Shaun The Sheep (U.)
Directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzack.
Featuring vocal talents of John Sparkes, Justin Fletcher and Omid Djalili. 87 mins.
Aardman animation is, of course, a nation treasure beloved for Wallace and Gromit and the British Gas ads. In the cinema though they have struggled, never quite found their voice; mainly because they fall into that very British cinema tradition of making big screen films that only really make sense of the small screen. So their latest effort is a film version of the Ceebeebees favourite which, just like an On The Buses movie, or a Carry On or most costume dramas, doesn't sit right blasted across a giant Imax screen, watched by people wedged into bucket seats rather than on a small screen watched by people on a sofa drinking tea and scoffing biscuits.
It's not just down to it being a film of a TV programme, it's that this kind of stop motion animation has a charm and quaintness that the cinema screen just can't forgive. It's also the case that Aardman's clever and inventive humour, lacks a bit of heart. You can see the love and care that went into it, but compared to the ruthless way a Pixar or a Disney film will corral all your emotions and methodically shred them into thin strips, it all looks a bit village fete. They don't help themselves by making it dialogue free. I know I should praise the boldness of this but the kid next to me couldn't follow it and my attention wanders during Timmy Time episodes.
Which is not to say you wont enjoy it. It's funny all the way through, the sheep are ridiculously cute and it's lovely in many ways, but it's not a top draw animation movie.
Shaun The Sheep (U.)
Directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzack.
Featuring vocal talents of John Sparkes, Justin Fletcher and Omid Djalili. 87 mins.
Aardman animation is, of course, a nation treasure beloved for Wallace and Gromit and the British Gas ads. In the cinema though they have struggled, never quite found their voice; mainly because they fall into that very British cinema tradition of making big screen films that only really make sense of the small screen. So their latest effort is a film version of the Ceebeebees favourite which, just like an On The Buses movie, or a Carry On or most costume dramas, doesn't sit right blasted across a giant Imax screen, watched by people wedged into bucket seats rather than on a small screen watched by people on a sofa drinking tea and scoffing biscuits.
It's not just down to it being a film of a TV programme, it's that this kind of stop motion animation has a charm and quaintness that the cinema screen just can't forgive. It's also the case that Aardman's clever and inventive humour, lacks a bit of heart. You can see the love and care that went into it, but compared to the ruthless way a Pixar or a Disney film will corral all your emotions and methodically shred them into thin strips, it all looks a bit village fete. They don't help themselves by making it dialogue free. I know I should praise the boldness of this but the kid next to me couldn't follow it and my attention wanders during Timmy Time episodes.
Which is not to say you wont enjoy it. It's funny all the way through, the sheep are ridiculously cute and it's lovely in many ways, but it's not a top draw animation movie.
