Tag: Gromit Wallace

DVD Review: Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors

Shaun the Sheep and Aardman Animations once again prove that stop-motion animation is alive and well. This stop-motion animated series is about a flock of sheep on a farm and the trouble they get into in their daily lives. The series centers on the adventures of Shaun, the title character, who is the lead sheep in the flock.

In addition to Shaun, the series features other unique characters on the farm. Bitzer is a farm dog whose responsibility it is to make sure things get done, including watching Shaun’s flock. As a consequence, he often gets drawn into the machinations of Shaun’s schemes. And then there’s The Farmer, who wears thick glasses and has little imagination. It’s his farm that all the characters live upon, and he is often duped by Bitzer and Shaun to get the sheep in and out of trouble. Beyond Shaun, Bitzer, and The Farmer, there are many other characters in the flock and around the farm.

Other characters include Shirley, who is by far the largest sheep in the flock and a force of nature who must be physically pushed from place to place. She seems to be part goat and eats anything. Timmy is the baby sheep of the flock always causing his Mother, who always wears curlers, to panic until her baby is safe. And the Naughty Pigs live in the sty beside the sheep field and are another source of trouble for the flock. They have found many ways to get in the way of the sheep having fun since the series began.

The character of Shaun the Sheep first appeared in Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave back in 1995. In 2007 he got his shot at the big time in his own series. And over the last couple of years, working with Lionsgate, and HIT Entertainment, these great stop-motion animated episodes have been coming to the US on DVD as well as on the Disney Channel.

Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors features six new adventures for Shaun and his friends, as well as a couple of entertaining games.

Among my favorites were the titular episode “Little Sheep of Horrors,” “Abracadabra,” and “Troublesome Tractor.”

In “Little Sheep of Horrors,” the Farmer decides to watch a scary movie, but loses interest and go to bed. But before he goes to bed, Timmy the baby sheep who has been peering in the window watching becomes intrigued. Timmy finds a way into the house, messily eats some pizza, and falls asleep in the Farmer’s chair watching the movie. When Timmy’s Mother finds little Timmy missing, she wakes the flock and Shaun mounts a hair-raising rescue in the house…

Adding a bit of magic to the series, “Abracadabra” features an old magic set thrown out by the Farmer during some Spring Cleaning. When Shaun gets a hold of it and decides to put on a show for the flock, things get out of hand. Invisible sheep on the field are the least of Bitzer’s worries as he tries to get things back under control!

And in “Troublesome Tractor,” the Farmer’s tractor seems to be bound for the scrap heap as he dreams of a newer, faster model. Shaun and the flock overhaul the old tractor for him, giving it an updated look and a faster engine. Unfortunately, they didn’t manage to test it out before the Farmer saw it and chaos reigns supreme…

The two DVD games are “Sheep-Shearing Game” where you get to choose which area of Shirley to shear. Poor Shirley ends up with some entertaining designs as the wool flies. And the “Whack-a-Pig Game” is a variation on the “Whack-a-Mole” game where you get to let the Naughty Pigs have it. My two young daughters enjoyed both games briefly, but we enjoyed the episodes on the DVD much more.

If you’re a fan of Wallace and Gromit or any of Aardman Animations’ productions, Shaun the Sheep is a great example of well done, modern stop-motion animation. And if you have kids, they’ll love to see the antics of these wonderful characters. Be sure to pick up a copy of Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors at your local retailer or online!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up this and other Aardman animations from Amazon!

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DVD Review: Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Yes, the lovable pair from Aarman Animation is back for an all new adventure – Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. This time Wallace and Gromit are in the baking business delivering daily baked goods with their “Dough to Door” delivery service.

For those of you new to the wonderful world of Nick Park‘s creative clay characters… Wallace is a loveable, yet scatter-brained inventor with all sorts of interesting schemes to keep the cupboard full of cheese. And Gromit is Wallace’s dog, though he’s much more than a simple pet. Gromit is Wallace’s partner in all things and most of the time ends up doing all the work. And in A Matter of Loaf and Death, Gromit is once again pulling Wallace’s buns out of the fire.

The beauty of the Wallace and Gromit features and shorts is the loving care that goes into every single frame. These characters are animated using traditional stop-motion techniques and clay figures. Sometimes called “claymation”, the clay figures are matched against clay props and painted backdrops. Each second of animation takes 24 separate shots and an amazing detail-oriented approach.

A Matter of Loaf and Death starts with the murder of Baker Bob, killed by an unknown assailant with his own rolling pin – the twelfth victim of the killer-at-large. It all goes downhill for Wallace and Gromit after that. Literally – the duo save poor Piella Bakewell and her dog Fluffles as gravity and a bike with broken brakes send them hurtling down a hill towards the zoo.

Though Gromit finds clues that make him suspect Miss Bakewell is up to something, he spends most of the rest of the movie trying to convince Wallace. But Wallace and Bakewell start a whirlwind romance that leads to an impressive chase and a couple of broken hearts…

Of the movies so far, I have to admit this one was one of my favorites. There are some hilarious homages to great filmmakers and films scattered throughout. The opening scene and one later in the movie when Gromit discovers the waiting 13 pedestals for bakers’ hats in Bakewell’s house were both great Hitchcock moments. And when Fluffles saves the day with a yellow forklift and oven mitts, I fell over laughing thinking of the scene with Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in Alien fighting the queen alien. I had to pause the movie until I could stop laughing.

Beyond the audio commentary with director Park and editor David McCormick, the only other real feature is “How They Donut: The Making of A Matter of Loaf and Death“. “How They Donut” provides a great look behind the scenes at the process the crew go through to capture just a handful of frames for the film, from constructing the models to setting the stage and verifying each and every detail is just perfect between frames.

Also included is a demo of the Wallace & Gromit Grand Adventure video game (see a review of the game here) and a bonus episode of Shaun the Sheep called “Off the Baa!” (see a review of Shaun the Sheep on DVD here). Both the game and Shaun the Sheep definitely warrant checking out if you’re in the mood for more of Wallace & Gromit and his friends!

Once again, Aardman and Nick Park have created a fun adventure to share with Wallace and Gromit fans. Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death provides animation that is great for the whole family. Be sure to check it out at your favorite retailer!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up A Matter of Loaf and Death and other great Wallace & Gromit films below!

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PC Game Review: Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: The Last Resort

Hi there!

In March, Telltale Games released the first episode of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures, titled Fright of the Bumblebees. Though I found the interface a bit clunky at times, I found the story and characters very engaging and fun. (You can read my earlier review here.)

Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Game Cast ...
Image by grnknight via Flickr

In early May, the next episode of the Wallace & Gromit series was released – The Last Resort. This time, Wallace and Gromit‘s beach holiday is washed out on account of the weather and a flooded basement. However, instead of becoming depressed about their predicament, Wallace designs an indoor beachfront to enjoy despite the clouds and rain outside.

Since playing the first episode, I acquired a gamepad and was able to try it out with The Last Resort. Though I’m not much of an arcade game player and have had little experience with a gamepad with other gaming systems, I found it very easy to figure out how to use it in the world of Wallace & Gromit. The gamepad simplified the interface by providing a single method for interacting with the virtual world, allowing me to focus on the story and not how to get to various screens.

Once again, I found myself comparing the Wallace & Gromit game to the Sierra Adventures’ games from the 1980s & 90s. As you are presented with a problem, such as assembling the pieces for an indoor resort vacation, you wander around talking to all of the people in the world to find the solution. For example, you talk to the Colonel to get sandbags for the beach and find ways to get “sun” and an umbrella.

Unlike in Fright of the Bumblebees, you get to interact with the many secondary characters quite a bit more. Wallace & Gromit open up their indoor resort to the public and have to sort out problems between the guests to ensure that they don’t ask for refunds. (Doesn’t it seem that Wallace is always tight on money?) Along the way you learn more about Wallace’s neighbors and the friendly shopkeepers – each of which has their own particular view of the world. Of course, a mystery unfolds as someone gets clocked on the head and Wallace and his trusty dog Gromit are on the case!

My one complaint about this episode is that the world you’re interacting with seems a bit small at times. At first, you’re bouncing from Wallace’s house to town where you’re only able to interact with a few people and places. And later the house gets a bit claustrophobic as you have to chase your guests down around from floor to floor to make sure they’re satisfied with their accomodations.

That said, I enjoyed The Last Resort and am very happy that the gamepad simplified interacting with the virtual world. It’s nice to use one controller vs. using the keyboard and mouse to find your way.

If you like Wallace & Gromit, played Telltale Games’ Sam & Max series, or are simply looking for an adventure game to pass some time, be sure to check out Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: Fright of the Bumblebees and Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: The Last Resort from Telltale Games. Wallace & Gromit can use all of your help to get them into and out of trouble again!

Be sure to check out the game at the Telltale Games site!

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures is rated E (for Everyone) by the ESRB for comic mischief and mild cartoon violence.

–Fitz

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