journal features

movie review - Wallace & Gromit

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 1997.01.31

Three excellent stop-motion short flicks by Nick Park. The first, The Wrong Trousers pits the dog Gromit and his hapless owener Wallace against a roomer they take in. The roomer is a penguin who robs banks. The animation has to be seen to be believed, and the story is funny as hell.

The second film was A Fine Day Out, in which Wallace & Gromit go to the moon on a day trip. This one is far more in the 'classic' animation style - more a purist's film than a cartoon like the first.

The third and finest of the films has Wallace meet the girl of his dreams. Unfortunatly, she is involved in a sheep rustling circle, and leads Wallace & Gromit into disaster. This one is the most amazing of the three - recalling that you're looking at plasticene is difficult when Gromit's flying sidecar starts strafing the dog food factory with porridge.

Strongly recommended.

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force