Shrek (2001)

After nine years, “Shrek” still is Dreamworks’ best animated film. Here’s a tale that can play in the same park as MVP Pixar, even as the filmmakers (many ex-Mouseketeers) give a swift, knowing and hilarious kick to Disney’s sparkly animated shins. Every animation junkie young and old knows the plot backward: Shrek (Mike Myers, going Scottish) is a green ogre who finds himself on a classic fairy tale princess rescue mission as part of a deal to get his swamp back from a tiny tyrant (John Lithgow, deliciously sinister). “Shrek” spoofs and dissembles every fairy tale even as it gleefully plays by the genre’s rules. It also is the only Dreamworks film I’ve seen that builds a story on and around strong characters, ones with heart and brains, not just lazily hangs a plot on snarky cynical jokes. Eddie Murphy as Donkey is genius. He’s firing on all cylinders and having a blast. How can that not be infectious? A