Too much of everything

To me, this movie is perfection.

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

'THE GRUFFALO'S CHILD': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)This 2011 TV animated short film is a sequel to the 2009 animated short 'THE GRUFFALO', which was nominated for a 2011 Academy Award. Once again it's based on a children's book (of the same name) by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. It was adapted for the screen by Donaldson and Johanna Stuttmann and directed by Uwe Heidschotter and Johannes Weiland. It features the same all star voice cast as the original (including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, John Hurt, Rob Brydon, James Corden and Tom Wilkinson). Coltrane once again voices the beast known as 'The Gruffalo' and in this story he's telling tales to his daughter (Shirley Henderson) of a 'Big Bad Mouse'. The child then ventures out to find the ferocious mouse and comes across various other animals on her journey (including the snake, owl and fox from the original film). It was screened with the 2013 Oscar nominated animated shorts in theaters and billed as 'highly commended'. At 27 minutes it's a tad too long and kind of just feels like more of the same (as the original film). It once again is nothing special as well. It will probably fascinate small children but no one else. I don't especially care for the animation in these films either.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6yq7kwUUDQ

"The Gruffalo's Child" is a very good sequel of "The Gruffalo", which has all the many virtues of its predecessor, such as the beautiful animation style (that made a nice contrast between the cartoonish appearance of the characters with the realistic sceneries) the simple but charming story, and the cute and endearing characters.The new character is very likable and adorable, being a nice addition to the story. The result is something nice, heartwarming and pleasant, which is appropriate for the whole family.If you like the first "Gruffalo" short, then you will enjoy this too.

Nice story about curiosity and survive. About childhood and search behind legend. And soul of legend. A naive story about basic things. In the skin of evening tale but seductive for animation, game of snow, remember of lost age and moral. For short dialogs and small ambitions. For old fashion flavor. And for memories about another meetings of heroes with the secrets or monsters. In fact, a kind of hot tea. With lemon, cookies and a sunny morning. Or a piece of chocolate or a milk cup. Or fly of a bird. After complicated projects of Disney or Pixar revolution, it is an oasis far from universal movies or box office star.And this is secret of its success. Courage to be only a story of a clever mouse and a Gruffalo in search of truth Nothing more.

Essentially reversing the plot of the original Gruffalo short, this time the squirrel tells her children a tale about the Gruffalo's child going into the woods to seek out the fearsome mouse that her father uses as a warning not to wander off. As before each animal encountered points the child onwards to a new threat and as before the result is a cute and enjoyable little short film even if it never really excels in a great deal. It probably helped by enjoyment that I recorded this and watched it later on Christmas Day – and did so after watching the rather disappointing and heartless Doctor Who special. In stark contrast this film is simple, quite warming and very easy to watch with its rhyming dialogue and simple characters.It perhaps lacks the Pixar sense of humour or a cynical edge to appeal to adults specifically but it is hard to dislike it for just how simple a tale it is. The animation is impressive but yet retains the feel of a children's book – I feel no shame in admitting that I was watching this in a dressing gown at the end of a day of wine and food and it felt oddly comforting to be sitting being told this wholesome and simple little tale. The dialogue works well in this effect with it repetition and rhyming nature while the voice cast from the first film mostly return. Most of them only have a few lines apart from Shirley Henderson, who plays her usual "odd Scottish waif" role really well as the child – she was a good bit of casting and brought a lot of character to the child. As before Corden mercifully underplays and does good as the mouse.Overall The Gruffalo's Child is not really worthy of comparison to that other animated Christmas favourite of Wallace and Gromit, but it engagingly pleasing in its simplicity and good-natured telling. It is written for young children but yet the film felt warming and easy for me in my mid-30's; how it would stand up on a bright summer's day I don't know, but as a nice little family film it worked really well on Christmas Day.