Shrek Forever After
After storming to the top of the US box office in it's opening weekend Shrek Forever After is released here in the UK this week.
The movie is the fifth and final movie in the Shrek franchise. After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in-laws' kingdom, what's an ogre to do? Well, if you're Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man.
Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. What's happened to this ogre's roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin.
Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it's up to Shrek to undo all he's done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.
Over recent years the animation genre of film has been one of the most ferociously fought at the box office with Dreamworks and Pixar going head to head for supremacy so FemalFirst has taken a look at some of animation's biggest box office earners.
Shrek 2 - $919,838,758
And in this particular instance it is Dreamworks that has the biggest grossing animation movie of all time. Released back in 2004 Shrek 2 was the sequel to the 2001 computer animated movie.
Shrek 2 picked up the story of Shrek and Fiona as they settle into married life before they are invited to a royal ball by Fiona's parents. The film went on to be nominated for an Oscar and is the 11th largest grossing movie of all time.
Finding Nemo - $864,625,978
Close behind is Pixar's Finding Nemo which was released in 2003 and really set the standard for Pixar movies and the rest that tried to compete with them.
Directed by Andrew Stanton the film followed Marlin, an over protective father who goes on the hunt for his son Nemo. As well as critical acclaim Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Shrek the Third - $798,958,162
2007 brought the third movie in the Shrek franchise and, although it wasn't as well met by the critics, it went on to be a box office smash, cementing Dreamworks as a real force in this genre of film.
The film follows Shrek's search for Arthur Pendragon to take over the throne of Far Far Away after Fiona's father falls ill.
The Lion King - $783,841,776
Released in 1994, yes it really was almost fifteen years ago, The Lion King was the thirty second movie from Disney and it's highest grossing of all time.
It still remains the highest grossing traditionally animated film in history. The film's music also proved popular and it received four Oscar nominations in music categories, going on to win Best Original Score.
Up - $731,338,164
Up was THE animation movie of 2009 as it hit new heights for Pixar and for the animation movie genre in general, it fully deserved the oscar nomination it received earlier this year.
A young Carl Fredrickson meets a young adventure spirited girl named Ellie. They both dream of going to a Lost Land in South America.
70 years later, Ellie has died. Carl remembers the promise he made to her. Then, when he inadvertently hits a construction worker, he is forced to go to a retirement home.
But before they can take him, he and his house fly away. However he has a stowaway aboard. An 8 year old boy named Russell, whose trying to get an assisting the elderly badge.
Together, they embark in an adventure, where they encounter talking dogs, an evil villain and a rare bird named Kevin.
Once again a whole host of weird and wonderful characters are brought to the screen, trust me you will be shouting Squirrel! At every available opportunity, as well as barrels of wit and belly laughs that will keep the kids entertained.
But, perhaps like none of Pixar’s movies before, Up is well and truly rooted in the real world that examines real issues and feelings.
After the death of his wife Ellie the movie’s central character Carl is totally lost and Up addresses old age and the loss of a partner is a truly touching way that is more powerful than any of the humour in the movie.
Ice Age: The Meltdown - $651,899,282
Ice Age: The Meltdown was the 2006 sequel to the 2002 movie and saw Carlos Saldanha return to directing duties. Manny's belief that he is the last mammoth are shattered when he meets Ellie. But with the melting ice caps the floods aren't far away.
The film was a massive success and this unexpected franchise proved that it had real legs.
Kung Fu Panda - $631,908,951
Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda is one of the most recent movies on this countdown of biggest grossing animation movies having only been release last summer.
Boasting some voice talent of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman the film follows a bumbling panda who aspires to be a kung fu master.
Kung Fu Panda won the box office battle with Pixar, who released Wall-E at the same time, but lost out at the Oscars as it failed to pick up the Best Animated Feature gong.
The Incredibles - $631,442,092
The Incredibles was the sixth film from Pixar in 2004 and had the unenviable task of trying to replicate the success of Finding Nemo.
The film followed the Parr family who have superpowers but are trying to adjust to a normal life.While it didn't quite scale those heights the film was a massive hit and brought more Oscar success for Pixar.
Ratatouille - $631,908,951
From a critical perspective Ratatouille was Pixar's most acclaimed movie when it was released back in 2007.With Brad Bird back on directorial duties it was Pixar's eighth movie.
Remy the rat dreams of becoming a chef and to achieve that he helps a garbage boy in a Parisian restaurant to learn how to cook. Bagging five Oscar nominations it was Best Animated Feature again for studio.
Madagascar Escape 2 Africa - $586,909,384
Madagascar Escape 2 Africa was a surprise sequel after the first movie wasn't a massive blockbuster hit however Paramount Pictures' belief in the franchise was rewarded as it topped the box office.
Picking up where the first left off and the animals have decided to return to New York but they crash land in Africa, where they encounter there own species.
Wall-E - $534,767,889
Wall-E was released last summer and went up against Kung Fu Panda at the box office, but losing that battle as the Dreamworks movie did better at the box office.
Much like Ratatouille Wall-E was a massive critical hit, with many arguing that it should have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
The film followed Wall-E, a robot who cleaned up the waste that covers earth in the future. Nominated for five Oscars it may not have been recognised for Best Picture but it did scoop Best Animated Feature.
Shrek Forever After is released 2nd July.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
After storming to the top of the US box office in it's opening weekend Shrek Forever After is released here in the UK this week.
The movie is the fifth and final movie in the Shrek franchise. After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in-laws' kingdom, what's an ogre to do? Well, if you're Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man.
Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. What's happened to this ogre's roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin.
Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it's up to Shrek to undo all he's done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.
Over recent years the animation genre of film has been one of the most ferociously fought at the box office with Dreamworks and Pixar going head to head for supremacy so FemalFirst has taken a look at some of animation's biggest box office earners.
Shrek 2 - $919,838,758
And in this particular instance it is Dreamworks that has the biggest grossing animation movie of all time. Released back in 2004 Shrek 2 was the sequel to the 2001 computer animated movie.
Shrek 2 picked up the story of Shrek and Fiona as they settle into married life before they are invited to a royal ball by Fiona's parents. The film went on to be nominated for an Oscar and is the 11th largest grossing movie of all time.
Finding Nemo - $864,625,978
Close behind is Pixar's Finding Nemo which was released in 2003 and really set the standard for Pixar movies and the rest that tried to compete with them.
Directed by Andrew Stanton the film followed Marlin, an over protective father who goes on the hunt for his son Nemo. As well as critical acclaim Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Shrek the Third - $798,958,162
2007 brought the third movie in the Shrek franchise and, although it wasn't as well met by the critics, it went on to be a box office smash, cementing Dreamworks as a real force in this genre of film.
The film follows Shrek's search for Arthur Pendragon to take over the throne of Far Far Away after Fiona's father falls ill.
The Lion King - $783,841,776
Released in 1994, yes it really was almost fifteen years ago, The Lion King was the thirty second movie from Disney and it's highest grossing of all time.
It still remains the highest grossing traditionally animated film in history. The film's music also proved popular and it received four Oscar nominations in music categories, going on to win Best Original Score.
Up - $731,338,164
Up was THE animation movie of 2009 as it hit new heights for Pixar and for the animation movie genre in general, it fully deserved the oscar nomination it received earlier this year.
A young Carl Fredrickson meets a young adventure spirited girl named Ellie. They both dream of going to a Lost Land in South America.
70 years later, Ellie has died. Carl remembers the promise he made to her. Then, when he inadvertently hits a construction worker, he is forced to go to a retirement home.
But before they can take him, he and his house fly away. However he has a stowaway aboard. An 8 year old boy named Russell, whose trying to get an assisting the elderly badge.
Together, they embark in an adventure, where they encounter talking dogs, an evil villain and a rare bird named Kevin.
Once again a whole host of weird and wonderful characters are brought to the screen, trust me you will be shouting Squirrel! At every available opportunity, as well as barrels of wit and belly laughs that will keep the kids entertained.
But, perhaps like none of Pixar’s movies before, Up is well and truly rooted in the real world that examines real issues and feelings.
After the death of his wife Ellie the movie’s central character Carl is totally lost and Up addresses old age and the loss of a partner is a truly touching way that is more powerful than any of the humour in the movie.
Ice Age: The Meltdown - $651,899,282
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