ILM did the effects for both films, actually.
I actually like the look of the puppets and whatnot. They add a lot of charm for me, even if they were limited in function, the realism of a practical prop just feels more real to me than any CGI could, even to me. A decent puppet looks more real to me than a great CGI effect, is what I’m trying to say, I guess.
Either way, interesting viewpoint.