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Shrek review by Paris Kearly

Shrek is a delight to watch, as well as a return to the fun summer movie releases we've all been waiting for. With its humor aimed at adults and colorful characters for kids, this movie has it all.
   Even though Shrek is a really gross guy who takes baths in swamp slime and brushes his teeth dirty, in this new twist on fairytales from DreamWorks, Shrek is one smelly green ogre who turns out to be everyone's hero.
   Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) wants to be a king, but doesn't want to do any real work to become one.
   Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) wants to be free of her castle prison that is guarded by a really big ferocious dragon, while overly talkative Donkey (Eddie Murphy) just wants a friend. And, Shrek (Mike Myers) is the ogre that is the answer to everyone's problems, even if he doesn't really want to be.
   Shrek works, not because of its amazing visuals, but because of how funny, smart, and likable the whole production ends up being. It refuses to follow any of the conventional Disney patterns - so much so that it even takes some light-hearted stabs at classic Disney characters.
   One of the more amusing things about the movie is the inside humor and sly references to other movies, which is undoubtedly targeted at the adults. In addition to the hits on Walt Disney characters, there are humorous spoofs for movies like The Matrix and The Never Ending Story, as well as at least one line from Eddie Murphy's stand-up from years ago.
   Most importantly, is the movie good? The answer is a resounding YES! Shrek is satirical and smart for adults because it is easily accessible to kids and has a good moral idea. It's a perfect family movie.