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"Moriarty" at Ain't It Cool News(where every poster uses a cutesy pseudonym) had an interesting response to the film and its critics: "Is this really what we've come to? We are now reviewing films on a sequence by sequence basis, giving them passing grades as long as there's just a run of stuff we like, even if we have to sit through three hours of genuinely dull drama, poorly written and poorly acted for the most part, to get to it? This is Pearl Harbor, though. This happened. This is something that still matters to many people who are alive. And I think this reduces a tragic, horrible morning to something that's only degrees away from the Waterworld Stunt Spectacular at Universal Studios." Moriarty abruptly turned, in mid-review, to criticize his fellow critics, however, who went beyond intelligent criticism to engage in mean-spirited mockery: "This is film criticism? Who does a review like that serve? Is it just a point of pride (pun intended)? Is it just a chance to flex your sarcasm muscle for the amusement of yourself and a handful of other entertainment writers?" In the end, though, he did find one thing to applaud: "The new Fellowship of the Ring trailer helped a lot. It's a brilliant, magical piece of filmmaking, two minutes, forty-one seconds that convey more emotion and adventure than anything I've seen in a theater this year."

Families with kids most likely skipped Pearl Harbor this weekend and went to see Shrek instead. The film is a somewhat subversive fairy tale about a reclusive swamp-dwelling ogre who strikes a bargain with an egotistical power-mad lord. In exchange for a little peace and quiet back home, he agrees to rescue an imprisoned princess from a fire-breathing dragon so the conniving king-wannabe can marry her and become king. The movie exuberantly and sarcastically skewers the fairy tale formulas that are Disney's bread and butter, even as it pulls off some heart-warming and surprisingly meaningful storytelling of its own. It's also the flashiest animated feature yet from DreamWorks, the studio led by former Disney exec Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Most critics are head-over heels about the picture. The U.S. Catholic Conference declares Shrek a "captivating animated film" in which "the sweet but conventional story of self-acceptance reaches new levels of excellence in its animation and a fine cast of voices further bolsters the film's appeal." Movieguide calls it "thoroughly enjoyable … a sweet, heartwarming morality tale about learning to love and be loved and looking beyond outward appearances to the inner beauty inside." Movie Parables' Michael Elliott argues, "The secret of the film's success and audience appeal lies in the casting of its vocal talent, most notably … Eddie Murphy who has never sounded better or funnier.'" Christian Spotlight on the Movies' Matthew Rees observes, "While there's nothing really new or especially deep in the movie's moral platitudes, they're still refreshing in today's self-centered and image-conscious society. And for children who haven't heard them a hundred times before, they could very well make a lasting impression."

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May (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45