Animated movies just keep getting better and better these days. Wait a second -- I take that back -- CGI animated films just keep getting better and better. Traditional animation is so five minutes ago and films like "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" now seem like ancient relics of the cinematic yesteryear. Hell, I can't remember the last time when I saw a traditionally animated movie that didn't make me feel like I was either five years old or retarded. "Shrek 2" might have hammered the final nail in the casket of the traditionally animated movie. Not only has it broken some serious box office records, but also improved upon the original, which is something CGI films tend to do (i.e. "Toy Story 2").

      Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon to find their old pal Donkey (Eddie Murphy) singing R&B tunes in Shrek's shack. Soon, the couple if summoned by Fiona's parents -- the King (John Cleese) and Queen (Julie Andrews) -- to the land of Far, Far Away, so they might meet their new son-in-law. Suffice to say, the royal family is none too impressed with their new ogre-kin and the King plots to get Shrek out of the picture, which involves a hitman named Puss N Boots (Antonio Banderas), a more than egotistical Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), and the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders). Hilarity ensues and so does those oh so traditional 'happy ever afters'.

      The writing in this film is so sharp and so intelligent; I don't think any fairy tale or nursery rhyme is safe. One of my favorite little jokes was when Shrek has just turned into a handsome man and is surrounded by beautiful maids. One of them rushes up to him saying she has 'fetched him a pail of water'. She then reveals her name as Jill. I caught it. A couple other people did. Most of the audience just discarded it. Those are the types of little jokes that I find the most amusing because I catch them, and half of the other people in the audience do not. When the Ugly Stepsister (Larry King) walked up to Shrek, Puss, and Donkey and asked Donkey, "Why the long face?", I was rolling in the floor laughing. I heard maybe one other chuckle.

      Something else that adds to the film are the hilarious supporting characters. Gingerbread Man is back in full force, along with Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, the Three Blind Mice, and the gender confused Wolf. Another scene of enormous humor is when Gingerbread Man, Shrek & Co. go to the Muffin Man's house to create a super-sized weapon to get into the castle -- the name 'Mongo' will ring in your ears for days to come. "Shrek 2" also manages to take shots at everything from Walt Disney Pictures to Justin Timberlake. Hell, even Joan Rivers pops up for a brief, yet memorable appearance. And you will all love what the medieval 'cops' use for pepper spray.

      "Shrek 2" has improved on the original in a major way and might be the best CGI animated film to be released. The humor is just right, as to be enough for the young ones and more than enough for the older ones. I saw more adults in the theatre than children. And that is what's so good about the "Shrek" franchise -- it appeals to people of all ages. Dreamworks has a real winner on their hands, and it was very much needed. Spielberg & Co. are thanking their lucky stars for this ogre.