Shrek

A drolly satirical but genuinely enchanting, computer-animated fairy tale parody, Shrek tells the story of a mean but lonely ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) whose precious privacy is invaded when a forest full of storybook creatures are "resettled" in his swamp by the despotic, pint-sized Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). To get his land back, Shrek agrees to rescue a beautiful princess (Cameron Diaz)--from the highest tower of a grandiose castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon--so that the cowardly Farquaad can marry her. Adventure ensues, wisecracks abound (many from Eddie Murphy as an obnoxious tag-along donkey), unexpected love blossoms, etc. But Shrek goes out of its way to turn these clichés on their ears with a mocking sense of humor that, basically, pokes hilarious fun at everything Disney has done for the last 70 years. While occasionally falling victim to its own trite plot devices and other nagging problems (like the ill-advised use of recent Top 40 hits on the soundtrack), Shrek's directors Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson throw so many inventive, subversive comedic curveballs that you're too busy being entertained to much quibble. Recommended. [Note: the double-disc DVD includes full screen and widescreen versions, with a slew of extras--most notably, the "swamp karoke" music video in which the characters boogie down to various tunes, and an extensive section for kids featuring numerous interactive games.] (R. Blackwelder)