Top 50 Movies: Number 44

Number 44: Shrek


Shrek is another of those rare movies that is entertaining for all audiences. The humor is simple enough to entertain the young'uns with enough tongue-in-cheek jokes to make the grownups smirk. How I ended up seeing Shrek was actually kind of accidental; Shrek was one of those movies that had enough of a buzz around it that I was sick of hearing about it and never wanted to see it. Anyways, back in my Columbia House days, I would regularly neglect to send in my monthly card and would wind up receiving their damn wretched director's selection. I would usually write "refused" on it (in bold) and send it back. When Shrek showed up however, I threw my head back in agony, shrugged, screamed "FINE!" and accepted it.

Ogres are not like cakes, nor are they like parfaits. They are like onions.

Lucky for me, Shrek is a damn nuts movie. It pokes fun at a great many classic fairytales and Disney films (He huffed and he puffed and he....sent an eviction notice.) The story, in typical fantasy fashion, has the characters going on a quest with a love story on the side. Shrek, voiced by Mike Myers, is the outcast monster with the heart of gold. He is joined by a donkey named Donkey (my favorite character) who is voiced by Eddie Murphy. Donkey is the dimwitted sidekick who acts as the comic relief in the movie. Rounding out the main cast is the plucky princess Fiona and the obligatory villain Lord Farquaad.

Donkey, Shrek, Fiona and Farquaad

Of course, it's a family film so the story is predictable and there is a moral for everyone. The message to accept people regardless of how different they may be is a bit muddled when Shrek and Donkey are making fun of Farquaad's short height and tiny penis. But I didn't watch Shrek to learn a lesson, I watched it for a fucking laugh, and it definitely provides that. The sequel is nearly as good as the original, better for those of you who enjoy cartoon feline assassins.