SHREK FOREVER AFTER
RYAN: I would like to personally thank you for joining me at your first animated movie of the year, Shrek Forever After.
CAROLINE: I attended the screening begrudgingly, as you know… so it might shock you to learn that I actually thought it was very cute.
RYAN: Yaaaayyy!!! I’m so glad of it. It means so much to me that you can enjoy an animated film as much as I do. And I loved this one. It’s way better than the second and third Shreks.
CAROLINE: Well, I’m not sure I’ll ever enjoy an animated movie as much as you do, but this one is very imaginative and clever. I give the writers big props for the plotline. Even though it’s got a predictable moral for the children – you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone – it’s still a very sweet movie.
RYAN: It’s a great adventure, and you get to see different sides of each character that you haven’t seen before. It’s on par with the first Shrek, which came out almost 10 years ago if you can believe it. It’s got jokes for the adults too, unlike the very juvenile Shreks 2 and 3.
CAROLINE: Even I chortled a couple of times. And I had fun trying to identify the actor behind the voices of some of the smaller roles. I recognized Kathy Griffin, Craig Robinson and even Regis.
RYAN: I was a little frustrated that the dude who voiced Rumpelstiltskin, a big role in this movie, is some unknown.
CAROLINE: Yeah, he did well though. He had a bit of a Jack Black sound. I read that Paul McCartney was up for the role at one point.
RYAN: As is always the case with this franchise, the soundtrack is outstanding. They use such great, recognizable pop songs.
CAROLINE: Clearly, they did not scrimp on the music budget. I actually danced my way out of the theater.
RYAN: We saw the movie in 3D IMAX, which is always exciting; although there are really only a few good shots in 3D. It’s not on an Avatar level by any means.
CAROLINE: I think it’s more about the fantastic caliber of the animation. I would have been just as happy if it weren’t in 3D. Those glasses really started to hurt after an hour.
RYAN: They were uncomfortable. I’m used to the ones that look like Ray-Bans, but these were some hi-tech version. I didn’t like them at all; they were heavy and they pinched our noses. And we didn’t look nearly as cute in them.
CAROLINE: As you can see here:
RYAN: I can only imagine how much money Mike Myers has made off these movies.
CAROLINE: Well, it’s not like he’s getting much other work these days.
— BOTTOM LINE —
RYAN: This is my second favorite of the Shrek films. It’s a fun movie and a nice button to the franchise. I look forward to the Puss in Boots spin-off.
CAROLINE: I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I definitely went in with a baditude, but I enjoyed it much more than I usually do kids’ movies. It’s a very cute movie, and I think young and old alike will enjoy it. I only tried to take a nap once; and that’s saying something for me!
— RATING —
