DreamWorks again succeeds where so many other American studios have failed at producing animation that gives Disney's a run for its money. Shrek is a wonderful, joyous film. It takes place in a hodgepodge of a fairy tale world, which provides, among other things, opportunities to poke fun at Disney, and involves the efforts of an ogre to fend off the outside world and live peacefully by himself in his forest. It's not so simple. He gets roped into quests and overrun by other fairy tale creatures, and obviously there is an evil villain of a prince, but I don't want to get too much into the plot.

I love how self-aware Shrek is of its genre without compromising its dramatic impact. I also loved the unbridled humor and silliness. Sometimes the frame is so packed with hilarious details that it'll take multiple viewings to pick up on everything. This may well turn out to be the best animated film of the year, and it will undoubtedly be one of the most fun overall.