Britain's favourite cheese-obsessed, self-proclaimed inventor and his expressive pooch get off to a great start with this classic short film animated almost entirely by one person. Nick Park started the film as a university project and later finished it while working at Aardman on the similarly fantastic 'Creature Comforts (1989)'. Wallace and Gromit run out of cheese, so - like anyone in their situation would - they decide to build a rocket and take a trip to the moon because everyone knows the moon is made of cheese. In terms of the overall series, this narrative is probably the most outlandish as it doesn't really extend itself from a familiar reality (after all, the moon isn't cheese in our world). That's not really an issue, though, because the plot never takes itself too seriously. It's built almost entirely on good old-fashioned British humour and it works remarkably well. The flick's animation is a little rough around the edges when compared to its follow-ups, but it's still tactile and satisfying. Plus, it serves to bring to life a witty script centred on two cracking characters. Although it's probably the weakest of the 'Wallace and Gromit' bunch, 'A Grand Day Out (1989)' is still a great claymation adventure with plenty of laughs, sight-gags and edge-of-your-seat sequences. 7/10
