Shrek

The Simpsons has been one of my favorite TV shows, and for the same reason that I like the Simpsons is what makes Shrek so good. The Simpsons takes the children-only medium of cartoons and makes an adult show out of it, with jokes in it that only adults will find amusing, some for adult eyes' only. Shrek is animation, a beautiful computer animation that looks realistic and bold, has enough kiddy humor in it to make the kids like it, but has even more jokes that adults will love. It's the cross between childhood innocence and adult knowledge that brings Shrek so many laughs. Mike Myers supplies the voice of Shrek, an ogre who enjoys living by himself in his swamp on the outskirt of Duloc, a near-perfect kingdom ran by the insecure Lord Farquaad, voice with wonderful swarmy-ness by John Lithgow. When Farquaad begins to deposit all of the mythical creatures that populate his kingdom into Shrek's swamp, Shrek demands to see the king, and only the smart-ass Donkey knows the way. Donkey is a sassy talking, well, donkey, voiced by Eddie Murphy and is the Lou Costello to Shrek's Bud Abbot--to say Shrek is the straight man in this odd couple is an understatement. After meeting the king, Shrek and Donkey then have a quest of finding Fraquaad Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), an imprisoned lady guarded by a dragon. I personally would have gone with Snow White, but to each their own. What also sets Shrek apart from other animated movies is the music, mostly rock music, mostly from Smashmouth. I do not think a Disney picture would have made the same selections. It gives it a different feel from the usual animated fare, Shrek for sure has it's own identity. Getting back to the animation, the computer generated scenery and characters are great to look at, very lifelike, even the human beings. Pixar, who has made films such as Toy Story and Finding Nemo, has made it clear that human beings are the most difficult objects to animate on computers, but I think DreamWorks got it right in Shrek--there is nothing there that makes me say "that does not look right." There are great in-jokes about the world of childhood stories, while sprinkling in some very adult humor. The best sight gags for me revolve around Farquaad interrogating a gingerbread man and threatening a magic mirror. Shrek will entertain and amuse the young and old alike.

A movie suitable for children, but really made for an adult audience. It's funny, has many quotable catchphrases and teaches us so much. It shows us that love has no limits, that you can find love where you'd least expect it and that beauty doesn't show only on the outside. It is also a great story about unlikely characters forming friendships that will last a lifetime.

For younger viewers, they might not understand the impact of "Shrek" on the film industry and CGI movies. However, being an older guy, I remember how groundbreaking and amazing the computer animation was when the film debuted. It was head and shoulders better than the few CGI movies that had come out in the previous decade...and it finally gave Pixar a serious run for the money. In addition, the plot was very adult...and the film's appeal was much greater than a typical CGI story. Great animation, great story telling and great voice acting, while the movie isn't quite impressive to see today, it still holds up very well and is well worth your time.

I could easily say more but this film has over a thousand reviews....so I'll just end it here!

Shrek is a movie like no other. It stands alone in its appeal to people of all ages and in its presentation of comedy, romance, and creative story line. Shrek is a delightful comedy about a crude ogre, an energetic princess, a witty donkey and an uptight ruler. The movie has a brilliant story line, following the path of an initially moody ogre as he discovers friendship and love all in the face of hysterical comedy. The story line is layered for different levels of understanding; it is an enjoyable film for people of all ages. One clever tool Shrek uses to humor the audience is its spoof on other fairy tales. In one scene, Princess Fiona's singing causes a bluebird to explode. And in another scene, the Magic Mirror's description of Snow White is "She may live with seven men, but don't be fooled, she's not easy." While these subtle comedic lines amuse adults, it is the simple humor, such as the movie opening with the ogre sitting in a swamp "farting," that amuses children. The amazing cast of Shrek, including Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers does a great job of living up to their comedic expectations. Shrek has something for everyone; it is a great animated tale that is wonderful for adults and children alike.

Shrek is a green ogre who lives in a swamp, but his king sends him on a mission which he must complete to get his own land back.

You only have to watch ten minutes of this film to realise that this is going to be a classic. Eddie Murphy being employed as a wisecracking donkey was a casting dream and plays well against the more plain Shrek, voiced by Mike Myers.

Ok the plot is old, new, borrowed and blue (all recaps and references to fairy tales), but I don't care. It is all so much good fun and better than that, the kind of thing that can be enjoyed by young and old, male or female. It is really a dream of movie and some brilliant pop tunes are employed that really work fantastically against the images. Real tear-to-the-eye stuff.

A real bliss-out of a movie and all parties should be congratulated for making it so great. A real DVD buyer, because it can be enjoyed over and over again. Bring on the follow up, I can't wait.