Shrek is technically not a Halloween movie, but it’s about a grumpy ogre who lives in a swamp so I’m going with it!
Shrek (Mike Myers) who prefers to live alone in his swamp, finds several unwelcome fairy tale creatures at his front step who thanks to Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) have been evicted from their homes. Shrek, along with his new pesky, talkative sidekick Donkey (Eddie Murphy), make a deal with him: Rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and bring her to him to marry so he can become King, and Shrek will get his swamp back. Sounds easier said than done especially since the Princess is hiding a secret of her own. As Shrek’s tagline says: This is the greatest fairy tale never told.
I enjoyed Shrek a lot more this time around than I did the last time I watched it. It’s so funny, especially every time Donkey opens his mouth! Eddie Murphy steals the whole show! It’s also a fun, creative story overall. Although as fun as Shrek can be, it’s hard to believe this is a children’s movie, though that’s the audience it’s intended for! There’s several curse-words like damn, Jackass, and kiss-ass. It’s surprising for what’s supposed to be a family movie. I wouldn’t sit young children in front of this one unless you want their vocabulary to expand in a more colorful direction. You can stream Shrek now on NBC’s streaming service Peacock. It’s available for free if you have Xfinity.
Now married, Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have been invited by Fiona’s parents, King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lilian (Julie Andrews) to Far Far Away to celebrate their marriage. When it’s discovered that Shrek is an ogre, the king schemes with Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) and Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) to break Shrek and Fiona’s marriage up so that she will marry Prince Charming instead.
Shrek will do anything to stay married to Fiona. Even if it means becoming a human and staying that way…permanently.
This romance-focused sequel is a strong follow-up to the original. There’s no sequel slump here! It’s even better than the original since there’s none of the language that was in the first. I always love hearing Julie Andrews in things, and Antonio Banderas steals every scene he’s in as Puss in Boots. This movie is far less problematic than the original. There’s only one use of ass and it’s used in context not as a swear. And Pinocchio lies about wearing girls underwear Other than that, It’s more suitable for families than the original ever was. You can stream Shrek 2 now on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.
King Harold (John Cleese) dies leaving Shrek (Mike Myers) the reluctant heir to the throne. Knowing the life of a Royal isn’t for him, he sets off with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to find the next in line, Arthur (Justin Timberlake). He leaves a pregnant Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to fend off a coup from Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) who’s rallied the villains of Far Far Away to fight for their version of a Happy Ending.
Shrek the Third has always been my favorite of the franchise. It’s also the most family friendly with zero bad language! Too bad the first two couldn’t be like this one. This movie also plays around with the Freaky Friday concept when Donkey and Puss switch bodies with funny results. I love how it mixes Disney fairytales with a bit of King Arthur mythology. It’s very enjoyable. You can rent it from online retailers or borrow it from the library.
All good things must come to an end.
In this Final Chapter, Shrek (Mike Myers) is having a mid-life crisis. He longs for the days where he was a single and scary ogre instead of a married sideshow freak who can’t ever take a mud bath in peace. Enter Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn). He’s always wanted to rule Far Far Away and seizes his chance at the first opportunity. He convinces Shrek to make a deal: One day as a care-free ogre in exchange for one of Shrek’s memories. Shrek agrees and Rumple takes the memory of when Shrek was born giving him 24 hours before disappearing from existence forever. The only way to break the deal is True Love’s Kiss. The only problem with that is that Fiona (Cameron Diaz) doesn’t remember him. Shrek only has 24 hours to make her fall in love with him again. No pressure!
They saved the best for last! This was the strongest Shrek sequel yet. It’s darker and a bit more mature in tone than it’s predecessor. Some of the scenes can be a little intense, especially for young children. It’s got some good action and comedic moments. And the romance storyline is great with a good lesson on being grateful for the life you have in the present instead of wishing for the life you had in the past. Best part yet is that there’s zero language. You can rent Shrek Forever After from online retailers or borrow it from the library.
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