tv previews
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday December 21, 2009
Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and DeathABC1, 6.30pmWhat a treat. A Matter of Loaf and Death is the first Wallace and Gromit project since the 2005 feature film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and the first 30-minute short since A Close Shave in 1995. That's almost five years of Wallace and Gromit drought broken tonight by a spectacular downpour of claymation goodness.It's a matter of loaf and death when Wallace becomes engaged to Piella Bakewell, the Bake-O-Light girl who lost her job when she grew too large to fit in the Bake-O-Light hot balloon and, as a result, developed a murderous bitterness towards bakers. A mysterious person has killed 12 bakers in the space of a year and Gromit suspects it's Piella. The script is cheekily humorous and will appeal to all ages. Likewise, the animation is positively elegant and charming.Talkin' 'BoutYour Generation Christmas SpecialTen, 7.30pmNote to television people: Ruby Rose is not a comedian. When you call in funny guests such as Denise Scott and Dylan Lewis to accompany funny hosts such as Amanda Keller, Charlie Pickering and Josh Thomas, do not call in one unfunny person. This episode is also a repeat and she's no funnier the second time around. Other than that, the Chrissie special is full of silly jokes interspersed with pointless Christmas trivia. Micallef and Pickering raise a couple of laughs and the "human clues" for one challenge sees a delightfulline-up of Australian celebs make an appearance but I can see why this one was a ratings dud the first time around.Clash of the SantasABC1, 8.30pmThere are daggy but loveable Christmas movies such as Home Alone, The Santa Clause and Jingle All the Way. And then there are the plain daggy ones such as Clash of the Santas.Our two protagonists find themselves in "mortal danger" at the World Santa Championships and must "save the day" and get back home in time for Christmas. There's an Australian Santa who is so ocker he makes Kath Day-Knight look posh and a snobby French Santa who woos ex-wives and wears white loafers.It's all terribly cliched and predictable; a bit like Christmas, I guess. But unlike all those other Christmas films we blow the dust off each year, this one fails to charm.Secrets & Lives:Last Chance SaloonSBS One, 8.30pmIn part four of this series about Brian Cox's tough-love alcohol rehab centre, Coxy looks for a second house for his growing bunch of recovering alcoholics. The rehab house is full and the cramped conditions have meant some of the residents aren't doing so well. Nikki, a client of Coxy's for eight years, is also back in court on alcohol-related charges.The episode would be more compelling if it took the time to explore characters in depth rather than catching snippets but the fast pace is an accurate reflection of the life of Cox, a former alcoholic whose tattooed energy is completely magnetic. It also makes for a much more fly-on-the-wall account of the incredibly tough ride Coxy's clients embark on through relapses and more.This is not Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew. It's lo-fi, gritty, documentary-style viewing without make-up or clever editing to cover its blemishes.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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