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

[Patrick Wilmes]

I thought the film was much funnier from an adult stand point than any of the Pixar films.Shrek is just easier for me to watch repeatably than TS and A Bug's Life because of it's adult themed humor although I still like The Emerpor's New Groove even better than Shrek.That movie cracks me up.

 

[Holadem]

Also, why was Lord Farquaad trying to get rid of all the fairy tale creatures? They never really revealed that in the plot.

I think he doesn't like freaks. Or anything abnormal. I believe he said something briefly about making is kingdom perfect. You are right, I found that aspect very underdevelopped. Perhaps I missed something?

--

Holadem

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

Still trying to remember any decent one-liners from Toy Story 1 or 2.

"Don't you get it? I am Mrs. Nesbitt!!" *insane cackling*
"What's with him?" "Laser envy..."
"Say hello to Mister Angry Eyes!!" *THWACK*
Oh, there's TONS more, but TS and TS2 are loaded with great lines, great humor, and great stories with heart.
Shrek has.... um... tired Matrix gags, an annoying-as-hell talking Donkey, and no real plot. It sports a hipper-than-thou attitude, trying to deconstruct the fairy tale paradigm, and then completely wimps out with its tired, predictable fairy tale ending.
And I agree with some posters: The Emperor's New Groove is far funnier than all of these movies....

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Buzz Lightyear's wings coming out on their own when Jessie the cowgirl "flies" and opens the door.

 

[Artur Meinild]

It's funny, it's well written, and it's total eye candy!

 

[RogerB]

....it's Toy Story 2!

 

[DaveF]

I enjoyed Shrek, and am not surprised by its popularity, but I think it might be over-rated. I found it enjoyable, funny, but it didn't blow me away as Toy Story 2 does. And in some ways, it lacks some of the finesse of typical Disney movies.

But I don't understand the complaints about the "tired Matrix gag". That's the only Matrix gag I've seen in a movie since The Matrix, so I enjoyed it, and thought it original. Where are the multitude of Matrix rip-offs I've missed?

My complaint is with Farquaad's death at the end. He was mean and rude, but not evil. Unlike the typical Disney movie (who tries to kill the protagonist), he's just re-locating undesired residents. Being killed was unjust, compared to his acts. It would have worked better had he been, say, banished to live with the Stinky Cheese Man, while the Fairy Tale Creatures moved into the castle.

 

[Yoshi Sugawara]

Shrek was entertaining, with some really funny sequences sprinkled throughout. But I thought it lacked the sort of charm that comes from Toy Story 1&2, or even Monsters, Inc. - but this is entirely subjective, of course.

I just thought that the makers of Shrek tried a little too hard at being belligerent, crude, or non-cliche - like the exploding bird, and the snake and frog balloons looked like they were trying too hard. Frying the bird eggs for breakfast, however, was funny.

And is it just me or is the Princess just not pretty?? She looked like mid-40s to me at times...

And didn't Mike Meyers lose his Irish accent at times?? hmm..

The Matrix-effect was also done in Scary Movie, by the way.

 

[Neil Joseph]

Don't know if this was mentioned yet or not but I am glad to see Shrek become such a big deal simply because it is not Disney. It is a more.... mature? kind of film than most of what Disney has.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Shrek had a lot of funny moments that were very funny, but it didn't need them and didn't use them effectively. The gingerbread man thing was funny, but it did absolutely nothing for the plot. In Austin Powers, the scene with Fat Bastard talking about how he needs to crap in Dr. Evil's lab had more to do with the film than the gingerbread thing.

 

[Hubert]

 

[Marvin Richardson]

It is a more.... mature? kind of film than most of what Disney has.

Are you talking about the parts where Shrek eats bugs and other disgusting things?
Or perhaps when the Dragon has the "hots" for Donkey?
Or maybe the constant jabs at Fahrquaad's height?
Ah, yes, all definitive signs of a mature film.
That said, I still think it is darn funny, it just doesn't have quite the heart or good-natured humor of the Toy Story films...of course, it wasn't supposed to.
I think I laugh harder at the menu for the DVD when Donkey keeps jumping up and down in the background saying "Pick me! Oh, oh, PICK ME!" A co-worker and I still bust out laughing everytime one of us says that!

 

[DaveF]

It is a more.... mature? kind of film than most of what Disney has.

I think it is more crude, twisted, and perverse, which is often mistaken for "mature." It's just that the more immature the content is, the more we think it is only appropriate for mature viewers (and not the junior-high kids it's obviously targeting).

 

[Holadem]

My complaint is with Farquaad's death at the end. He was mean and rude, but not evil.

This disturbed me as well.

--

Holadem

 

[Brian Crowe]

You mean when Shrek and Princess whats-her-name get married and live "happily ever after" at the end?

All except poor mama bear who's still covering Farquaads floor.
And as for his untimely death, he's not really dead. Just watch the Karaoke sing along.
~Crowe~

 

[ace peterson]

Hmm, I was thinking about putting up this same post myself about a week ago. I didn't go see this in the theaters even though everyone was raving about how good it was. And now that I have finally seen it on DVD I wonder also what all the hype was for? Yes, I thought it was a good movie also, but yeah, $250 million great? That blows my mind.

I mainly liked this movie because I am so fond of the science fiction/ fantasy genre. I started getting excited when this mysterious fire-breathing dragon was lurking just beyond the castle walls. And it kept my excitement right up to when the dragon fell in love with the donkey... Hmm. And a very obnoxious donkey, too, I might add. I personally liked Mike Myers' voice as Shrek, but didn't care for Murphy who I find to be irritating and unnerving.

I thought the animation was great, but I wouldn't say that it is better than Pixar's movies. And I would agree with the previous posts and say that I would take Toy Stories and Monsters, Inc any day over Shrek. But I'm just glad we are getting more and more fantasy-type movies out.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The movie was funny. Sometimes, funny is mistaken for good. The movie was bad, just funny.

 

[Edwin-S]

The movie was funny. Sometimes, funny is mistaken for good. The movie was bad, just funny.
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This movie was a comedy. I would hazard to guess that a movie meant to be a comedy has to be funny, in order to be good. Story in a comedy does not necessarily rank up there with the absolute need to be humorous. "ANIMAL HOUSE" was not a paragon of literature when it came to a story but it sure in hell was funny.....at least to me.
A comedy is a bad movie when it isn't funny......like anything starring Tom Green.

 

[Patrick Mirza]

Comparing the Toy Story films to Shrek is comparing apples to oranges.

Shrek is a good film, but the Toy Story films are genuine and from the heart. "Jessie's Song"... God, my wife and I can't even watch that anymore. That sequence hit us like a ton of bricks in the theater; even a 6-year old little girl sitting next to us cried like I'd never heard - there was *pain* in her sobs... that's the power that the TS films have. Thay tap something in us that Shrek just couldn't do (not that it intended, that is).

All I know is that we now have to always skip one chapter ahead on TS2 to avoid from bawling.

 

[DaveF]

Perhaps one reason Shrek has done so well, and gotten so much acclaim, is that it is a rare comedy that appeals to everyone. It's a pretty clean movie (my mom liked it) And it was funny. And it had a nice story/message to it.

Compare that to, say, Scary Movie, American Pie, and such. They are crude movies, and so appeal to a more limited group. They are not appropriate for children and moms (at least, not mine). Shrek worked for *everyone*. Though not the best movie ever, it was good, and good for any age, background, or movie preference.

It was good (mostly) clean fun.