Director: Mike Mitchell Starring: voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Theatrical Release: May 21, 2010 Shop for Shrek Merchandise

Plot Summary

After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in-laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love. (from MovieWeb.com)

Film Review

It’s no secret that since the success of Shrek 2 in 2004, the series has gone down hill. Because of the first sequel’s smash hit status, the studio had talked about the possibility of eight – count ‘em – eight more Shrek films. While that sounded excessive, it was understood that if each film could deliver like the first two did, the series would be a welcomed franchise. However, when Shrek The Third was served in 2007, the film not only seemed to fall unwanted upon Shrek-ed out moviegoers, but the film itself was widely viewed as a disappointment, and the series came to a screeching halt. The talk of multiple sequels quieted, while plans for the fourth had already been underway. By the time buzz began to build for the fourth installment, promotion for the film began to center on the idea that this movie would indeed be Shrek’s final chapter. What had begun as a beloved series has somehow become sort of an exhausted trend.

To properly prepare for watching Shrek Forever After, I rewatched the previous films in one evening. The story has a good progression and maturation of the character of Shrek, but the best of the bunch is still easily the first sequel, Shrek 2. That film took what people loved about the first film, shook it up and made it even more fantastical. It introduced Antonio Banderas’ beloved Puss In Boots as well as Fiona’s parents – voiced by Julie Andrews and John Cleese (how awesome is that?!). Shrek The Third was the beginning of the end. It didn’t feel very much like the previous films, and it sort of approached the story from the misguided mind set that “bigger is better.” And sadly, that is not the case. Yet, while they tried to throw the kitchen sink into the third film, the Shrek series had begun to lose its gusto. Shrek himself was becoming domesticated, losing the elements of his character that made people fall in love with him in the first place. Plus, part of what made the Shrek films so much fun was the dynamic between Shrek and Donkey (wonderfully voiced by Eddie Murphy). With Shrek The Third and Shrek Forever After, that dynamic is horribly missing or diminished and the films suffer because of it. The other major problem is the change in directors in the later two sequels. The first two films were co-directed by Andrew Adamson, while the latest two were handed over to completely different teams. The end result certainly shows it.

Shrek Forever After picks up less than a year after where Shrek The Third left off. Shrek is starting to feel suffocated by his domesticated lifestyle and is tired of the monotony of parenthood and his star status in the kingdom. He merely wishes to live life as an ogre again. This is where Rumpelstiltskin comes in. The series throws out the reality that Rumpelstiltskin appeared as a scrawny, entirely different character in Shrek The Third, and expects no one to notice this and accept the fact that this little weasel has been lurking in the background of the story since the events of the first Shrek. It’s not a major continuity error, but it’s really one of the only significant continuity errors in the four-film series. Upon making a deal with the devil (so to speak), Shrek follows in the footsteps of George Bailey for a sort of It’s A Wonderful Life meets Back To The Future 2 – experiencing what life would have been like if the events of the first film never even happened, and he experiences an alternate reality. Of course, in this tale, it’s no angel trying to make him realize how much worth is in his life, instead we have a villain that threaten’s Shrek’s very existence.

The movie has a completely different feel out of the gate. For one, it’s much, much darker – even darker than the third film. Also, as we watch Shrek struggle a domesticated life as a husband and father, it no longer feels like a Shrek film. And when his world is turned upside down, not even the alternate Far Far Away feels like a Shrek film. In an attempt to be fresh and new, somehow Fiona became some sort of barbarian ogre outlaw while a large race of more-hideous-than-the-next-guy horde of ogres that for some reason exist just because Shrek didn’t save the princess and don’t exist if he did? While the idea of Donkey never knowing Shrek or Puss somehow becoming Fiona’s pet and therefore being fat and lazy (a fat, orange, lazy cat… Garfield, anyone?) sounds rather humorous on paper, in the context of the Shrek series, I would think fans would want to see their favorite characters in action one more time as themselves and not as almost entirely different characters. The premise has its moments, but ultimately, it’s pretty humorless and all-around disappointing. I found myself waiting for the story to become more fun or exciting, but I felt like I had seen most of this movie already in the trailer. The trailer offered almost all of the film’s funniest moments, and I didn’t find the trailer all that funny to begin with. In the first movie, Shrek is a grumpy ogre who has to deal with circumstances beyond his control. He has an unlikely partnership with a talkative Donkey and entertainment ensues. In Shrek Forever After, Shrek is a ultimately a sad, lovable big guy going through some sort of mid-life crisis, forced to try to find a way to get his life back to the way it was before he met Rumple. These just don’t feel like the same characters.

The content of Shrek Forever After is the most mild of all the Shrek films. Because Shrek is now a big green warm fuzzy teddy bear, most of his attitude and sass is gone. The only language in the film – a “h*ll” and a use of the “a” word – are both uttered by Donkey, with both either coming out very quick or a bit obscured by Donkey’s delivery. There is a little bit of crude humor, but most of it is especially mild compared to the previous films. We see what looks like a feminine male witch who makes eyes towards Fiona’s father (who is repulsed by this), while a male ogre named Cookie acts pretty flamboyant. A few minor comments are also made – like, for example, Donkey starts picking up a scent and saying it smells “delicious” and Shrek, thinking Donkey is talking about Fiona, scolds him for talking about his wife that way (really, Donkey is smelling and describing food). The film has some violence – mostly nonlethal action violence and the throwing of knives and axes, but nothing outrageously violent.

All in all, Shrek Forever After successfully wraps up the series in a neat little bow, but does it in a pretty bizarre and lackluster way. This hardly feels like the same Shrek we fell in love with nearly a decade ago. While some can say Shrek matured over the course of the series, the fact remains that the ingredients that made the franchise start out so strongly died with the conclusion of the second film. Switching directors halfway through the four films certainly took its toll on the third and fourth chapters (and an inexperienced writer for this one doesn’t help either). Shrek Forever After was helmed, curiously, by Mike Mitchell, whose credits include the atrocious Surviving Christmas and the adult-themed Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. Whatever made the studio pick Mitchell to finish off a beloved family series is beyond me. Diehard Shrek fans may just be content enough getting one more outing with some of their favorite characters, but considering how many changes have taken place and how much little time we get with the actual characters we love here, even they are likely to be disappointed. Shrek Forever After is entertaining enough, but for anyone wishing for the enchantment from the first two films will be sorely disappointed. The series probably should have ended six years ago. If a fifth film somehow finds its way into production, let’s all hope DreamWorks goes back to the drawing board and returns the series to what worked in the first place.

We are just a few weeks away from the wide theatrical release of the final chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s successful Shrek franchise. The latest Shrek Forever After trailer features Rumpelstiltskin’s announcement of a bounty put out on our heroic ogre.

DreamWorks Animation has released the full theatrical trailer for the fourth Shrek film to be released May 21, 2010. Shrek Foerever After focuses on Shrek trying to regain his inner-ogre mojo, and in attempting to get back to his roots, he signs a life-altering deal with Rumpelstiltskin.

Samsung Redefines Home Entertainment with Global Availability of World’s First Full HD 3D LED TV and First-Time Offering of DreamWorks Animation’s Beloved Shrek Film Collection in 3D

First available offerings include LED TVs, Blu-ray Players and 3D Active Glasses

First-Ever Release of Most Successful Animated Film Series of All Time in 3D From DreamWorks Animation

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today made another stride toward redefining the home entertainment experience by officially announcing the world’s first-available Full HD 3D LED TV and full lineup of 3D home entertainment products to consumers worldwide. Samsung also announced today the expansion of its strategic alliance with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) to feature an exclusive offering of the Company’s beloved Shrek film series – which to date has grossed over $2 billion in worldwide box office – in its entirety in 3D for the first time ever.

To make 3D TV more accessible for consumers globally, Samsung unveiled a promotional program where everyone who purchases a 2010 Samsung 3D TV and 3D Blu-ray Player or Home Theater System will receive a 3D starter kit that includes two pairs of Samsung 3D active glasses and a first time, feature-length 3D Blu-ray version of DreamWorks Animation’s 2009 release, Monsters vs. Aliens (exclusive to Samsung products). Additionally, during the second half of 2010, the most successful animated film franchise of all time – DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek film series – will be available in 3D Blu-ray for Samsung home solutions.

“Samsung has been the number one company in the global TV market for four straight years, and we remain committed to leading the market by deploying new categories of entertainment like Full HD 3D LED TVs, on which consumers around the world will be able to enjoy their favorite content, including DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek franchise, in their homes,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, President of Visual Display Business Unit at Samsung Electronics. “With the widest range of options for 3D home solutions ever, Samsung continues to lead the home entertainment industry by liberating 2D content to 3D, and creating new, immersive experiences for consumers.”

“It is an incredibly exciting time for the industry at large, as we continue to see the proliferation of 3D in theaters globally at unprecedented rates and now – thanks to Samsung’s innovation leading the charge – the capability to deliver a truly premium 3D experience for consumers in their homes. We are thrilled to be able to offer audiences the exciting opportunity to bring the world and characters of all of our Shrek movies home with them this year in 3D,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation.

The news was delivered at Samsung’s Full HD 3D LED TV global launch press conference held in New York City today, one of several global events this week created by the company to invite influencers and consumers to enjoy all the capabilities of Samsung’s 3D technology leadership.

Global Product Availability

Samsung will launch the broadest line of 3D home entertainment products in 2010. Its 3D TV lineup includes the LED 7000/8000/9000 Series, LCD 750 Series, and the Plasma 7000/8000 Series. Available this month are the 3D capable 46″ and 55″ LED C7000, with the remaining 3D TVs rolling out over the next several months. Samsung is delivering 3D the way it was meant to be watched, combining the Samsung BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player or the Samsung HT-C6930W 3D Blu-ray integrated home theater system, stylish 3D active glasses and movie in Blu-ray 3D. The result: Full HD with lifelike depth and color clarity at home.

First to Market Full HD 3D LED TV Raises Bar for TV Excellence

This year’s premium LED TV models, the C7000, C8000 and C9000, feature Samsung’s Real240Hz™ refresh rate technology and Samsung’s proprietary built-in 3D processor that is compatible with major 3D format standards. Samsung’s 3D technology and a faster panel optimized for 3D work together to deliver an immersive viewing experience. When not in the 3D mode, you’re back to watching one of the best performing HDTVs on the market with the push of a button.

The LED TVs come with Internet@TV connectivity which includes the world’s first HDTV app store, Samsung Apps, allowing users to download and view applications on their TV screens. The 3D LED TVs are also the highest performing and most eco-conscious HDTV products Samsung has ever released, all exceeding the more stringent EnergyStar 4.0 guidelines.

Taking the Wonder of 3D to people’s home

In the US, Samsung is launching a holistic marketing campaign under the name “Dedicated to Wonder,” a high-profile marketing effort that includes television advertising and the first 3D Cinema advertising (Spot?) for a consumer electronics brand. Samsung assembled an elite production crew, including the Oscar-winning director of photography, Mauro Fiore, and is bringing the wonder of the 3D experience to life with this new marketing campaign. New commercials will begin hitting the air this week, highlighting Samsung’s 3D technology and the wonder it brings to the home entertainment experience.

Samsung’s in-store display plan is also key to exposing consumers to the technology and educating them on the value of 3D. Samsung’s internal research shows that while awareness of 3D technology is high, less than a third of consumers have had any experience with it. For this reason, Samsung is strengthening marketing activities in an effort to make it easier for consumers to experience 3D. In 2010, consumers can expect to experience this immersive experience in more than 5,000 stores across the nation. Displays will start being deployed later in the month.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of seven independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for two consecutive years. In 2010, DreamWorks Animation ranks #6 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 18 animated feature films, including the franchise properties, Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. DreamWorks Animation’s three feature film releases in 2010 are How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After and Megamind.

CBR has exclusive news regarding a deal between Ape Entertainment and DreamWorks Animation for the release of comic books based on properties such as Shrek and Madagascar.

Ape co-publisher and artist David Hedgecock, speaks about the company’s plan to release on Free Comic Book Day and beyond:

“So, there will be a ‘Shrek Prequel’ [comic] in April, 2010 that is a great primer for the new film, and then ‘Shrek’ #1 will hit May 19th to coincide with the movie being released. As for ‘The Penguins of Madagascar,’ it’s currently the highest rated new television show on Nickelodeon and is in heavy rotation, with new episodes on the way. Again, it seemed like a no-brainer to get this out to the public as soon as possible.”

Source(s):
EXCLUSIVE: Ape Entertainment Brings Dreamworks To Comics [Comic Book Resources]

Last month we presented a new image and plotlines for what is being touted as the last Shrek film, Shrek Forever After.  Today we have the very first movie poster (click to enlarge) and trailer seen below.

So how does this all play out? Does Shrek Forever After restore the fans’ faith in the franchise, or does the final act get booed off the stage? What are your thoughts?

Source(s):
Poster, Trailer debut for ‘Final’ Shrek movie [VideoETA]

We have compiled a list of animated movies and specials that will be airing during this holiday season.  The shows listed are based solely on the movies and characters regularly covered on DTW.  Gather the family and enjoy!

NBC      Sat. Nov 28, 8:30 PM - The Incredibles: Now fighting boredom in suburbia, a former superhero and his family get a chance to save the world. (Zap2it.com)

ABC      Mon. Nov 30, 8:30 PM - Shrek the Halls: The ogre’s plans for a cozy family Christmas go awry when Donkey, Puss in Boots and the rest of the fairy-tale gang try to join in the fun. (Zap2it.com)

DISN    Tues. Dec 1, 8:00 PM - Happy Feet: Born without the ability to sing, a young emperor penguin expresses himself and hopes to attract a mate through his amazing dancing talent. (Zap2it.com)

DISN    Wed. Dec 2, 8:00 PM - Happy Feet

AFAM  Wed. Dec 2, 7:00 PM - Pixar Short Films: A collection of 20 computer-animated short films includes “Rescue Squad Mater,” “Jack-Jack Attack,” and Oscar-winners “For the Birds,” “Geri’s Game” and “Tin Toy.” (Zap2it.com)

A snowman pulls out all the stops in attempting to break out of his snowglobe in Pixar's short "Knick Knack."

AFAM  Thu. Dec 3, 6:00 PM - The Polar Express: A train conductor guides a boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus to the North Pole. Based on a book by Chris Van Allsburg. (Zap2it.com)

AFAM  Thu. Dec 3, 8:30 PM - The Polar Express

NICK    Sat. Dec 5, 11:00 AM - Back at the Barnyard (It’s an Udderful Life): When Santa gets a case of ferret fever, Otis and the animals vow to make toys and deliver them on Christmas Eve. (Zap2it.com)

NBC      Sat. Dec 5, 8:30 PM - The Incredibles

ABC      Wed. Dec 9, 8:00 PM - Shrek the Halls

NICK    Wed. Dec 9, 7:00 AM - Back at the Barnyard (It’s an Udderful Life)

DISN    Wed. Dec 9, 8:00 PM - Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King gives the yuletide season a touch of Halloween in an animated tale from the mind of Tim Burton. (Zap2it.com)

DISN    Thurs. Dec 10, 12:00 PM - Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

DXD      Fri. Dec 11, 5:00 PM - The Polar Express

NICK    Sat.  Dec 12,  11:00 AM - Back at the Barnyard (It’s an Udderful Life)

DXD      Sat. Dec 12, 8:30 PM - The Polar Express

AFAM Wed. Dec 16, 8:00 PM - Happy Feet

AFAM Fri. Dec 18, 7:30 PM - Cars: A hot-shot race-car named Lightning McQueen gets waylaid in Radiator Springs, where he finds the true meaning of friendship and family. (IMDb.com)

AFAM Sat. Dec 19, 8:00 PM - Ratatouille: Remy is a young rat in the French countryside who arrives in Paris, only to find out that his cooking idol is dead. (IMDb.com)

AFAM Fri. Dec 20, 8:30 PM - The Incredibles

DISN   Mon. Dec 21, 8:00 PM - The Polar Express

DISN   Tues. Dec 22 8:00 PM - Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

FAM    Wed. Dec 23, 10:00 PM - The Polar Express

AFAM Fri. Dec 25, 6:00 PM - The Incredibles

DISN   Fri. Dec 25, 3:30 PM - Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

Source(s):
Holiday TV specials [Cincinnati.com]
ABC Family (magazine ad)

All times are Eastern Standard Time and programming may vary.  Check your local listings.

DreamWorks made themselves a cultural icon when they released the highly successful Shrek film back in 2001, based on the children’s book by William Steig.  The gloriously gross green ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) went on to become an animated superstar.  The successful ‘opening act’ inevitably led DreamWorks into development of the long-awaited sequel with Shrek 2, which opened in theaters in 2004.  Both films were critically acclaimed while also garnering several awards — including Shrek taking home the first ever Academy Award given for Best Animated Feature.

Then predictably the two animated smash hits were followed up by Shrek the Third.  Despite the brilliance of the first two offerings, the third film lacked charm and may have soured some of the good feelings established by Shrek 1 and 2.  That being said, fans are going to be sure to tread lightly before possibly getting excited about a fourth — and supposedly final — helping of Shrek in 3-D.

The fourth film in the franchise, Shrek Forever After, was announced in 2007 under the title of “Shrek Goes Fourth” as DreamWorks reported a 2010 release.  Just this week a few new items have surfaced such as plot details and images.

“All that was loved about Shrek in the first film is brought to the final film,” promises Bill Damaschke, head of creative production at DreamWorks. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are back as the voices of Shrek, sidekick Donkey and ogress wife Fiona.

The premise is the Brothers Grimm meet It’s a Wonderful Life: After rescuing a princess, getting hitched and fathering triplets, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. “He has lost his roar,” says director Mike Mitchell (Sky High, Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo). “It used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches.”

To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, the wee troublemaker who popped up briefly in Shrek 2 and 3.

Look for the first Shrek Forever After trailer to hit theaters on December 18, piggy-backing off of the debut of James Cameron’s much-anticipated Avatar.

I am personally looking forward to this latest installment, if not for any other reason than to (hopefully) see the Shrek series go out the same way it came in — Big, bold and brash…but with the heart of a saint.

Source(s):
First look: ‘Shrek Forever After’: Fourth, final film is first in 3-D [USA Today via Slash Film]

Director: Chris Miller, Raman Hui Starring: voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Theatrical Release: May 18, 2007 Shop for Shrek Merchandise

Plot Summary

Shrek The Third finds Shrek and Fiona reluctantly reigning over Far Far Away. But if they can find the heir to the throne and bring him back, they can return to their swamp. While Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots are in search of the heir, Fiona holds off a coup d’etat by Prince Charming. (from MovieWeb.com)

Film Review

It’s a pretty big challenge to try to top a sequel like Shrek 2, which was better in a lot of ways than its predecessor. Shrek The Third is a valiant effort, however, bringing a new adventure to the table for our heroes Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and Puss In Boots. This time around, Shrek sets out to find an heir to the Far Far Away throne, a young teenage version of the legendary would-be King Arthur. And since Prince Charming survived the conflicts of the previous sequel, the evil pretty boy returns as the chief villain for Shrek The Third.

Shrek The Third is the first in the potentially extensive franchise to not feature director Andrew Adamson at the helm. Newcomers to the Shrek director’s chair Chris Miller & Raman Hui do well to continue the very look and feel that the first two films established. The biggest noticeable difference with The Third, however, is a decreased presence of Donkey. The relationship between the titular ogre and the talkative sidekick was a staple of the first film and even much of the second film. Puss In Boots is given significantly greater screen time, and also seems like more of a partner-in-crime with Donkey. Sadly, giving Donkey less to do as well as another partner aside from Shrek is pretty much the mistake that the creators of Seinfeld made when they would give Kramer a sidekick – it just seems to detract from the character’s impact and overall essence. Certain characters thrive in a specific setting and watering down the shtick between Donkey and Shrek seems foolish. But The Third progresses the story well, wrapping up a tale that works perfectly as a trilogy, as this film picks up quite soon after the events at the end of Shrek 2.

The introduction of Arthur to the story is a unique idea. Oddly enough, showing Arthur as a teen and calling him Artie may not have been the best decision, but it ends up working perfectly with the film’s theme. While I never would have ever dreamt of *NYSNC personality Justin Timberlake in such a role, his youthful expression ended up being perfect for the somewhat bratty “Artie.” And through the three films we get to watch Shrek himself go through the character development from callous ogre to a lovable, albeit still rough-around-the-edges, family man. There’s an added humanity to watching the moody ogre struggle with the fears of raising children after learning the news of Fiona’s pregnancy. With “Artie” being of a young age, we see Shrek switch into parental mode, which is a big change for the character. The relationship actually gives the film an almost preachy feel about being all you can be and having faith in yourself. In the end, it remains a redeemable message that will hit home for viewers of any age.

The adult content is greatly subdued the third time around. Although there are some questionable comments, it’s overall less than the previous films, with no objectionable language being included this time around (aside from a “kick me” sort of sign that’s pinner on Donkey’s tail and reads “I S*ck-eth”). The violence, however, is pretty substantial, with villains wreaking havoc on the land of Far Far Away, and Charming fighting a bit dirty at times. Also, the spoof jokes are surprisingly less in this film, while the expected absurd situations and jabs at classic fairy tales still remain – and have become expected. Every character that has been touched on in the past two installments are expanded on a bit here, which actually may present a bit of a problem. With each character – from Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty to Captain Hook, the Headless Horseman, and the evil trees, all getting more focus, Shrek The Third almost suffers the same problem Spider-Man 3 had with featuring too many villains. In the end, however, the writing team get some wonderful jokes in there (having all the fairy tale women throw a baby shower for Fiona is priceless), and the Gingerbread Man and Pinocchio once again get some of the film’s best laughs.

When all is said and done, Shrek The Third is a fine sequel, but cannot top either that came before it. It’s often just as fun and imaginative, but it feels like something is missing by the time the credits have rolled by. Whether or not it’s due to the lack of Adamson’s directorial touches or even just less of that signature chemistry between Shrek and Donkey, Shrek The Third just doesn’t deliver in quite the way that Shrek 2 did. Some gut-busting, laugh-out-loud moments are definitely included, so Shrek The Third is still an enjoyable time at the movies.

Although it’s just a tad milder in crude or vulgar comments than the first two, this film still has some pretty violent or dark moments to concern parents when involving the little ones. It’s nice to see the film take the more mild route, but it wouldn’t hurt omitting stuff like a brief shot of the top of Shrek’s derriere. I’m pretty confident that’s not needed. All in all, Shrek The Third fits right in pretty well with the others and is just as much fun, even if it isn’t quite as good as them. While I can’t see how the story can be stretched much further with the way it feels pretty wrapped up by film’s end, if the filmmakers can keep churning out the witty fairy tale fun, we’ll keep filling the theater seats. But I’d rather see it end on a high note than wear out its welcome.

Director: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury Starring: voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Theatrical Release: May 19, 2004 Shop for Shrek Merchandise

Plot Summary

After returning from their honeymoon and showing “home movies” to their friends, Shrek and Fiona learn Fiona’s parents have heard their daughter has married her true love and wish to meet the husband and invite him to their kingdom, called Far Far Away. The catch? Fiona’s parents are unaware of the curse that struck their daughter and assumed she married Prince Charming so are a bit shocked to learn thier son-in-law is a 700-pound ogre with horrible hygeine and a talking donkey. (from MovieWeb.com)

Film Review

The first Shrek film debuted in 2001 as a sleeper hit in the cinemas. It went on to win the first ever Best Animated Feature Oscar. Mixing a little more mature humor into a mostly family-friendly format, Shrek began redefining animated films. The only times Shrek over-stepped its boundaries was including one too many adult words. Due to its runaway success, a sequel was set into motion for release to theaters in Summer 2004.

Shrek 2 defies the stereotypical sequel. As I sat and watched the story unfold, I forgot I was watching a sequel and I felt it was a genuine continuation of the story. Just about everyone from the first film makes an appearance in Shrek 2 and it was great to see these characters evolve in their relationships together. It was a pleasure to see Shrek not quite as bitter or annoyed by Donkey and to see how, despite occasionally arguing, they still appreciate each other. The film builds on established characters and introduces new ones as well. Fiona’s parents are perfect, featuring the voice talents of the legendary Julie Andrews and Monty Python alumnus John Cleese. But the character that steals the show is Antonio Banderas’ brilliant Puss In Boots.

While Shrek was a fairy tale story with a contemporary edge and tongue-in-cheek delivery, Shrek 2 takes it to the line and catapults past it in impeccable screwball fashion. There was nothing tiresome or redundant about Shrek 2, and it inundated the audience with fresh jokes, spoofs, and gags from start to finish.

The only drawback to the Shrek films is the tendency they have to ride the fence with suggestive adult humor. With Shrek and Fiona’s recent marriage, comments regarding lovemaking are made (Donkey jokingly calls Shrek a “love machine”) while Puss In Boots is seen licking his crotch (as a cat might) and makes a few suggestive comments (not to mention a dance sequence features a Frenchman suggestively smacking his butt). The only thing about most of these, is they’ll go straight over the young ones’ heads and aren’t too racy or foul in the longrun to make a big deal about. But the fact that filmmakers of family movies don’t mind even tiptoeing into territory like that make one wonder how far will they go in the future? Are we getting too lax on issues like this? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps it’s food for thought.

Overall, I don’t think I can say I’ve seen a funnier movie in a very, very long time. Shrek 2 is imaginative, witty, clever, and downright hilarious. It knows when to tug on our heartstrings, but chances are we’ll be too busy still giggling about a previous joke by the time a serious moment comes along to fully appreciate it. It’s a fun and no-holds-barred silly romp that the family can enjoy. I don’t want to go into too many details to save the surprises. But be sure to stick around after the movie ends. After the credits start and before the credits for the voice cast roll, a final piece of the story is revealed…

All in all, Shrek 2 is quite possibly the best sequel ever produced and a fun trip to the theaters. Although it gets 5 stars from us, it isn’t perfect in the content department, so you may want to check it out first, but we didn’t feel any real alarming content was present. Quite possibly better than its predecessor, Shrek 2 is a great start to the Summer 2004 movie season.