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So what's the big deal about SHREK? (1 Viewer)

Patrick Mirza

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I finally got around to seeing SHREK. I liked it and it was a cute movie, but what the heck was all the big fuss about this film? Why did people go nuts over it?
Yeah spoofs can be funny, but why did Shrek get a standing ovation when screened for theater owners pre-release for example?
Maybe I'm just missing something here.
Personally, I have to favor Pixar's efforts way more than PDI's (although it should be noted that I also liked ANTZ).
Again, Shrek was good... but "$200+ million box office" good? I didn't think so.
I'll take A Bug's Life, the Toy Story films and Monsters Inc any old day over Shrek.
 

Micheal

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I enjoyed Shrek more than Monsters Inc. and just as much as A Bugs Life! Toy story 1 & 2 are still my favs...
Donkey still makes my laugh every time.... :)
 

Henry Gale

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One of the things that made Shrek special for me was the music. Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, sung by Rufus Wainright was totally unexpected, as was an old favorite of mine, You Belong To Me.
Then there was the whole "kiss a frog" thing turned on it's head.
I'll probably get the DVD for the extras, and to hear the cookie say, "Eat Me!"
[edit]

Really shocked to read this 10 years later.
I loath the way overrecorded "Hallelujah".
 

SteveGon

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I'm glad I wasn't the only one that thought it was over-rated. Good movie, mind you, but not worth all those accolades... :)
 

Tom-G

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I'm with you guys. Shrek was just another animated family film for me. Nothing special.

The only scenes that I found thoroughly enjoyable were the ones with the other characters from fairy tales. Otherwise, it was very conventional film.
 

Richard Kim

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I agree that Shrek is overrated. Other than the fairy tale spoofs and the jabs at Disney, there was not much else.

I didn't think Mike Myers was right for the part. It would have been interesting if Chris Farley was still alive.

Some of the humor didn't really click with me, like the Dating Game spoof with the Magic Mirror, or the tired Matrix gag.
 

Patrick Sun

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For me, it was the donkey's reaction to everything that was going around him. Donkey just cracked me up.

I think it deserved its $200+ million take at the box office because entertained children and adults alike, a winning combination that many other films don't quite achieve while going for such a delicate balance.

After seeing it at the theaters, I knew it'd make a ton of money.
 

Allen Hirsch

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It's a conventional story, but twisted JUST enough to: a) be a typical fairy tale cliche in one sense (beauty is on the inside - don't judge a book by it's cover, etc.), b) repeatedly black humorish, on another level, and c) spoof the heck out of Disney at another adult level often enough to keep it very entertaining.

I'll give you one more example: when the Princess "serenades" the bluebird - the first thought is, oh, a typical, Disney-ish sweet musical interlude. Instead, the bird blows up when she hits the high note - THAT scene cracked up my wife, who loves twisted or darkish humor. And the next scene, the Princess is frying the eggs for breakfast - NOT your typical Disney kids animation, for sure.

Throw in incredibly detailed computer animation and good voice casting, and what's not to like?
 

Seth Paxton

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Eddie Murphy for me as well. I really think he is back to being his traditionally funny self. He is better as a reaction comedian than an action comedian. Meaning that his reactions to other people's actions are funnier than him trying to be the funny instigator. Even in Cop it's his efforts to avoid trouble and fool people that make him funny, his reactions to the uptight cops, etc.

Shrek's humor is a perfect fit for him then.

I also like the references, but my favorite joke is the guy following the rope line with the big head on.

TS 1 and 2 are better films, but I think Shrek is right there with BL and Monsters.
 

Robert Crawford

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Personally, I found the "Toy Story" films overrated. I enjoyed the humor in "Shrek" to a much greater extent than both of those films.

Crawdaddy
 

Jon_B

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I agree with you Patrick, after watching Shrek I was a bit confused about why it received so much hype. Several scenes made me smile, but I never really got into it.

Jon
 

Morgan Jolley

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Toy Story was overrated. It was overrated because it was the first full CGI film. Then it became popular.

Shrek was funny at some scenes, but it wasn't exactly new comedy. A lot of that stuff, like the Matrix thing, has been seen before and didn't fit the film. Another thing was the choppy plot. It went from one scene to the next too fast and with little or nothing for me to care about happening in between.

Overall, the film seemed too much like it was trying to make fun of Disney movies than be a good movie in itself. There is no need for a lot of stuff, like the whole Gingerbread man thing, and it just came together as a bunch of short skits.
 

Patrick Sun

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All I know is that when I play Shrek on my laptop's DVD player, my officemates gather around, and we laugh our butts off from scene to scene. Some people just like to laugh and be entertained. On that level, Shrek succeeded.
 

Tom-G

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Pat, is the company you work for hiring? I'd love to work at a place where I can post on the HTF and watch movies on your laptop computer. :)
 

Edwin-S

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I think the sudden negativity regarding "SHREK" is just the inevitable "blowback" that any successful, popular film will eventually get. It shows that Newton's third law applies.....even to movies. :)
 

Tom-G

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Edwin, it's not sudden negativity. I've always felt that "Shrek" was nothing more than a decent kids film. That's not to say that it's a bad film, or that I didn't like it. I just don't get why it's getting so many accolades.
 

Tom Ryan

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I think the opinions of people who like to say every great movie is overrated........ARE OVERRATED!!!!

-Tom
 

Robert Crawford

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That's not to say that it's a bad film, or that I didn't like it. I just don't get why it's getting so many accolades.
Tom,

To me, the film was very funny and I laughed out loud several times, moreso than even with both "Toy Story" films put together. Humor is subjective and it's effect on each individual is very personal and sometimes very hard to understand why. Therefore, understanding the accolades the film received from many people including myself might never be completely understood by you but so what? The enjoyment level of watching a particular film is unique to each and every one of us which is what makes the human race so very interesting.

Crawdaddy
 

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