MOVIE REVIEW FOR "SHREK 2" STARRING MIKE MYERS, CAMERON DIAZ, AND EDDIE MURPHY

Animated movies just keep getting better and better these days. Wait a second
-- I take that back -- CGI animated films just keep getting better and better.
Traditional animation is so five minutes ago and films like "Aladdin" and
"Beauty and the Beast" now seem like ancient relics of the cinematic yesteryear.
Hell, I can't remember the last time when I saw a traditionally animated movie
that didn't make me feel like I was either five years old or retarded. "Shrek
2" might have hammered the final nail in the casket of the traditionally
animated movie. Not only has it broken some serious box office records, but
also improved upon the original, which is something CGI films tend to do (i.e.
"Toy Story 2").

Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon
to find their old pal Donkey (Eddie Murphy) singing R&B tunes in Shrek's shack.
Soon, the couple if summoned by Fiona's parents -- the King (John Cleese) and
Queen (Julie Andrews) -- to the land of Far, Far Away, so they might meet their
new son-in-law. Suffice to say, the royal family is none too impressed with
their new ogre-kin and the King plots to get Shrek out of the picture, which
involves a hitman named Puss N Boots (Antonio Banderas), a more than egotistical
Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), and the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders).
Hilarity ensues and so does those oh so traditional 'happy ever afters'.

The writing in this film is so sharp and so intelligent; I don't think any fairy
tale or nursery rhyme is safe. One of my favorite little jokes was when Shrek
has just turned into a handsome man and is surrounded by beautiful maids. One
of them rushes up to him saying she has 'fetched him a pail of water'. She then
reveals her name as Jill. I caught it. A couple other people did. Most of the
audience just discarded it. Those are the types of little jokes that I find the
most amusing because I catch them, and half of the other people in the audience
do not. When the Ugly Stepsister (Larry King) walked up to Shrek, Puss, and
Donkey and asked Donkey, "Why the long face?", I was rolling in the floor
laughing. I heard maybe one other chuckle.

Something else that adds to the film are the hilarious supporting characters.
Gingerbread Man is back in full force, alongwith Pinocchio, the Three Little
Pigs, the Three Blind Mice, and the gender confused Wolf. Another scene of
enormous humor is when Gingerbread Man, Shrek & Co. go to the Muffin Man's house
to create a super-sized weapon to get into the castle -- the name 'Mongo' will
ring in your ears for days to come. "Shrek 2" also manages to take shots at
everything from Walt Disney Pictures to Justin Timberlake. Hell, even Joan
Rivers pops up for a brief, yet memorable appearance. And you will all love
what the midieval 'cops' use for pepper spray.

"Shrek 2" has improved on the original in a major way and might be the best CGI
animated film to be released. The humor is just right, as to be enough for the
young ones and more than enough for the older ones. I saw more adults in the
theatre than children. And that is what's so good about the "Shrek" franchise
-- it appeals to people of all ages. Dreamworks has a real winner on their
hands, and it was very much needed. Spielberg & Co. are thanking their lucky
stars for this ogre.

Mike Myers (Shrek)
Cameron Diaz (Fiona)
Eddie Murphy (Donkey)
Antonio Banderas (Puss N Boots)
John Cleese (King)
Julie Andrews (Queen)
Jennifer Saunders (Fairy Godmother)
Rupert Everett (Prince Charming)
Conrad Vernon (Gingerbread Man)
Larry King (Ugly Stepsister)

Directed By: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, & Conrad Vernon

RATED PG

FOUR POPS

Billy Ray