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Creature Comforts
By Nancy Warren,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Witty, absurd claymation for tweens and adults.
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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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What's the Story?
The titular tale in this claymation collection is Nick Park's classic Creature Comforts, a pseudo-documentary about zoo animals. Various interviewed (animated) animals wryly comment on what it's like surviving the confinement and monotony of zoo life. The other stories in the collection include Wat's Pig, which tells the medieval morality tale of separated twins; Not Without My Handbag, an absurdist comedy about the consequences of failing to read the fine print, and Adam, which chronicles the difficult existence of the first clay creature, whose creator isn't very nice.
Is It Any Good?
In addition to the title short by Nick Park (of Wallace and Gromit fame), claymation kings Peter Lord and Boris Kossmehl deliver comical and implausible plots and scintillating visuals. This collection is perfect for both teenagers and their parents who can appreciate the eccentric sensibility and multiple levels of humor.
Younger children will laugh at the animals' accents strange behavior in Creature Comforts, older kids and parents will howl at the dialogue of this 1989 Oscar winner as animals speak out about their treatment. Wat's Pig, a 1996 Oscar nominee, is a fast-paced medieval action fable, and Adam (a '91 nominee), will entrance younger viewers with its clever clay-play. Not Without My Handbag is a standout, combining Night of the Living Dead horror-animation, suspenseful music, and a ridiculous plot in which the devil owns a washing machine company.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different types of animation and claymation each family members enjoy. How do the shorts use animation and claymation for social commentary? How is that like other favorite series, such as The Simpsons?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 10, 1996
- On DVD or streaming: June 6, 2000
- Director: Nick Park
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 32 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- MPAA explanation: not rated
- Last updated: February 24, 2022
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