Written by Linda
August 11, 2010
The Shaun the Sheep series of shorts continues its winning streak with the latest compilation of clay farm critter adventures, One Giant Leap for Lambkind.
If Pixar is the gold standard for CGI animation, then Aardman Animations, with their resume including Wallace and Gromit, Creature Comforts, and Chicken Run, is the guarantee of excellence for the painstaking art of claymation. The Shaun the Sheep series of shorts, each clocking in at an efficient 6 or 7 minutes, keeps the studio's reputation solidly intact with sweet, simple, yet smartly hilarious adventures of a flock of sheep on a farm.
One Giant Leap for Lambkind contains six shorts:
Shaun Encounters: A couple little aliens arrive at the farm to wreak havoc. This one in particular made me spit up whatever I was drinking because I laughed so hard when the aliens discovered the farmer's false teeth in a glass by the bedside. When Aardmann humor hits me just right, I will literally choke with laughter.
The Bull: A bull sees red when he enters the pasture, much to the dismay of the critters, and much to the delight of those horrible heckling pigs with the beady little eyes (such great characters).
Hiccups: When the fattest sheep in the herd gets hiccups, how do you get him to stop?
Bitzer Puts His Foot In It: This short has the comedy classic stylings of a Laurel & Hardy short as the farm's dog tries valiantly to protect some freshly-poured cement.
Save the Tree: When he runs out of firewood, the farmer sets out to cut down the biggest tree he can find in the area, which may very well be right in front of his house.
The Visitor: The second alien-themed short has one of the one-eyed creatures from space crash land on the farm. With some help from the sheep, he may get his ship back in running order.
What is so great about Shaun the Sheep is that there is absolutely no language involved. Everything is conveyed in grunts, bleats, mumbles, and fabulous facial expressions. Everyone can enjoy these shorts, from the tots to adults (who will appreciate the more slyly clever bits). The whole collection clocks in at a brisk 38 minutes, and the DVD includes a Sing-Along to the theme song, plus a "Whack-A-Pig" game.
