Film and TV fun for Christmas

A film about the antics of animated zoo animals lost in Africa may not appeal to everyone but Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is full of fun and laugh for all ages this Christmas. The sequel to the hugely popular Madagascar, released in 2005, follows the story of Alex, Gloria, Melman and Marty as they crash land in an African wildlife reserve. Though the main storyline is not based around comedy the sub plot keeps the laughs coming.

The star’s of this film have to be the penguins who are hysterically funny throughout the film. A mention also has to go to the character of King Julien (voiced by funny man Sacha Baron Cohen) and his loyal sidekick Maurice, who just like in the first film, provide the laughs when at times the main storyline falls flat.

This sequel may at times disappoint with a Lion King based main plot of a corrupt lion named Makunga (voiced by Alec Baldwin) but there are plenty of laughs to make the trip to the cinema worthwhile, if you were a fan of the first installement then this latest adventure will not disappoint overall. Though this film may seem to only appeal to the under 10’s I would recommend it for family trips to the cinema and to anyone of any age who wants to see a funny and sometimes silly film.

If the cold weather or credit crunch keeps you inside this winter then Wallace and Gromit on the BBC is the perfect choice for comedy this Christmas. Creator Nick Park has returned to the popular show based on the antics of plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit to make a 30 minute film ‘A matter of Loaf and death’. The latest instalment comes after the success of films like ‘A Grand Day Out’, ‘A Close Shave’, ‘The Wrong Trousers’ and big-screen outing ‘The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’.

Just like Madagascar, the Wallace and Gromit films may seem to only be for the younger generations but the charming, witty and funny characters and plots can provide comedy for any ages. As a fan on the Wallace and Gromit series I cannot remember a Christmas where I have not sat round the television with my whole family to watch a Wallace and Gromit film, the series is a tradition of the BBC’s and many families’ Christmas schedule.

(Wallace and Gromit, A Matter of Loaf and Death premieres Christmas Day, 8.30pm on BBC1)

Image (Madagascar) from WildAboutMovies.com

Image (Wallace and Gromit) from Wallaceandgromit.com