RV: You don’t have to have a bunch of fart and queer jokes to make claymation that appeals to adults (See Hell and Back for an example of how not to make a claymation). You just need charm and wit, which Aardman films always have in abundance. Case in point, this movie has little to no actual dialogue, the plot is very simple (See Fish out of Water Trope), the characters are what is generally thought of as the least interesting of all farm animals…sheep. With all of those things working against it, the movie’s charm overcomes this hurdles like an Olympian. Subtle gestures, facial expressions,  and grunts become just as compelling dialogue as something written by Shakespeare. The sheep attempt at breaking from their daily life with the sheep farmer becomes a powerful allegory of why we our lives need variety yet also need to be rooted to a foundation built by rules and routine (See Sinclair Lewis’s Babbit). The jokes on the surface seem silly or farce, but in realities are puzzles that the movie allows adults to crack. While the kids enjoy the simple hi-jinx of sheep stuck in a city, the adults are let in on numerous inside jokes that the kids would be helpless to ever understand, and thus creating that mythical movie that is both fun for kids and adults. I would recommend Shaun the Sheep just as I would recommend any Aardman film. Not every adult movie has to be crass to be funny, and not every children’s movie has to be loud and dumb to entertain.

T: I was fortunate enough to have enjoyed watching this film with children; however, even without their incessant laughter throughout, I would have found myself gleefully enjoying this movie alone. In a single word – it is pure. The animation is perfect, the jokes on point, and the ultimately tear-inducing ending feels right and complete. It is the epitome of ‘whole-family entertainment’ as it exposes its audiences to gags both slapstick and inferential.  Also, I now want to own a sheep. Stay tuned for that follow-up.

5 Red Vines:  This sheep is a leader not a follower.

5 Twizzlers: This movie has the (lamb) chops.

Hey all! How about during your next viewing of this delightful movie, you pair it with these oh so clever delicious bites. Perfects for kids and ‘kids-at-heart’! Cheerios Sheep Snacks