Five years after the most recent Charlie Brown TV special, Director Steve Martino brings Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and friends to the big-screen for a new generation and their parents. The Peanuts Movie is not so much a re-invention as a celebratory re-imagining as the film is surprisingly content (in the best way) working within the confines of the comic’s history.

Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) is smitten with the little red-haired girl. Snoopy flies a plane. Lucy is a grouch. There’s not a whole not new here, but due to the visuals, the storytelling, and the stellar voice work, mostly done by actual children, this is one instance where the lack of bold innovation is welcome. Telling a straight-forward, pre-internet age story like this is actually pretty ground-breaking in today’s film market.

A major reason why this film works is an understated confidence in its premise. The Peanuts Movie is remarkably self-assured and comfortable telling its refreshingly story of ordinary children doing ordinary things. Sure, a couple of the jokes and plot details may go over heads of those uninitiated with the comics, but there is more than enough here to earn a new generation of fans.

The collector’s edition comes beautifully packaged and includes both Blu-ray and DVD but more importantly, also includes a Snoopy plush doll. The special features aren’t overly extensive but there are some extra stand-alone scenes and a bonus Meaghan Trainer music video, if that’s what you are into. The highlight of the special features is the “learn to draw” segments in which Director Steve Martino leads a tutorial on how to draw Woodstock, Snoopy, and Charlie Brown.

Gorgeous, charming, and brimming with nostalgia, Peanuts is a simply enjoyable. Whether reuniting with characters from childhood or meeting them for the first time, The Peanuts Movie, one of the most underrated films of last year, should not be missed