Worth watching every time

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2011)

I first saw Shrek opening weekend in 2001 and have loved it ever since. It starts out by making fun of the storybook approach with Shrek reading out loud and using a page from the book as toilet paper. It then follows with Donkey potentially being sold with many other fairy tale creatures. Shrek involuntarily comes to the rescue as Donkey is trying to escape. However, Donkey will not leave him alone. So Shrek makes him a deal where he can spend one night at Shrek's home. However, Shrek looks outside to find all the famous fairy tale characters are at his swamp. He finds out that Lord Farquaad evicted them and sent them there.
So it's up to Shrek and Donkey to meet Lord Farquaad and make a deal to get rid of the fairy tale characters and have his swamp back. Lord Farquaad makes him a deal that if he wins a tournament, he must retrieve Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded castle in the highest room in the tallest tower. However, Shrek is in for something else after he rescues Fiona.
The whole plot is just genius at making fun of the fairy tales we have all heard growing up, and at the same time, being its own film. Mike Myers is great at bringing his own style of humor to the title character. What I also like about Myers's performance is how he brings his own emotions and making them Shrek's. Eddie Murphy is also brilliant at bringing his style of humor to the part of Donkey. The best part of Murphy's performance is how he makes his lines memorable.
I enjoy the script and seeing the story unfold as we peel back layers of the characters and who they are. It makes me think of one of Shrek's famous quotes in the film: "Ogres are like onions. We both have layers." The film has so much funny dialogue and a great story. I find that the movie is still worth watching 10 years later.