Wallace and Gromit are the most famous faces to emerge from Aardman Studios. Wallace (the humble Rube Goldbergesque inventor) and Gromit (his brilliant but taciturn dog) are the stars of several short films. Together they have traveled to the moon, invented mechanical pants and garnered several Academy Awards for their creators. The Best of Aardman Animation features "A Close Shave," last year's Oscar-nabber for Best Animated Short. "A Close Shave" has our heroes embroiled in yet another zany caper. Wallace has just invented an automatic sweater-knitting machine--only problem is that England is in the midst of a massive sheep-rustling crisis. Leave it to our heroes to stumble across the solution in a story that lands somewhere between "Jeeves and Wooster" and "Scooby Doo." Like all the other Wallace and Gromit shorts, "A Close Shave" is packed with seamless animation, hilarious gags and limitless charm.

Sadly, "A Close Shave" is the only Wallace and Gromit short to be included in this compilation. The world Wallace and Gromit inhabit is so cute, so clever, so very very funny, you'll be loathe to leave it. Happily, the other shorts included with "A Close Shave" are all top-notch. Highlights include "Creature Comforts" (a devious little piece in which zoo animals are interviewed) and "Wit's Pig" (a Prince and the Pauper tale of two medieval brothers told in an innovative split-screen style).

While I would have been ecstatic to watch an entire evening's worth of Wallace and Gromit, I can't begrudge this eager-to-please showcase an enthusiastic stamp of approval. From the rawest, most surreal of these pieces ("Faces") to the most polished ("Pib and Pog"), Aardman Studios demonstrates an impressive range of style, content and skill. ... Now if you'll excuse me, I have an overwhelming urge to break out the Play-Doh.