Grab your most decorative boulders but make sure you leave your sense of self at the door as we dive into the warm fuzzy movie Shrek.

Stats

Released: 2001
Based on: Shrek by William Steig
Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Writer: Ted Elliott
Budget: $60,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $487,769,799

Breakdown and Analysis

  • Not every film has to move you. Not every film has to change your life.
  • There was a story, main characters and overwhelming whopping character development.
  • You cannot underestimate the quality in being able to execute telling a story and bring us into a world where we actually care about the characters.
  • Sometimes you watch something and it doesn’t hold up but Shrek is very enjoyable.
  • Shrek, had a vibrado about him, until two thirds of the movie he becomes vulnerable and we receive messages that kids need to hear. There are tangible themes that children as well as adults can consume on the buffet that is Shrek.
  • As a protagonist, Shrek has a lot of relatability. Constantly feeling like you are being judged before you introduce yourself, announce yourself allow yourself to be yourself. There were a lot of messages about self love. Whether as a kid you can cheer when Shrek kisses a girl or as an adult, peeling the onion layers. There was a lot to get out of this movie.
  • Donkey is the comic relief and makes this movie what it is. Impossible not to imagine Eddie Murphy when hearing donkey. Whoever realised Eddie needed to be in voice acting is a fucking genius. What movie would this be without donkey!
  • Like cooking there is a balance that needs to be maintained. Donkey brings levity to balance Shrek’s grumpy vibrado. Just like Oti. Usually comic relief characters do not have a lot of dimension but Donkey brings so much heart to the movie. Having meaningful conversations with Fiona and Shrek. There is nothing malicious about Donkey that allowed Fiona to share with him.
  • It was very nice to have the balance between Shrek and Donkey. Donkey was the glue that kept the interactions together. If Donkey wasn’t a pushy or forgiving, their dynamic would not have worked. A simple narrative but the strength of these two is where it thrived.
  • When Dragon imprisoned Donkey, were there alluding to fellacio? Kids would not have picked up on it but surely the parents were understaning full well.
  • Shrek became the mascot for Dreamworks, much like Totoro for Studio Ghibli.
  • There were so many similarly animated movies that came out afterwards that KT didn’t care for. The pioneering factor of animation really contributes to it’s success. Once you’ve seen one, you’ve kind of seen them all really.
  • The team that worked on Antz was recruited to work on Shrek.
  • Eddie Murphy was the first to be nominated for a BAFTA for voice acting.
  • Fiona’s self discovery and journey to self love was so rewarding to watch.
  • There are elements of self love in this movie and certainly moments where the characters didn’t love themselves.
  • Lord Farquaad did not offer much in the movie. He more so existed to prop other characters up.
  • There was enough for adults to watch this and kids would definitely enjoy. One of the most important things is making us care about the characters. Giving us an inkling of where we are going. We have a firm vision in where we are heading towards. Animations are not only for children. Animation isn’t a genre. Shrek is a feel good fun film but also has very tangible themes to apply to your lives.
  • It’s a nice reminder to fucking love yourself. Emotionally, and indeed in our household, physically.

Unrelated but vital points

  • Oti is our residential Donkey expert. He shares the by-law in Kenya where Donkeys had to wear diapers. Not sure why Oti thought that was a convincing fact to court KT. KT saw her first donkey in Kenya.
  • Please use our podcast as your animal education. We wholly endorse.
  • According to Oti, Donkeys aren’t necessarily pack animals. Lone Donkey: Oti’s first screenplay.
  • The animation looked ugly when KT was growing up. Chicken Run also looked ugly too.
  • Oti doesn’t know what Wallace and Gromit is.
  • KT wants to see Lion King-esque CG Animal Farm.
  • Everybody talk about Bug’s Life.
  • KT spills her seed to the Pod Gods that Oti doesn’t edit out her deliciously hot takes.
  • Oti receives frequent invites to the casting couch to audition for a nomination for the Splooshies.
  • The Road to El Dor-Oti
  • First Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz.
  • KT has not watched Austin Powers so Shrek was her first introduction to Mike Myers.
  • Oti enjoyed Love Guru.
  • 50 cent and Justin Timberlake reference.
  • KT takes The Croods over Kung Fu Panda. How is Jack Black as a panda not as offensive as Matt Damon and Andrew Garfunkel in Asian specific roles.

For Your Reference

Oti

[imdb style=”gray”]tt0138749[/imdb]

KT

[imdb style=”gray”]tt0481499[/imdb]