The Peanuts Movie 2015

Sandy Cohen, Associated Press: Relying on 50 years of character development, the Peanuts gang stays true to their original selves -- there's no new edge or post-modern snark in the mix. Read more

Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times: To my great relief and only the best kind of good grief, I'm pleased to report this is a meticulously faithful and clearly loving tribute to America's favorite blockhead. Read more

Isaac Guzman, TIME Magazine: The Peanuts Movie is deeply rooted in the look and tone of Schulz's soulful comic strip. Read more

Peter Debruge, Variety: A 'Peanuts' adaptation that his creator can be proud of. Read more

Jesse Hassenger, AV Club: This charming movie mostly captures the tone of Schulz's work and the voices of his characters. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: "The Peanuts Movie" didn't need to be made, but if it gets a new audience to Schulz's best work, it's done its job. Read more

Tom Russo, Boston Globe: Even with his glossy new look, Charlie Brown remains the Charlie Browniest. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: In the figurative sense, though, the characters' sharp edges have been filed down. Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: "The Peanuts Movie" takes the quaint humor of Charles Schulz' characters and blows it up to big screen proportions, and against the odds, it keeps Peanuts' genial sense of melancholy charm intact. Read more

Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com: The Peanuts Movie has all of the elements a true fan would want - the original characters, a nod to past TV specials, even a jazzed-up "wahwah" - but like its stalwart hero, it falls just short of completing the task at hand. Read more

Joe McGovern, Entertainment Weekly: It's a shame to see Charlie Brown, one of our culture's most lovable nonconformists, swing for the big leagues and whiff. Read more

Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News: A terrific big-screen version that should satisfy Peanuts fans and generate new ones. Read more

Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter: A delightful romp that captures the spirit of the adored 65-year-old comic strip. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: The movie isn't some kind of disservice to the legacy of Charles Schulz, but it also feels unnecessary. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: It's a mediocre movie, Charlie Brown. Read more

Andrew Lapin, NPR: The Schulz descendants who oversaw this new Peanuts avoid the obvious traps to ensure a charming, harmless trip down memory lane. Read more

Katherine Pushkar, New York Daily News: Theirs is a world where kids can't wait to go outside and play on a snow day, and there aren't any parents policing the park for hurt feelings and peanut butter. And it's a lo-fi delight. Read more

Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: It's a bit startling, and undeniably refreshing, to see a children's movie that ... is driven by the small anxieties a real child might experience on a daily basis. Read more

Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Inquirer: The Peanuts Movie finds Charlie Brown still suffering from self-esteem issues, but that figures. He still goes to a five-cent psychiatrist. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: To those with even a limited exposure to Peanuts over the years, this will feel like a homecoming. Is that a bad thing? No, but it's more of a trip down memory lane than something new. Read more

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com: It's disappointing and actually kind of cynical in its unwillingness to try anything even vaguely innovative with these beloved characters. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: It's a skillful, sweet-natured film with nice messages about believing in yourself and not giving up. But somehow, the magic got lost along the way. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: "Peanuts" is not a perfect film, but it remains almost completely true to its original values. It's a snowflake slowly falling to the melancholy notes of Vince Guaraldi. Read more

Dan Kois, Slate: Most of The Peanuts Movie is very funny indeed. Read more

Jody Mitori, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A welcome break from the noise of many kids flicks, Charlie Brown's trip to the big screen is set in a simpler time. Read more

John Semley, Globe and Mail: There's something sad about seeing a character as sweet and simple as good ol' Charlie Brown so totally ruined. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: It's a big, wet dog kiss of an animated family film, hitting all the expected notes of the Charles Schultz comic strip and TV specials that generations have loved. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: I suspect that for young audiences, The Peanuts Movie will eventually be as much of a launching pad for the work of Charles M. Schulz as previous movie and TV iterations were for their parents. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Any yardage gained by staying true to Charles M. Schulz's gentle, somewhat whitewashed vision of small-town childhood is offset by one too many head-bonking 3-D action sequences and a batch of truly dire pop tunes. (Good grief, Flo Rida.) Read more

Jim Slotek, Toronto Sun: I suspect kids may find these Peanuts kind of bland. Read more

Brian Truitt, USA Today: The movie is both a testament to Charlie Brown's place in pop culture and also a showcase for a new generation bound to fall in love with its perennially insecure star. Read more

Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice: The title card claims this Peanuts is "by Schulz," but there are voices here besides his. What matters is that his is honored - and that this is as sincere a pumpkin patch as Hollywood can grow. Read more

Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture: Somehow, this Peanuts feels familiar, even cozy. I can't make any great claims for it, but it feels like the return of an old friend. Read more

Sandie Angulo Chen, Washington Post: An entertaining combination of humor and tenderness, "The Peanuts Movie" isn't just an all-ages crowd-pleaser. It's the perfect first feature film for a preschooler. Read more