. Usually when this happens, critics aren’t too pleased with the end result. And who can blame them. We are bombarded with Hollywood trying to turn nostalgia into franchises and ultimately into brands. On paper, it didn’t captivate me. The first trailer looked promising and other spots. The poster was adorable. All the people who “Peanutized” themselves became a social media phenomena. The Peanuts Movie works as a way to keep the fans of an older generation happy while winning over the younger generation. It is a win-win of a movie.

What I admired about The Peanuts Movie was how it maintained the old fashioned innocence of the beloved comics and animated series. The creators didn’t sneak sexualized humor nor a lot of technology. This is pretty much a simplistic movie that brings the old show to life with a modern technological upgrade from the animated creators of Ice Age. There are moments that repeat line by line dialogue from the characters and moments. Thankfully, it infuses a lot of fresh scenes mixing new scenes with old moments. There is a sense of innocence I appreciated. From good grief to what a relief. This could’ve been like the crude version of THE MUPPETS airing on ABC. Thankfully, it isn’t!

The Peanuts Movie offers a lot of charm for fans and general audiences. People who aren’t familiar with the cast of characters will enjoy watching it though fans will love this movie. The Peanuts Movie doesn’t even hint at cynicism or blatant crudeness. After all, this is G rated material. The wholesomeness of Charles Schulz world is on full display. This is safe for all audiences and families just in time for the Holiday movie going season.

Finally: here is me Peanutized…