Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (2011)

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

When the beloved blanket goes missing, he is on a search to find it. Then a grandmother is coming for a visit. The Peanuts gang is back with children voicing the characters. The director did a terrific job in bringing the legacy of the Peanuts gang under the Charles Schulz Estate and Foundation. The special is only 45 minutes but heartwarming and special to Peanut fans of all ages. You can relate to the characters here just as when you were a child. Peanuts never grows old but we aged over years.

Lucy tells her brother Linus that their grandma is coming to take away his blanket. Charlie Brown isn't much help. Linus is so desperate that he asks psychiatrist Lucy for help which only leads to her many cruel tactics. Snoopy has his eye on Linus' blanket. Linus can't kick his blanket habit but he points out that everybody has their own unique crutch.I love the old fashion style that is reminiscent of the best Peanuts cartoon specials. It's a little disjointed at times but that's fine for Peanuts. Pig-pen is here in this one along with all the main characters. It's too bad that my favorites Peppermint Patty and Marcie aren't around. They don't have the needed aspect connected with this concept. Linus' blanket is a classic concept. This special tackles it from an interesting angle. It gets a little dark at times but there is plenty of fun. This is a solid addition to the great Peanuts lineup.

Let me say first off that I am a huge Peanuts fan. I've followed them since early childhood and it is still deeply rooted into my character. But there was a lot of strange elements about this special that really irked me.My biggest problem was Linus himself. He didn't seem like the intelligent, spiritually-savvy kid he had been throughout the comics and many of the specials. Instead he seemed very angry, rather short tempered and seemed different in a very non-refreshing way. But out of all of the things that made me cringe about him, the biggest was towards the end where he exclaimed: "DO YOU WANT ME TO END UP LIKE CHARLIE BROWN?!?"Ouch.Which brings up another point of mine: Charlie Brown himself. It seemed that the Peanuts Gang was being especially rude and cold-hearted to good old Chuck. I felt genuinely bad for him, which detracted a lot from the main premise of the feature.Now, all that out of the way, I must add in some of the pros, because there were many. I think that the art in this special shone. There was one scene where Linus was standing in a field looking up at the sky for his blanket (which had been turned into a kite and flew away) while the sun set. It gave me the chills. Linus is my favorite character and it displayed him as the philosophical and wise character we all know. The art direction really suggested a back-to-basics sort of feel, very retro, and very different...and very cool.I especially enjoyed the usage of Charles M. Schultz's comics. They were engraved into some of the writing, and the majority of the plot.All in all, it turned out to be a very mediocre hour for me. Part of it screamed "THIS IS GREAT" but the other, "Yikes."In the words of Linus: "It has its drawbacks."

I must admit I was a bit dubious about this new special for it was the 1st one without the great and late Bill Melendez. It seems Lee Mendelson was not involved either, but Schulz' son was. This one stood out from all the other post-Schulz era specials for its '60s style. As a comic-strip fan I appreciate attention to detail. The "classic" effect obtained through the retro animation worked out pretty well, bringing some nostalgia. The story development was somewhat modern, deeper, beyond previous attempts, and yet kept all the action faithful to the Peanuts world and spirit. The gags were delightfully funny, they cracked me up quite a few times. I simply loved the use of one of the most famous Beethoven symphonies, but I won't spoil it for you. Not only the music, but the way they managed to create a matching animated treat, was indeed a creative highlight.The color tones used according to mood, the "reaction" of some cards to Linus' feelings, and flashbacks to the very first specials truly shone.The plot might not be complex. However, by using the well-known blanket attachment issues Linus has, they address the insecurity most of the other characters have, their human weakness, which is not to plainly be criticized, but rather accepted as a natural part of life.Another remarkable element was the comeback of some old characters that had not gotten much attention over the years. Again, an interesting addition for all the fans, in an already captivating special that has enough quality potential to be considered an instant Peanuts classic. Growing up was never as bittersweet, and as thoroughly enjoyable as doing it along Linus, Snoopy, good ol' Charlie Brown, and the rest of the gang!