Monday, February 13, 2006

I'm just crackers about cheese

When I was in college, my roommate for the most significant amount of time, Janet, was a Wallace and Gromit enthusiast. She asked if I had ever seen W & G before, but the truth was, outside of The Young Ones and Ab Fab, my knowledge of things British was limited.

Anyway, she was always promising to get a Wallace and Gromit video for us to watch, but it never panned out. Regardless, I knew of her affection, and so I was especially pleased when Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit came out last fall to such rave reviews. My sister took Connor to see it, and they both enjoyed it - granted, my nephew's thumbs up is suspect in my book since he loves Thomas the Tank Engine and Home on the Range.

Annnyway, I had the opportunity to watch Were-Rabbit this weekend, and consider me a W & G convert. It has become entirely clear to me why Janet is such a fan. Nevermind that Gromit, the dog, is very adorable and that the humor is clever and the claymation so good, it almost doesn't seem like clay. I think if I had seen a W & G episode while Janet and I lived together, I would have noticed some parallels. Janet and Gromit are the thoughtful, patient and silent ones, while Wallace and I are the rambling, dopey, cheese-lovers. Yes, Wallace is "just crackers about cheese," as he repeats oft.

The Times pointed out when Were-Rabbit opened that the creators of the series imbue Gromit with so many facial expressions that you never really notice that he does not speak. But I think my favorite thing about the movie were the little claymation bunnies. So cute! I have a soft spot for bunnies. And cheese, just like Wallace.

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