Shrek
Imaginative, funny, and extremely eclectic, this story of a cranky troll and his sidekick donkey rescuing the truly beautiful princess does not require you haul a kid along to justify your attendance. The voice work is superb, with Murphy's donkey up there with Williams' genie in the pantheon of superlative comedy turns. The stream of visual gags is consistently funny as well, with the Disney digs coming fast and furious.
Special kudos for the female character: strong, funny, sexy, and perfectly capable of looking after herself. (I never thought I'd say this about a gorgeous blonde, but Diaz really is amazing--how'd she get all that in looks and still manage to acquire brains and a personality?)
There is, simply, nothing not to like about Shrek, including the cranky ogre himself. Let us all sing praise for a blockbuster that actually deserves its popularity.
Oh, and I'll bet a fair amount of virtual cash that the soundtrack will be a hit, too. Great tunes.
