Shrek's Final Frolic Hits The Big Screen
By Karina Mitchell
NEW YORK (CBS) Shrek, the gentle giant everyone can't help but love, returns to the big screen this weekend for one final hurrah.
Together with his familiar complement of companions -- Fiona (Cameron Diaz), Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas)-- Shrek (Mike Myers) embarks on one final adventure in Dreamworks fourth installment of this mega-successful franchise. But expect to see more of these familiar characters than you have ever seen before - the closing chapter in their story is presented in 3-D.
Three years have gone by since our last visit to Far Far Away, where Shrek and Arthur defeated an evil Prince Charming, making Arthur the new King and leaving Shrek and Fiona to become the proud parents of ogre triplets. In "Shrek Forever After," Shrek and Fiona are busier than they want to be, dealing with the joys of parenthood. In an homage to "It's A Wonderful Life," Shrek lomgs for simpler days and contemplates what life would be like if he had never been born. He gets the chance to experience just that after being duped into signing a deal with Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). It's there that this strange adventure begins - with none of the characters knowing one another.
Expect all the hallmarks of the franchise - humor, a tongue-in-cheek poke at pop culture events and all the usual puns. Fiona becomes even less dainty, assuming a warrior princess persona, while Puss seems to have partaken in the good life a little too much, so much so that he has outgrown his trademark footwear. Also making a return appearance and proving he's one tough cookie is the Gingerbread Man.
Watch this week's 'Showbuzz' to hear Mike Myers explain why this final foray into Shrek's world is particularly special to him.
Also out this week is "MacGruber". SNL brings the hysterical king of the mullet to the big screen in this all out action-comedy. Will Forte plays the clueless special operative, who goes after his nemesis, Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer) when he steals a nuclear warhead. With his A-Team (Kristin Wiig and Ryan Philippe), MacGruber hunts down the enemy in a most unconventional way.
Moving to the small screen, CBS shook things up with the unveiling of its' new fall line up. Though we say goodbye to seven shows, including the "Ghost Whisperer," "Accidentally on Purpose" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine" with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, we're keeping "The Good Wife" and getting three new dramas : an updated, action-packed "Hawaii Five-O," another legal drama called "The Defenders" and Tom Selleck vehicle called "Blue Bloods" about a family of NYPD cops. Making us laugh will be a new comedy we can sink our teeth into. "Mike & Molly" is based in Chicago about a couple who meet at Overeaters Anonymous. CBS was the last to unveil it's new season lineup and implemented fewer changes than both rival networks.
And that's the buzz for now. Look out for next week's 'Showbuzz' with more news on upcoming releases, including 'Sex and the City' and 'The Prince of Persia.'