Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The 100 Best Movies: #75

75. Shrek (2001)



This is one of the few Non-Disney animated films on the list and it is a great one to have. Based on William Steig's book about the ogre who becomes a fairy-tale hero, this movie takes the conventions Disney made familiar and turns them on their (mouse)ears. The computer animation rivals Pixar and the voice cast is quite charming. Mike Myers is the titular ogre with a Scottish brogue and Cameron Diaz is the beautiful (yet mysterious) Princess Fiona. But the two highlights are John Lithgow, perfectly cast as the antagonist Lord Farquaad, and Eddie Murphy, who steals the film as Shrek's annoying sidekick Donkey. While bitterness can be read between the lines of its creation (DreamWorks exec Jeffrey Katzenberg was fired in the early '90's by then Disney chief Michael Eisner), I look at it more as the studio wedging its way into the niche that Disney had carved so well and putting them on par with the Disney company. So on par that it won the very first Best Animated Feature Film Academy Award (beating Disney/Pixar's Monsters Inc.). Its a great film that is enjoyable for both kids and adults.

Next Post: #74

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