"Shrek the Third"
PG
Now playing
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As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  After two successful films, the people behind the Shrek franchise obviously knew they had a winning combination of children’s humor, adult innuendo, and pop-culture jokes -- and the third movie of the trilogy doesn’t disappoint. “Shrek the Third” doesn’t offer the same originality that made the first one such a hit, but it does keep its audience giggling, even through overtly cheesy and heart-warming moments.

(Photo: Shrek and friends are back for more in  "Shrek the Third." Credit: DreamWorks Animation) 

ONCE UPON A TIME: In this installment, the big green ogre (Mike Myers) is faced with two prospects he wants nothing to do with: becoming both a king and a father. To get out of the former, he has to find and convince his wife’s (Cameron Diaz) cousin, the puny, teenaged Arthur (Justin Timberlake), to assume the throne.

TAKE THREE: This film returns after the second of the series emphasized pop culture to one of “Shrek’s” original intentions -- to poke fun at Disney.  With references to everything from Disney princesses leading meaningless lives as very desperate housewives to a lengthy fight scene with a striking resemblance to “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Shrek the Third” reminds us why we love the animated classics we grew up with and continue to love Shrek just a little bit more.

Brief as it is, the most memorable scene for anyone age 14 to 18 is Shrek’s foray into a medieval high school that includes freaks, geeks, jocks and cheerleaders, as well as a schoolwide assembly reminding the students to “Just Say Nay.”  Sure, it cashes in on stereotypes, but it wouldn’t be so funny if it wasn’t oh, so painfully, true.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you enjoyed the first two Shrek movies, you’ll find everything that made them classics in “Shrek the Third,” plus even better animation and lots of cute animated babies.  (And a cute animated Justin Timberlake ... swoon).

-- Jody Goldberg, Los Gatos High