Shrek the Third: The Most Anticipated Movie of the Year

The original Shrek movie set the bar pretty high for any sequel, but I have absolute faith that DreamWorks will pull another rabbit out of their hat and offer audiences a terrific summer film in Shrek the Third. One of the reasons for my confidence? Shrek 2 did what sequels often fail to do; it offered audiences a good movie that deviated enough from the plot of the original film not to cast a pall on people's love of the original Shrek.

For this reason, the outlook is good for Shrek the Third. DreamWorks manages not to fall into the trap of riding on a first movie's coattails when they go to create a a series of films. Relying too heavily upon the enormous popularity of a first film will tend to weary and disappoint movie goers. Children are a forgiving audience, but Shrek appeals to audiences of all ages, and it is a happy circumstance that the film makers aspire to keep the writing fresh. In Shrek 2, Dreamworks kept the staple characters, added new faces, and actually wrote a script that was complete enough for people who had never seen the first movie to enjoy.

Great humor writing, vivid story lines and people's love of a warped fairytale have made the Shrek films a must-have in many home movie collections. Although these animated features look to be children's movies, there is at least as much anticipation for the new film among adult and teen audiences this summer as there is among children.

DreamWorks' use of multi-layered humor, or humor that appeals on one level to kid audiences and slyly insinuates another dimension for the older viewer, has become a staple of the Shrek films. Some of the sight gags tickle the universal funny bone. For example, the beloved 'hairball scene' in Shrek 2.

Though central characters Fiona and Shrek are ogres, they seem wonderfully human at times. Their imperfections are as visible as their green skin, but their love for each other and fighting spirit is equally visible. The Shrek films are empowering because they advocate playing to your strengths and opening your arms to true love in whatever surprising form it may arrive.