Shrek 2
Everyone's favorite green ogre is back in "Shrek 2" (Dreamworks), the whimsical sequel to 2001's smash storybook send-up.

Dishing out the same blend of clever pop culture references and double-layered dialogue as the original, directors Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon have crafted an enchanting animated fairy tale farce that should leave viewers feeling happily ever after.

The new film opens with Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) honeymooning with his new ogre bride, Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz), the not-so-fair princess whose hand -- and heart -- he had won in the original.

Returning home to their swamp love nest, the newlyweds receive an invitation to visit Fiona's parents (voiced by John Cleese and Julie Andrews), the king and queen of the comically coined kingdom, Far Far Away.

Against Shrek's better judgment, the lovers set off, with Shrek's jive-talking burro buddy, Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy), tagging along for the ride.

As feared, the joyous homecoming turns sour when the royals catch sight of their ogrefied daughter and new ogre-in-law son. As it turns out, a mistake had been made. Fiona was supposed to be rescued in the earlier outing by Prince Charming (voiced by Rupert Everett), a narcissistic ninny whose kiss would have returned her beauty by breaking the curse which keeps Fiona in her troll-like state. Instead, Shrek beat him to the smooch -- which worked out for the best, since Shrek loves Fiona, warts and all.

However, in an effort to write his own storybook ending, the king, in cahoots with a scheming Fairy Godmother (voiced by Jennifer Saunders), hatches a plot to undo Shrek and Fiona's chances of living happily ever after.

In addition to providing an amazing palette of vibrant colors and lifelike textures, new advances in animation technology allow the filmmakers to create an astounding range of complex expressions which make the characters more human -- such as the case may be.

But it is the actors' voices which truly bring the cartoon confections to life, especially the returning trio of Myers, Diaz and Murphy. Joining the old favorites is Antonio Banderas, who lends his Latin larynx to Puss-and-Boots, a Zorro-like feline who, without letting the cat out of the bag, serves as a cat-alyst for much of the make-believe mischief. His fur is so realistic that viewers allergic to cat dander would be advised to sit far away from the screen.

With its welcome mix of adventure, romance and satire, "Shrek 2" echoes both the wit and charm, if not the freshness, of the original -- a rare achievement in the world of sequels. The film is driven by an irreverence which spoofs and subverts the very fairy tale conventions it celebrates; fairy godmothers used to grant happy endings, not try to sabotage them.

The wall-to-wall humor will keep young viewers laughing, with the bawdier zingers ricocheting off their funny bones and above their heads. Adults will also have fun spotting the parodies of both current and classic Hollywood fare, including an amusing takeoff of the famous surf-and-sand kiss in "From Here to Eternity."

The movie's most hilarious scene involves Shrek and Fiona's entry into Far Far Away, a riotous realm styled after Beverly Hills where all the richest fairy tale divas live. Taking clever digs at contemporary consumerism, the fiefdom's main thoroughfare is lined with high-end medieval merchants like Versarchery, Armani Armory, Saxon Fifth Avenue, Old Knavery and Pewtery Barn -- though the joke seems a tad hypocritical given the film's massive merchandising campaign.

And while the follow-up's message of self-acceptance is somewhat recycled from the earlier installment, it is one well worth repeating, especially in our superficial society which puts such a premium on surface appearance at the exclusion of inner worth.

This is one summer movie that will cast a spell over young and old alike and should leave the competition green with envy.

Due to some mildly crude and suggestive humor, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

-- David DiCerto

Raising Helen
Kate Hudson charms as a spirited single gal thrust into motherhood in the pleasant-enough story "Raising Helen" (Touchstone). But although Hudson's effervescent performance as Helen buoys the film, director Garry Marshall can't push the story beyond lightweight, mediocre fare.

Hip, happening and unfettered, Helen is on the fast track up the corporate ladder at a top Manhattan modeling agency where she solves all problems as the executive assistant to the officious Dominique (an underused Helen Mirren, who shines as an acerbic, hardnosed businesswoman).

But Helen's days of fashion shows and late-night clubbing are suddenly drawn to a close when her sister, Lindsay (Felicity Huffman), and brother-in-law (Sean O'Bryan) are killed in a car accident, leaving Helen as the sole guardian of their children: 15-year-old Audrey (Hayden Panettiere), 10-year-old Henry (Spencer Breslin) and 5-year-old Sarah (Abigail Breslin).

No one is more surprised about Lindsay's guardianship choice than Helen, except maybe for Jenny (Joan Cusack), Helen's pregnant older sister and mother of two already. Jenny, of course, seemed the natural choice, being deeply ensconced in the supposed "trappings" of motherhood: house in the burbs, minivan and sensible husband.

Once the premise is set up, the film launches into the practicalities of Helen transitioning from supercool aunt to sensible mother of three. The usual conflicts crop up, from housing (the skyrocketing rents in Manhattan force Helen to move the brood to Queens, despite shuddering at the thought of being "bridge-and-tunnel people") to childcare (no one to watch the kiddies means Helen attends a haute-couture fashion show with kids in tow). Some parts are more believable than others, as when Helen forgets the children's lunch money or clandestinely replaces Henry's beloved dead turtle with a look-alike from the pet store.

John Corbett enters as Pastor Dan, a Lutheran minister and principal at the children's school. Some innocuous laughs are garnered from Helen's lack of religious understanding, particularly when Pastor Dan asks her on a date and she believes he is breaking his vow of celibacy. Their romantic relationship, though inevitable, is nicely paced, allowing the audience to believe the two could develop into a couple.

However the film's main setback is that it isn't able to establish an even tone throughout. It's not that life isn't made up of both comedy and drama; it's that the film can't strike a balance between them. The result is that the endearing and funny moments are overshadowed by scenes that drag or just don't ring true. Helen undergoes a predictable transformation, coming to realize how important her nieces and nephew are to her, but her resistance to stepping up to the plate and acting as the adult is mostly believable.

The film conveys the idea that although parenting is a joy it also means enduring the scorn of your children (especially the teens) when it comes to doing something that is unpopular but right. One scene offers parents an opportunity to discuss the perils and moral implications of premarital sex. Audrey is asked by a goody-two-shoes senior to the prom, but sneaks off with bad-boy BZ (Michael Esparza) to a motel room. Nothing happens because Helen tracks them down and has Jenny bust in on them (even before they have a chance to get cozy) and give the pair a stern lecture. Even though the film doesn't attach any moral or religious coda or elaborate as to why, the implication is clear that the teens should not be having sex.

Despite its flaws, "Raising Helen" turns out to be a mostly enjoyable film.

Because of brief, mild sexual innuendo, implied underage drinking and a few instances of crass language, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of "Raising Helen" is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

-- Anne Navarro

David DiCerto is on the staff and Anne Navarro is a reviewer in the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.