House of 9 alternate

House of 9 alternate ending

Shrek and Donkey arrive at Farquaads palace and inadvertently become the Lords champions and are given the task of freeing Fiona from the clutches of an evil dragon, a task to which Shrek agrees to undertake only after he has Farquaads word that his new and unwanted Fairy Tale companions will be shuttled off to another land. Shrek and Donkey set out on a perilous journey filled with equal parts danger and humor, forming a bond of friendship on the path towards destiny. Shrek is a straightforward yet undeniably charming movie built on the simplest of ideas but taken to a whole new level of realization and excellence. A Fairy tale that gleefully revels in every cliché but does so by turning the land of Happily Ever After on its head, Shrek embraces new and old alike to create a hybrid picture thats rooted in the classics but cheerfully updated for modern audiences. No longer is the hero a strapping socialite with a big chest or dreamy blue eyes and blond hair, nor is the heroine a shapely damsel in distress with flowing locks and a perfect complexion at least not through most of the series. In Shrek, the hero is an overweight green ogre with food-stained clothes, a penchant for untimely bodily functions, a solitary lifestyle, and a natural mean streak thats subdued by a big heart. On the flip side is Fiona, a spellbound princess with an attitude who must come to find that self confidence and comfort in ones own skin are the most beautiful things of all, which sums up the films none-too-subtle but never overbearing message on the importance of acceptance, friendship, and staying true to oneself. Shrek clearly has plenty of fun manipulating the classic Fairy Tale to its own ends and devices, and that affability is sure to rub off on the audience. One need not be a longtime reader of Fairy Tales to see where Shrek is coming from; the picture works in the broadest of strokes and most general of clichés, but the seamless inclusion of popular music, pop culture references that havent yet gone stale, and of course the unique characters all add up to one of the best computer-animated films of them all. At its most basic, though, and behind the unique twist on the Fairy Tale and the wonderfully-realized characters, is a movie with a wit that should be the envy of every other of its kind. Shrek is an uproariously funny film in a classic style that relies on situational humor, timing, and subtle jokes that are offset by just the right amount of louder, more crude humor from Donkey and a few other side characters. Like everything else about the film, theres a fantastic balance in place that gives the movie a wonderfully unique tone. If theres a downside to Shrek, it is one that exists more in hindsight and that cant justly be called a true problem. Approaching a decade in age, the films animation doesnt hold up all that well compared to the later installments or its likeminded and similarly-created genre kin both from DreamWorks and the other major animation houses. Shrek particularly various background and tertiary elements such as clumps of trees and dirt roads often looks sterile and relatively basic, even if most of the film manages a fair sense of depth. On the plus side, though, the characters defy time and style; few animated films have produced a lead character so memorable, and fewer still have found the pitch-perfect voice actor to bring the character to life. Mike Meyers Shrek is a work of art; theres arguably not another character so vividly realized from a vocal perspective as Shrek, and Eddie Murphys Donkey and Cameron Diazs Fiona are about as good as it gets, too. We are definitely not in the swamp anymore. Shrek and Fiona are living the high life of marital bliss. Even a little Donkey cant slow them down from enjoying one anothers company and the fruits of I do, but when they receive notice that Fionas parents the King and Queen of the Kingdom of Far, Far Away wish to hold a royal ball in celebration of their daughters recent marriage, the happy couple travels great distances and through treacherous terrain to arrive just in time and much to the chagrin of one green male ogre. Tensions run high when the royals realize their daughter has married not a handsome prince charming but instead a slovenly green beast. Shrek wants nothing more than for Fiona to be happy, and her happiness depends on the king bestowing his blessing on the happy couple. Enter the Fairy Godmother Jennifer Saunders, Fionas childhood protector and the one who assigned to her solitude in the tower where she patiently awaited her knight in shining armor to bestow upon her loves true kiss and reverse the curse that was her daily physical mutation. Of course, and as such things go, it turns out the Fairy Godmother has her own motives in mind rather than the well-being of the fair Fiona. Meanwhile, Shrek, Donkey, and a feline assassin named Puss in Boots Antonio Banderas, The Mask of Zorro discover that true love doesnt run skin deep, but not before getting into plenty of trouble and threatening Shreks Happily Ever After ending with his beautiful bride. Shrek 2 is prototypical of a successful sequel; its basically the first movie repackaged, telling a different story but ultimately coming down to the same basic core values that are framed within a structure thats familiar but more highly polished than its predecessor. Indeed, the core theme running through both Shrek and Shrek 2 speaks on the importance of being oneself and loving for all the right reasons rather than hating, dismissing, or questioning an individual for what they look like rather than who they are. Its only when the characters try to become something or someone that theyre not that their happiness and Fairy Tale existence is jeopardized. Its basic stuff to be sure, but Shrek 2 does it better than most. The movies message is clearly identifiable to even the youngest of audiences, wrapped in a mostly wholesome, humorous, and cuddly veneer that helps the overriding theme go down smoothly. Better, the film has a more adult-oriented streak that makes it an entertaining ride for the parents, too. No worries in that area, though: Shrek 2 doesnt cross any unsafe for the kids boundaries; the adult humor is evident but so subtly integrated that all but the most intelligent of young viewers will simply gloss over some of the references and jokes aimed at appeasing the adults in the audience that lend to the film that unique flavor thats only found in the Shrek series thats been kid tested and mother approved, as the old saying goes. As to the specifics of the plot, Shrek 2 logically picks up where its predecessor left off. What better direction to take than to capture the nuances of those lovely in-laws visits and generate conflict from a source of contention thats no doubt plagued most marriages at least once, and particularly in the early stages of matrimony? Not only does the story progress as it should, but the Fairy Tale themes once again play central to the plot, with the film opening with a humorous recap of the first movie seen as if it were more of a straightforward Fairy Tale rather than, well, Shrek and building its plot around not only around the tension with the in-laws but a jealous prince and his magical mother who feel cheated that an ogre, of all creatures, could win the beautiful Fionas heart and provide to her true loves kiss, not to mention moving to the front of the line to inherit the keys to the kingdom. The picture also introduces one of the series best characters, Puss in Boots, a Zorro rip-off, passionate lover, and a favorite of cat lovers around the world for the way the character so perfectly captures both the generic feline traits as well as the subtleties that all cat owners will readily identify. Technically, Shrek 2 proves itself a far superior film to its predecessor. The slightly more robotic animation of the first picture is long gone, replaced by a much bigger, more organic scope and technical prowess. Though the characters retain their same core appearance, details are more fleshed out and environments are sparklingly realized. Shrek 2 may be similar in feel to Shrek, bu
t its clearly the superior picture in terms of sheer visual delights.