Shrek

Rating:
Summary: It's Not Easy Being Green
Review: SHREK is the latest full length computer animated movie released by Dreamworks/PDI studio. This highly entertaining movie is based on the book by William Steig. An Ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers) sets out on an adventure, to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), with help from his donkey sidekick (Eddie Murphy). By doing so, the 2 hope to win back the deed to the swamp, where Shrek lives...Only the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) has no plans to give up either possession any time soon. The movie is very funny, and like PDI's previous effort ANTZ, is as much for adults, as it is for kids. As expected, Myers doesn't let the voice only role, limit his performance. In fact, everyone does a fine job here. and the film is lots of fun. The CG animation is spectacular. The detail is amazing and rivals ANTZ--wow.

The 2 disc DVD set features the film in both widescreen and full frame viewing formats. The extras are loaded with gems. Some highlights include Hidden Fun Facts about the film, you can also record your own voice over 12 scenes in the movie (great, Especially, if there are kids in the house), Funny on screen character interviews and an interactive activity center with games that even adults will enjoy...and that's just on disc one

Disc 2 highlights are a light filmmakers commentary track, storyboards of deleted scenes, a featurette on how Shrek sounds in other languages from different countries, and some technical goofs that made it into the finished film. A really entertaining film and fun DVD extras, heck, even the access menus are fun, make for a highly recommendeded set

Rating:
Summary: A grown-up fairy tale
Review: When I first heard about "Shrek" I thought this would be one of the worst films to hit the theaters. Was I ever wrong! The animation is astounding and is yet more proof how far CGI can go that regular cel animation can't. But the true greatness of this movie is the story itself. The editorial above sort of spoils you, telling you it's a "fractured fairy tale" -- and it is -- but I like to think of it as a grown-up fairy tale, not that kids won't enjoy or get it, but this is definitely not a movie that is only for them. That stigma that animation is for children only is so untrue, and this movie shows it in spades. Definitely a worthwhile buy!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic graphics and funny too
Review: This is the best childrens animated movie that has been made recently. Its also very watchable for adults too, very funny indeed. The computer grapics are the best I've seen, far superior to Toy Story. Its one of those films that you can watch over and over. I saw it at the movies and bought it as soon as it came out on DVD.

I own the Region 4 version which also allows you to watch the film in Spanish or English audio (as does a lot of Region 4 DVD's), I'm not sure though if the Region 1 version offered here has Spanish audio.

In Australia many people by multiple region DVD players so it really does not matter to us where we buy our DVD's but people in the United States might like to check it out first.

Rating:
Summary: It's fun for everyone!...
Review: It's a laughable animated film for people who love animation. I love it and Mike myers and Eddie Murphy gave real funny performances in this film. Cameron Diaz also gave a good performance as Princess Fiona. It's for all ages. I have to say Eddie Murphy gave the most lovable performance as the talking donkey. It's not disney, it's dreamworks animation. It's a feel good film.

Rating:
Summary: Myers & Murphy - What a team!
Review: This movie was fantastic! Not a live film yet not quite an "animated" film, this flick was truly unique. Beside the amazing graphics, the story line was what you would expect without being overly predictable. But the real story is the characters. Mike Myers was a phenomenal Shrek. The voice, it's accent, and inflections really made the character both funny and endearing. Eddie Murphy was beyond hysterical as Donkey. In fact, Donkey was a real scene-stealer. This is an instant classic that you should be able to enjoy time and again. You can't not like this movie!

Extras on this DVD are numerous and first-rate. Definitely helps to have DVD-ROM but not required.

Rating:
Summary: Original and smart!
Review: Disney has often followed on a set of "guidelines" to making all of their films work: a beautiful princess in some kind of peril (ie: Sleeping Beauty is under a spell to make her sleep, Snow White ate the poisoned apple, Cinderella wants to go the ball, etc.). These films often work on some level, but originality is often lacking in fairy tales, which always come from some source. Plus, they teach lessons that don't exactly behoove the viewer, often the impressionable young child (lessons in infatuation--what fairy tale didn't have some prince with a superiority complex wanting to be king, and spotting a beautiful girl from across the room, and saying "She's the one."???? You NEVER see Prince Wonderful courting Lovely Lady around, do you? Ok, ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. "Shrek" completely goes against the grain in terms of fairy tale concepts by adding a whole new twist to the genre, and the result is nothing short of spectacular.

Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) is an ugly green ogre living in a ramshackle house in the swamp by himself, without a care in the world. When Lord Farquaad (voice of John Lithgow) banishes all "fairy tale creatures" from the land, Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy), who talks too much, escapes from his owner and the clutches of the people who are taking him away, and goes to Shrek's swamp and begs Shrek to take him in, and Shrek unwillingly does just that. When all the fairy tale creatures are dumped on his property, Shrek complains to Farquaad. Farquaad, a diminuitive lord with a superiority complex, wants to be king, and after consulting his magic mirror, he sees the woman he would like to have for his bride, and tells Shrek that he will remove the fairy tale creatures from his property if Shrek can bring him his future bride, Princess Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz).

This movie is probably one of the funniest animated movies I've seen in a long time. I'm a Disney fan, but I've strayed from their "fairy tale" pictures due to a lack of interest, and have geared my interest to different (and original) animated stories. This one is truly original in every way, even though it recycles familiar fairy tale characters (the 7 dwarfs, Pinochio, Cinderella, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, etc), but in a humorous way. The actors themselves (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow) are great in their parts, and the supporting voices and characters are what makes this film great. There are so many inside jokes that this movie would tend to fly right over a child's head. there are also alot of sight gags that the viewer would easily miss the first time around.

I don't have one absolute favorite scene, because this whole movie was hysterically funny and smart. However, some of them stand out in mind. The "gingerbread man" was classic, with the famous cookie lying on a cookie pan, legs broken off, with a glass of milk next to him. His "tourture" was getting dipped in the milk and the threat of his buttons getting ripped off. When Farquaad tells him to confess, Gingerbread Man screams "Eat me!" and spits. Another great scene was the "Merry Men" singing their song, which turns into the suspended-motion scene from "The Matrix" with Fiona lifting into the air in the "karate-kick" motion, the action freezes, the angle rotates, and Fiona kicks two Merry Men at the same time. The part with the magic mirror was also hillarious. I like how the mirror was honest with Farquaad, informing him that "he really wasn't a king, and this isn't a kingdom," to which Farquaad gestures to Thelonious as to what happens to a "lying" mirror (Thelonious punches a small handheld mirror), and the mirror counteracts "...but you can be king," and shows three different women, "Dating Game" style. The scene at Farquaad's amusement park was hillarious, especially with the "It's a Small World"-esque puppets singing.

This was a great film, complete with a great cast, and is a fun story. This definitely breaks all those rules that fairy tales tend to set (and believe me, rules were made to be broken). I am anxiously awaiting the sequel in 2004, and highly recommend this to everyone and their 5th cousin once removed (LOL! just kidding). This is a great story of romance and wonder, and it is sure to be a hit for years to come.

Donkey: Hi, Princess. Fiona: It talks! Shrek: Yeah, it's getting him to shutup that's the trick!

Ok, maybe I'll take this as advice. See "Shrek," you won't regret it!!

Rating:
Summary: Exciting Movie for Kids and Adults
Review: We always try to find movies for the kids that they like and don't leave the adults bored. This movie is full of fantastic action. Hats off to the writers of "Shrek". Shrek reminds me of Herman Munster with his strength, and Shrek is full of courage.
The movie is funny and has action that will put you on the edge of your seat. I will give no story details - check it out (especially if you want to watch a movie with your kids).

Rating:
Summary: GREAT movie! ^_^
Review: Jokes for kids, joke for adults, an actual -plot- *gasp!* and some of the best animation I've seen in a while. Maybe it's not as flashy as Final Fantasy : Spirit's Within, but it's certainly a notch higher up the ladder than Toy Story (did I mention the -plot-?)

If you have kids, if you don't have kids, as long as you have a sense of humor... go rent or buy this one! ^_^ The fuzzy donkey outtakes alone are worth the price of a Blockbuster rental...

Rating:
Summary: Watch The Music Selection
Review: The movie Shrek is certainly a winner, but some of the music selections could have been better in order to set a tone or the mood of certain scenes. For example; the raunchy rock music used when Shrek and Donkey first arrived at Farquaad's castle and do battle with his guards was bad and loud. However, the rock song "Im A Believer" at the end of the movie was appropriate for the scene. The music selected throughout the movie, with a few exceptions, was brilliant and moving and was appropriate for the scenes. The theme music at the begining of the movie which sports the DreamWorks logo is just epic, although the naration started just before the last few notes was somewhat disappointing because the music here is so beautiful and so moving that you'll want to hear every note. The music used at the end of the dragon chase was excellent. The movie's theme of not judging a book by its cover, and the aspect of falling in true love, and the meaning of true friendship, are strong themes throughout the movie. The picture quality was first-rate. The attention to color, texture of objects, contrast, lighting, and shadow detail puts pressure on non-animated films to do as well. The shadow detail that could be seen in the dimly lighted Dragon's castle was great!
A DVD dub with an audio over-ride on certain music selections will turn this movie from a four star status into a five star movie.
DreamWorks: Very Good job!

Rating:
Summary: A laugh riot for both kids and adults
Review: SHREK is something on the order of the old "Fractured Fairy Tales" on Bullwinkle, but with more attitude. Yes, there is "potty humor" but there are also some great sight gags, puns and some excellent animation sequences.SHREK takes a good natured spoof of pop culture and adds a little magic. Far more entertaining than some of the current rubbish cranked out by Disney or Dreamworks. The voice characterizations were perfect. Who else but Eddie Murphy could voice "Donkey" or Cameron Diaz as the fiesty Fiona. And we have Shrek. Only Mike Myers could have pulled it off. For those of you who DIDN"T LIKE THIS ONE or are whining about the content, IT'S AIMED AT KIDS. DEAL WITH IT