Top 25 Outdoor Movie: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

With only a couple movies left on the Top 25 Outdoor Movies of All Time, we're excited to review Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

The film is the first feature length animation from an award winning shorts series by the acclaimed animator Nick Park. But as always, before we get into the reasons why Wallace and Gromit made our Top 25 list, here is the theatrical release trailer for the film: 

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was directed by Nick Park, who also created the spectacular animation Chicken Run (another great pick for your next outdoor movie). The film follows a handful of short 30 minute animations starring the Wallace & Gromit.

The animations are incredible for their use of claymation animation (also used in The Fantastic Mr. Fox), a laborious process where almost all of the elements in the film are hand made and or sculpted. The process creates some amazing effects which are in stark contrast to contemporary animation techniques that often overdo cgi or computer animation effects.

The result is a fun an imaginative film, that will keep the kids laughing and entertained, while truly amazing everyone of all ages.

Follows Wallace, an inventor and the master of Gromit, his highly intelligent yet silent dog, as they market their "Anti-Pesto" business in the face of Tottington Hall's (in England) annual Giant Vegetable Competition. Many of the townsfolk hire the duo to capture rabbits, as they are in need of protecting their prized carrots and vegetables before the judging begins. However, Wallace and Gromit are faced with a handful of issues, one of which is where to put all the rabbits they are catching.

Wallace uses his inventive skills to create a Mind Manipulation-O-Matic machine in order to brainwash the rabbits so they can run free while not eating any more vegetables. But things turn in the opposite direction, as the machine produces some unwanted results. The film continues on an adventurous and hilarious journey that will keep your entire community laughing the entire evening!

As with all of the films on our Top 25 list, there are some great opportunities for pre-show entertainment. Costume contests would work great with this film, as well as carrot eating contests, and a host of other fun activities! If your community has alot of farmers, you might even consider having your own Giant Vegetable Competition! Why not see who can show up with the largest vegetable, with the winner taking home an enviable prize from one of your local businesses?

Activities like these are a great way to engage your community in a very real way, beyond just showing them a film. If anyone has shown Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit to their local community, please post your images and stories in the comments section below! We'd love to see how your event went.