Shrek 2

Newlyweds Shrek and Princess Fiona (voiced by Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz) visit the bride's royal parents, whose disapproval leads to Three's Company-quality contrivances in this sequel that requires all of the characters to behave like jackasses in order to advance the plot. If the grumpy green giant couple would just level with each other for 60 seconds, there'd be no movie; instead, a series of stupid misunderstandings lead our ogre antihero to decide he must make himself over with magic potions to keep his wife's heart. Antonio Banderas is a riot as the voice of saucer-eyed feline mercenary Puss in Boots, and Rupert Everett is funny as the smug, pretty-boy Prince Charming, who conspires with a Godfather-like Fairy Godmother (Absolutely Fabulous' Jennifer Saunders) to re-humanize Fiona and make her into Mrs. Charming. But potential Brothers Grimm comedy is often abandoned by the hodgepodge committee of writers (four of them) and directors (three of them) in favor of throwaway pop-culture gags and music video montage sequences. While it may garner a few topical laughs in 2004 (it's funniest scene is a spoof of COPS), this is a real disappointment otherwise. Still, as the reigning box office champ so far this year, Shrek 2 should be considered a very strong optional purchase. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentaries (one by directors Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon; the other by producer Aron Warner and editor Mike Andrews), a “Far Far Away Idol” send-up of American Idol (featuring a CGI Simon Cowell and 11 character song spoofs, with a weblink to vote for the winner), the production featurettes “The Tech” (6 min.), “Meet the Cast” (10 min.), “Meet Puss in Boots” on the new character played by Antonio Banderas (4 min.), “The Music” (5 min.), and “Technical Goofs” (3 min.). In addition, the facetious newspaper “Far Far Away Times” features stills and links to story and ad segments, cast/crew bios, and text production notes; a DreamWorks Kids section features “Shrek's Music Room” (including “Fiona's Jukebox” jump-to-song feature), “Sing Along with Fairy Godmother” song with onscreen lyrics, the Counting Crows music video “Accidentally in Love”; a “Favorite Scenes” selection section (including headings such as “Gross Out!” and “Laugh Out Loud!”), a “Gingy's House of Games” section (featuring an interactive map of Far Far Away, a “Find Puss In Boots” game, and a “Save Fiona!” trivia game); a three-minute preview of 2005's Madagascar hosted by Ben Stiller, weblinks, and DVD-ROM printable materials and activities. Bottom line: a fun and fulsome extras package for 2004's biggest theatrical hit.] (R. Blackwelder)