'Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf or Death'
(Peter Sallis, et al / DVD / NR / (2008) 2009 / LGF)
Overview: Looking for a fast way to earn dough, Wallace decides to make it. Armed with a batch of ovens, an army of robotic kneading arms and an old-fashioned windmill, Wallace & Gromit start "Top Bun,” their new bread-baking business. Sales rise quickly and Wallace falls head over buns in love with a seductive bread-industry icon, Piella Bakewell. But things change very quickly, as expected!
Blu ray/DVD Verdict: I have all of the Wallace and Grommit shorts, crackling contraptions, and movie, so I can say from experience that there is no such thing as a bad Wallace and Gromit feature. 'A Matter of Loaf or Death' keeps the good streak intact, and is fine entertainment, albeit perhaps not as quite as good as 'A Close Shave' or 'The Curse of the Wererabbit,' in my opinion.
Although the package states that the running time is 87 minutes, the actual feature is only about 30 minutes. Also included is a "making of" segment, and a "Shaun the Sheep" episode, so counting all three of these probably is how the 87 minutes were derived.
So, I popped the DVD into the player, gathered the wife and kiddies around (the kids are only two and four years old, but they love Wallace and Gromit), and we watched the feature. It was funny, and the animation was great, as usual. However, it was more violent than previous entries, and I felt a bit uncomfortable at some of the scenes as my two and four year old watched them, particularly with regards to how Gromit and another dog are mistreated.
The kids didn't have any problems or get scared, but you may want to watch the feature first before showing it to your young children. Its mostly cartoonish violence, but the other dog's owner, Miss Piella Bakewell, is a bit mean.
But I'm pleased with my purchase, and strongly recommend 'A Matter of Loaf and Death.' This is probably not the best DVD to get if you've never seen Wallace and Gromit before ... you should start with the original 3 shorts ... but its a "must have" if you're a Wallace and Gromit afficionado like myself.[WG] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
www.LGF.com