This double feature contains two popular animated films sure to please the whole family.
Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) is a fearsome green ogre living in isolation in his own cozy little swamp. He is not receptive to visitors, and fends off the occasional party of torch-wielding villagers with ease. But when the power-hungry Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) turns Shrek's swamp into a relocation camp for dozens of banished fairy-tale characters (including some pesky dwarves, wolves, and fairies) Shrek's quiet, introverted life is ruined. Joined by the talkative Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek makes his way to Farquaad's realm of Duloc, where the Lord promises makes Shrek an offer: he will rid Shrek's land of the unwanted visitors if Shrek will go on a simple quest to free Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from her remote, dragon-guarded castle and convince her to marry Farquaad. On their quest, Shrek and Donkey run into a number of bizarre situations, and Shrek finds himself realizing that he isn't quite the fearsome monster he has always made himself out to be. Reinventing the traditional fairy tale adventure, SHREK features gorgeous computer animation, a unique sense of humor, and compelling characters--especially Eddie Murphy's lovable Donkey. SHREK 2: In this meet-the-parents sequel to the romantic fairy tale in which two ogres fall in love, SHREK 2 brings the lovable green menace (voiced by Mike Meyers) back to the big screen for a second round of mischief. This time around, in addition to the voices of Cameron Diaz (as Shrek's sweetheart, Fiona) and Eddie Murphy (as their companion, Donkey), Julie Andrews and John Cleese chime in as Fiona's parents, Queen Lillian and King Harold. Surprising newcomer Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas)--a slyly funny tabby honed for swashbuckling adventure--joins the crew. Last but certainly not least, the conniving duo of vain Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) and his power-hungry mom, the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders), spice up the action. When Fiona insists that her new husband Shrek visit her parents, they travel to Far Far Away (a Disneyfied medieval version of Hollywood) where everything goes wrong. The King and Queen are outraged to see their daughter married to an ogre, and while Fiona tries to calm them, Shrek sets out to find a solution. He finds it, in the form of a Happily Ever After potion, which only complicates matters, drawing all parties into a confused exchange of magic and spells, all for the sake of true love. With shimmering animation giving SHREK 2 near-3-D visuals, the witty scripting and eclectic pop music soundtrack keep the film hopping along with an upbeat pace. "Holding Out for a Hero" by Frou Frou and "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Eddie Murphy are the most raucous of the film's many great songs, though more subtle numbers such as "Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows and "Little Drop of Poison" by Tom Waits certainly enrich some key scenes of this enjoyable family film. |
