Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Wallace and Gromit have run out of cheese, and this provides an excellent excuse for the duo to take their holiday to the moon, where, as everyone knows, there is ample cheese.
Nick Park's debut Wallace & Gromit short is a genuinely singular creation — the claymation craft, the deadpan British humour, and the utterly charming premise of flying to the moon for cheese establish a wholly unique voice that launched one of animation's most beloved duos. The novelty is undeniable: the blend of plasticine tactility, understated comedy, and the expressive Gromit communicating entirely without dialogue is unlike anything else. The plot is charmingly slight but purposeful for a short film, and the voice work and character animation (standing in for 'acting') are warm and effective. Cinematography is competent and inventive for stop-motion but not exceptional. The ending, featuring the moon robot's melancholy ski fantasy, is memorably bittersweet but not quite a knockout finish.