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DVD Review- Shrek
When you think of the very best animated movies, you tend to think of Disney being tops in terms of characterisation and animation. However, you can now think of DreamWorks as being a rival to the Disney monopoly. This film is up there with the likes of Toy Story in the quality stakes. It isn’t really that big a surprise, since over the years, Disney has become complacent with its products, and another factor is that one of DreamWorks’ head honchos is Jeffrey Katzenberg- a guy that learnt his trade with Disney until he was unceremoniously dumped by the corporation.
Right, that’s enough about the impact of this film, let’s get down to business. For those of you who have been abducted by aliens and have only just returned after two years here is a quick breakdown of what the film is about. It’s about this ogre called Shrek (voiced by Austin Powers star Mike Myers) who meets this talking Donkey, which surprise, surprise is called Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy). They live in this fairytale place where the evil Lord Faquaad is trying to wipe out all the fairytale creatures in the kingdom, and is also looking for a bride so her can become king. His chosen bride-to-be is the lovely Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Without spoiling the story, Shrek is charged with the mission of rescuing Fiona, who is a regular damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armour to rescue her. Let’s face it, Shrek don’t look like no hero! The story revolves around their journey back to Lord Farquaad, and the path of true love (awww!) I ain’t saying no more about the story, cos it gives everything away!!!
I have got to say I was blown away by this film. The real star of the show is Donkey, simply because Eddie Murphy is perfectly cast as the jive-talking, streetwise loveable Donkey. The mannerisms are pure Axel Foley at times, and this had me in stiches, simply because I am a Beverly Hills Cop addict! Shrek himself was hilarious, for Myers put on a slight Scottish accent for the role (a curious choice nevertheless), and was the ideal straight man (ogre?) to Donkey. Fiona had a real feistyness and streetsmart savvy about her, and Cameron Diaz showed genuine comic talent, as did John Lithgow who voiced the maniacal Lord Farquaad. Lithgow simply oozed evilness- in his opening scene he stomped through the corridor in a manner that was similar to Darth Vader walking through the Death Star!! I gotta admit, I did find Princess Fiona attractive! Can’t say I blame Donkey when he was looking at her cleavage whilst she was being carried by Shrek! Mind you, all four leads did not have to try too hard, since the script was hilarious! The jokes came thick and fast, not just aimed at kids either! Flatulence jokes, as well as the ‘adults fill in the next word’ jokes are present, ensuring that adults won’t get bored! The more adult jokes are superbly handled, and kids won’t even notice they are there, till they grow up! It wasn’t just the verbal jokes that had me cracking up- the visual jokes were superb as well. There were references to WWF (Shrek clotheslining and suplexing attackers), Gladiator, The Matrix, even Riverdance!!
It wasn’t just the leads that made this film a success- the many supporting cast members were a hoot! Ranging from breakdancing Three Little Pigs with German accents, a female dragon that has an unhealthy affinity for donkeys, and a French Robin Hood (?). All the different fairytale characters had clear, well defined personalities and really shone in the Shrek Karaoke Dance Party. The singing was fantastic, and once again, Eddie Murphy stole the show with his James Brown-esque style. I knew he can sing a bit cos I heard an album he made before! A classic bit in the film was when Donkey did a bit of Teddy Pendergrass type crooning! Kids wouldn’t understand the significance, but people who know Teddy will at least crack a smile! It harks back to Murphy in the Nutty Professor. The scriptwriters must have had a field day with this movie, for they could really let their creative juices flow! The script and story work on so many levels. At some stages you’ll be going “aww, ain’t that sweet” and in other bits you will be splitting your sides laughing! Its been said that Shrek is the greatest fairy tale never told, and this is a very accurate statement, for it turns several established fairy tales on its head and brings a breath of fresh air to the stories we all heard when we were little.
The animation is probably the best ever seen. Sure, Final Fantasy was more photorealistic, but this stays true to its cartoon roots. Besides, having photorealistic characters would spoil the effect of Shrek himself. In fact, the animators had to ‘dial-back’ and make Fiona look less realistic, for she looked out of place with Donkey and Shrek. Even so, a revolutionary technique of building a skeleton, muscular frame, and individual hairs made the movement realistic. The facial expressions are much more complex than that seen in DreamWorks’ last outing, Antz. Fiona’s expressions are truly memorable for she shows a range of emotions that not all Hollywood actresses can produce! All the characters are believeable, and it is possible to become attached to them! All the characters possess some of the personality of the actors who voice them.
Feature aside, the extras on the DVD are excellent. Regular choice of language and subtitles are available, as well as Director’s commentary. This is particularly useful to find any jokes or concepts that you missed before. For the kids, you got a couple of games, a trivia one, decorate the Gingerbread Man, and character morph where you can make a picture consisting for example, Donkey’s legs, Shrek’s body and Fiona’s head! The games didn’t really get me going, but hey it’s a bonus! A stroke of genius was having character interviews, for they had me laughing just as I was in the film! There are a few thinly veiled references to Charlie’s Angels by Fiona, as well as a discussion on the relationship between Shrek and Donkey off-set. There are a couple of mini-features about the technology used in Shrek, and the international dubbing. There are the regular funny animated menus, which at least raise a smile or two! A clever feature for those watching on a PC is that they can re-voice entire scenes with their own voices! You, even you can tell Cameron Diaz that you are her knight in shining armour!
All in all, this demonstrates that animated movies are not exclusive to Disney. This made huge money at the box office, and a sequel is being made as we speak! Be prepared for more top quality animations! A funny, intelligent and original film that not only succeeds in being a good cartoon, but is an excellent comedy, fairytale and film in general! Buy this and make you life better, you‘ll thank me for it! Guaranteed to make everyone but the most cold-hearted of people laugh, chuckle and smile! Do it, go to Special Reserve and order this now! Let them help you help yourself! BUY IT!!!!
When you think of the very best animated movies, you tend to think of Disney being tops in terms of characterisation and animation. However, you can now think of DreamWorks as being a rival to the Disney monopoly. This film is up there with the likes of Toy Story in the quality stakes. It isn’t really that big a surprise, since over the years, Disney has become complacent with its products, and another factor is that one of DreamWorks’ head honchos is Jeffrey Katzenberg- a guy that learnt his trade with Disney until he was unceremoniously dumped by the corporation.
Right, that’s enough about the impact of this film, let’s get down to business. For those of you who have been abducted by aliens and have only just returned after two years here is a quick breakdown of what the film is about. It’s about this ogre called Shrek (voiced by Austin Powers star Mike Myers) who meets this talking Donkey, which surprise, surprise is called Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy). They live in this fairytale place where the evil Lord Faquaad is trying to wipe out all the fairytale creatures in the kingdom, and is also looking for a bride so her can become king. His chosen bride-to-be is the lovely Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Without spoiling the story, Shrek is charged with the mission of rescuing Fiona, who is a regular damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armour to rescue her. Let’s face it, Shrek don’t look like no hero! The story revolves around their journey back to Lord Farquaad, and the path of true love (awww!) I ain’t saying no more about the story, cos it gives everything away!!!
I have got to say I was blown away by this film. The real star of the show is Donkey, simply because Eddie Murphy is perfectly cast as the jive-talking, streetwise loveable Donkey. The mannerisms are pure Axel Foley at times, and this had me in stiches, simply because I am a Beverly Hills Cop addict! Shrek himself was hilarious, for Myers put on a slight Scottish accent for the role (a curious choice nevertheless), and was the ideal straight man (ogre?) to Donkey. Fiona had a real feistyness and streetsmart savvy about her, and Cameron Diaz showed genuine comic talent, as did John Lithgow who voiced the maniacal Lord Farquaad. Lithgow simply oozed evilness- in his opening scene he stomped through the corridor in a manner that was similar to Darth Vader walking through the Death Star!! I gotta admit, I did find Princess Fiona attractive! Can’t say I blame Donkey when he was looking at her cleavage whilst she was being carried by Shrek! Mind you, all four leads did not have to try too hard, since the script was hilarious! The jokes came thick and fast, not just aimed at kids either! Flatulence jokes, as well as the ‘adults fill in the next word’ jokes are present, ensuring that adults won’t get bored! The more adult jokes are superbly handled, and kids won’t even notice they are there, till they grow up! It wasn’t just the verbal jokes that had me cracking up- the visual jokes were superb as well. There were references to WWF (Shrek clotheslining and suplexing attackers), Gladiator, The Matrix, even Riverdance!!
It wasn’t just the leads that made this film a success- the many supporting cast members were a hoot! Ranging from breakdancing Three Little Pigs with German accents, a female dragon that has an unhealthy affinity for donkeys, and a French Robin Hood (?). All the different fairytale characters had clear, well defined personalities and really shone in the Shrek Karaoke Dance Party. The singing was fantastic, and once again, Eddie Murphy stole the show with his James Brown-esque style. I knew he can sing a bit cos I heard an album he made before! A classic bit in the film was when Donkey did a bit of Teddy Pendergrass type crooning! Kids wouldn’t understand the significance, but people who know Teddy will at least crack a smile! It harks back to Murphy in the Nutty Professor. The scriptwriters must have had a field day with this movie, for they could really let their creative juices flow! The script and story work on so many levels. At some stages you’ll be going “aww, ain’t that sweet” and in other bits you will be splitting your sides laughing! Its been said that Shrek is the greatest fairy tale never told, and this is a very accurate statement, for it turns several established fairy tales on its head and brings a breath of fresh air to the stories we all heard when we were little.
The animation is probably the best ever seen. Sure, Final Fantasy was more photorealistic, but this stays true to its cartoon roots. Besides, having photorealistic characters would spoil the effect of Shrek himself. In fact, the animators had to ‘dial-back’ and make Fiona look less realistic, for she looked out of place with Donkey and Shrek. Even so, a revolutionary technique of building a skeleton, muscular frame, and individual hairs made the movement realistic. The facial expressions are much more complex than that seen in DreamWorks’ last outing, Antz. Fiona’s expressions are truly memorable for she shows a range of emotions that not all Hollywood actresses can produce! All the characters are believeable, and it is possible to become attached to them! All the characters possess some of the personality of the actors who voice them.
Feature aside, the extras on the DVD are excellent. Regular choice of language and subtitles are available, as well as Director’s commentary. This is particularly useful to find any jokes or concepts that you missed before. For the kids, you got a couple of games, a trivia one, decorate the Gingerbread Man, and character morph where you can make a picture consisting for example, Donkey’s legs, Shrek’s body and Fiona’s head! The games didn’t really get me going, but hey it’s a bonus! A stroke of genius was having character interviews, for they had me laughing just as I was in the film! There are a few thinly veiled references to Charlie’s Angels by Fiona, as well as a discussion on the relationship between Shrek and Donkey off-set. There are a couple of mini-features about the technology used in Shrek, and the international dubbing. There are the regular funny animated menus, which at least raise a smile or two! A clever feature for those watching on a PC is that they can re-voice entire scenes with their own voices! You, even you can tell Cameron Diaz that you are her knight in shining armour!
All in all, this demonstrates that animated movies are not exclusive to Disney. This made huge money at the box office, and a sequel is being made as we speak! Be prepared for more top quality animations! A funny, intelligent and original film that not only succeeds in being a good cartoon, but is an excellent comedy, fairytale and film in general! Buy this and make you life better, you‘ll thank me for it! Guaranteed to make everyone but the most cold-hearted of people laugh, chuckle and smile! Do it, go to Special Reserve and order this now! Let them help you help yourself! BUY IT!!!!
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DVD Review- Shrek
When you think of the very best animated movies, you tend to think of Disney being tops in terms of characterisation and animation. However, you can now think of DreamWorks as being a rival to the Disney monopoly. This film is up there with the likes of Toy Story in the quality stakes. It isn’t really that big a surprise, since over the years, Disney has become complacent with its products, and another factor is that one of DreamWorks’ head honchos is Jeffrey Katzenberg- a guy that learnt his trade with Disney until he was unceremoniously dumped by the corporation.
Right, that’s enough about the impact of this film, let’s get down to business. For those of you who have been abducted by aliens and have only just returned after two years here is a quick breakdown of what the film is about. It’s about this ogre called Shrek (voiced by Austin Powers star Mike Myers) who meets this talking Donkey, which surprise, surprise is called Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy). They live in this fairytale place where the evil Lord Faquaad is trying to wipe out all the fairytale creatures in the kingdom, and is also looking for a bride so her can become king. His chosen bride-to-be is the lovely Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Without spoiling the story, Shrek is charged with the mission of rescuing Fiona, who is a regular damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armour to rescue her. Let’s face it, Shrek don’t look like no hero! The story revolves around their journey back to Lord Farquaad, and the path of true love (awww!) I ain’t saying no more about the story, cos it gives everything away!!!
I have got to say I was blown away by this film. The real star of the show is Donkey, simply because Eddie Murphy is perfectly cast as the jive-talking, streetwise loveable Donkey. The mannerisms are pure Axel Foley at times, and this had me in stiches, simply because I am a Beverly Hills Cop addict! Shrek himself was hilarious, for Myers put on a slight Scottish accent for the role (a curious choice nevertheless), and was the ideal straight man (ogre?) to Donkey. Fiona had a real feistyness and streetsmart savvy about her, and Cameron Diaz showed genuine comic talent, as did John Lithgow who voiced the maniacal Lord Farquaad. Lithgow simply oozed evilness- in his opening scene he stomped through the corridor in a manner that was similar to Darth Vader walking through the Death Star!! I gotta admit, I did find Princess Fiona attractive! Can’t say I blame Donkey when he was looking at her cleavage whilst she was being carried by Shrek! Mind you, all four leads did not have to try too hard, since the script was hilarious! The jokes came thick and fast, not just aimed at kids either! Flatulence jokes, as well as the ‘adults fill in the next word’ jokes are present, ensuring that adults won’t get bored! The more adult jokes are superbly handled, and kids won’t even notice they are there, till they grow up! It wasn’t just the verbal jokes that had me cracking up- the visual jokes were superb as well. There were references to WWF (Shrek clotheslining and suplexing attackers), Gladiator, The Matrix, even Riverdance!!
It wasn’t just the leads that made this film a success- the many supporting cast members were a hoot! Ranging from breakdancing Three Little Pigs with German accents, a female dragon that has an unhealthy affinity for donkeys, and a French Robin Hood (?). All the different fairytale characters had clear, well defined personalities and really shone in the Shrek Karaoke Dance Party. The singing was fantastic, and once again, Eddie Murphy stole the show with his James Brown-esque style. I knew he can sing a bit cos I heard an album he made before! A classic bit in the film was when Donkey did a bit of Teddy Pendergrass type crooning! Kids wouldn’t understand the significance, but people who know Teddy will at least crack a smile! It harks back to Murphy in the Nutty Professor. The scriptwriters must have had a field day with this movie, for they could really let their creative juices flow! The script and story work on so many levels. At some stages you’ll be going “aww, ain’t that sweet” and in other bits you will be splitting your sides laughing! Its been said that Shrek is the greatest fairy tale never told, and this is a very accurate statement, for it turns several established fairy tales on its head and brings a breath of fresh air to the stories we all heard when we were little.
The animation is probably the best ever seen. Sure, Final Fantasy was more photorealistic, but this stays true to its cartoon roots. Besides, having photorealistic characters would spoil the effect of Shrek himself. In fact, the animators had to ‘dial-back’ and make Fiona look less realistic, for she looked out of place with Donkey and Shrek. Even so, a revolutionary technique of building a skeleton, muscular frame, and individual hairs made the movement realistic. The facial expressions are much more complex than that seen in DreamWorks’ last outing, Antz. Fiona’s expressions are truly memorable for she shows a range of emotions that not all Hollywood actresses can produce! All the characters are believeable, and it is possible to become attached to them! All the characters possess some of the personality of the actors who voice them.
Feature aside, the extras on the DVD are excellent. Regular choice of language and subtitles are available, as well as Director’s commentary. This is particularly useful to find any jokes or concepts that you missed before. For the kids, you got a couple of games, a trivia one, decorate the Gingerbread Man, and character morph where you can make a picture consisting for example, Donkey’s legs, Shrek’s body and Fiona’s head! The games didn’t really get me going, but hey it’s a bonus! A stroke of genius was having character interviews, for they had me laughing just as I was in the film! There are a few thinly veiled references to Charlie’s Angels by Fiona, as well as a discussion on the relationship between Shrek and Donkey off-set. There are a couple of mini-features about the technology used in Shrek, and the international dubbing. There are the regular funny animated menus, which at least raise a smile or two! A clever feature for those watching on a PC is that they can re-voice entire scenes with their own voices! You, even you can tell Cameron Diaz that you are her knight in shining armour!
All in all, this demonstrates that animated movies are not exclusive to Disney. This made huge money at the box office, and a sequel is being made as we speak! Be prepared for more top quality animations! A funny, intelligent and original film that not only succeeds in being a good cartoon, but is an excellent comedy, fairytale and film in general! Buy this and make you life better, you‘ll thank me for it! Guaranteed to make everyone but the most cold-hearted of people laugh, chuckle and smile! Do it, go to Special Reserve and order this now! Let them help you help yourself! BUY IT!!!!
When you think of the very best animated movies, you tend to think of Disney being tops in terms of characterisation and animation. However, you can now think of DreamWorks as being a rival to the Disney monopoly. This film is up there with the likes of Toy Story in the quality stakes. It isn’t really that big a surprise, since over the years, Disney has become complacent with its products, and another factor is that one of DreamWorks’ head honchos is Jeffrey Katzenberg- a guy that learnt his trade with Disney until he was unceremoniously dumped by the corporation.
Right, that’s enough about the impact of this film, let’s get down to business. For those of you who have been abducted by aliens and have only just returned after two years here is a quick breakdown of what the film is about. It’s about this ogre called Shrek (voiced by Austin Powers star Mike Myers) who meets this talking Donkey, which surprise, surprise is called Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy). They live in this fairytale place where the evil Lord Faquaad is trying to wipe out all the fairytale creatures in the kingdom, and is also looking for a bride so her can become king. His chosen bride-to-be is the lovely Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Without spoiling the story, Shrek is charged with the mission of rescuing Fiona, who is a regular damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armour to rescue her. Let’s face it, Shrek don’t look like no hero! The story revolves around their journey back to Lord Farquaad, and the path of true love (awww!) I ain’t saying no more about the story, cos it gives everything away!!!
I have got to say I was blown away by this film. The real star of the show is Donkey, simply because Eddie Murphy is perfectly cast as the jive-talking, streetwise loveable Donkey. The mannerisms are pure Axel Foley at times, and this had me in stiches, simply because I am a Beverly Hills Cop addict! Shrek himself was hilarious, for Myers put on a slight Scottish accent for the role (a curious choice nevertheless), and was the ideal straight man (ogre?) to Donkey. Fiona had a real feistyness and streetsmart savvy about her, and Cameron Diaz showed genuine comic talent, as did John Lithgow who voiced the maniacal Lord Farquaad. Lithgow simply oozed evilness- in his opening scene he stomped through the corridor in a manner that was similar to Darth Vader walking through the Death Star!! I gotta admit, I did find Princess Fiona attractive! Can’t say I blame Donkey when he was looking at her cleavage whilst she was being carried by Shrek! Mind you, all four leads did not have to try too hard, since the script was hilarious! The jokes came thick and fast, not just aimed at kids either! Flatulence jokes, as well as the ‘adults fill in the next word’ jokes are present, ensuring that adults won’t get bored! The more adult jokes are superbly handled, and kids won’t even notice they are there, till they grow up! It wasn’t just the verbal jokes that had me cracking up- the visual jokes were superb as well. There were references to WWF (Shrek clotheslining and suplexing attackers), Gladiator, The Matrix, even Riverdance!!
It wasn’t just the leads that made this film a success- the many supporting cast members were a hoot! Ranging from breakdancing Three Little Pigs with German accents, a female dragon that has an unhealthy affinity for donkeys, and a French Robin Hood (?). All the different fairytale characters had clear, well defined personalities and really shone in the Shrek Karaoke Dance Party. The singing was fantastic, and once again, Eddie Murphy stole the show with his James Brown-esque style. I knew he can sing a bit cos I heard an album he made before! A classic bit in the film was when Donkey did a bit of Teddy Pendergrass type crooning! Kids wouldn’t understand the significance, but people who know Teddy will at least crack a smile! It harks back to Murphy in the Nutty Professor. The scriptwriters must have had a field day with this movie, for they could really let their creative juices flow! The script and story work on so many levels. At some stages you’ll be going “aww, ain’t that sweet” and in other bits you will be splitting your sides laughing! Its been said that Shrek is the greatest fairy tale never told, and this is a very accurate statement, for it turns several established fairy tales on its head and brings a breath of fresh air to the stories we all heard when we were little.
The animation is probably the best ever seen. Sure, Final Fantasy was more photorealistic, but this stays true to its cartoon roots. Besides, having photorealistic characters would spoil the effect of Shrek himself. In fact, the animators had to ‘dial-back’ and make Fiona look less realistic, for she looked out of place with Donkey and Shrek. Even so, a revolutionary technique of building a skeleton, muscular frame, and individual hairs made the movement realistic. The facial expressions are much more complex than that seen in DreamWorks’ last outing, Antz. Fiona’s expressions are truly memorable for she shows a range of emotions that not all Hollywood actresses can produce! All the characters are believeable, and it is possible to become attached to them! All the characters possess some of the personality of the actors who voice them.
Feature aside, the extras on the DVD are excellent. Regular choice of language and subtitles are available, as well as Director’s commentary. This is particularly useful to find any jokes or concepts that you missed before. For the kids, you got a couple of games, a trivia one, decorate the Gingerbread Man, and character morph where you can make a picture consisting for example, Donkey’s legs, Shrek’s body and Fiona’s head! The games didn’t really get me going, but hey it’s a bonus! A stroke of genius was having character interviews, for they had me laughing just as I was in the film! There are a few thinly veiled references to Charlie’s Angels by Fiona, as well as a discussion on the relationship between Shrek and Donkey off-set. There are a couple of mini-features about the technology used in Shrek, and the international dubbing. There are the regular funny animated menus, which at least raise a smile or two! A clever feature for those watching on a PC is that they can re-voice entire scenes with their own voices! You, even you can tell Cameron Diaz that you are her knight in shining armour!
All in all, this demonstrates that animated movies are not exclusive to Disney. This made huge money at the box office, and a sequel is being made as we speak! Be prepared for more top quality animations! A funny, intelligent and original film that not only succeeds in being a good cartoon, but is an excellent comedy, fairytale and film in general! Buy this and make you life better, you‘ll thank me for it! Guaranteed to make everyone but the most cold-hearted of people laugh, chuckle and smile! Do it, go to Special Reserve and order this now! Let them help you help yourself! BUY IT!!!!