Day 115: "Donkey, it's me, Shrek, your best friend."

Well, I hated to do it, but two animated films by Dreamworks two nights in a row, I was desperate this evening.  Unfortunately, given when I got out of work, I had to go with a short film tonight, so Shrek Forever After it was.  Nowhere near as good as the first one, but nowhere near as dismal as the third, Shrek Forever After is the second best in the series.  This go round, Shrek finds himself weary of family life and its responsibilities, and gets himself into a deal with Rumplestiltskin himself.  Trading a day of family-free life for a day in his past, disaster, of course, strikes.  Apparently, Shrek is the only fairy tale creature who doesn't know that you don't deal with Mr. Stiltskin.  The usual laughs and gross-out humor are present, giving this the Shrek vibe again, but unfortunately, most of the jokes have gone a bit stale.  The "what if" tale does inject some new humor to the story, but ultimately, it feels like a rehash/retelling of another way that Shrek and Fiona could have met.  I know it is the third sequel, but I always hope for the best.  It's funny and in the end, good, but not as good as I was hoping for.

Mike Meyers and Cameron Diaz reprise their roles as the ogre couple, as do Julie Andrews and John Cleese as Fiona's parents.  Eddie Murphy is, again, Donkey as well.  It just seems overly laborious for the casting associate to find talent to voice the newly installed characters.  I mean there's an ensemble cast and then there is ridiculous, this is a case of the latter.  It seems that just about every comedic talent in L.A. had a bit speaking role in this.

Like I stated previously, this is not the worst installment, but I am grateful that this franchise is being put to bed.  Sorry Rumplestiltskin, Fairy Godmother, and whoever the villain was in number three, you cannot hold a candle to the deliciously evil Lord Farquaad (you rock John Lithgow!!).  Move on Dreamworks, or Pixar will distance themselves even further from you as THE animated storytellers of the modern era.  7/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!