DreamWorks Movies peaked in the 2000s

Valentine M Locket

DreamWorks movie characters: Po (Kung Fu Panda), Robby (Flushed Away), Shrek (Shrek), Susan Ginormica (Monsters vs. Aliens), Miguel & Tulio (The Road to El Dorado).

To start the century with a bang, The Road to El Dorado (2000) created the iconic red and blue duo, while also providing the best excuse to not do anything “The stars! The stars are not in position!” “Stars. Can’t do it. Not today.” 

The best thing since sliced bread graced screens in 2001, when DreamWorks dropped the best storyline focusing on tackling beauty standards with a killer soundtrack, Shrek. 

Name a more iconic piece of media. 

Everyone can deny that Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron didn’t awaken anything in them, but that scene on the train with a Bryan Adams song changed something in everyone. No horse-girl has ever been the same. 

Now, the saying goes that the first is always the best, but DreamWorks smashed that with the creation of Shrek 2 in 2004. Prince Charming? Slayed. Fairy Godmother? Milf. Puss in Boots? Made those boots walk. Cover of Bonnie Tyler’s I Need A Hero with a piano intro? Gave something to the drag performing community Ru Paul never could. 

Still from Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) not only saved the Wensleydale cheese and dairy farm, but it also produced the most impactful character without ever saying a word. 

For a movie about rats in the sewer and a royalist frog, it has a crazy voice actor line up. Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Bill Nighy AND Miriam Margolyes? Could not be made again. 

 “According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.” We all know the impacts of that script. Need I say more? 

DreamWorks smashed out another movie about subverting conventional beauty standards with Kung Fu Panda in 2008, while also starting the line up for some of the most iconic (complex and well designed) villains. 

Yet another crazy voice actor line up (Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogan, Will Arnett and Hugh Laurie) for an even crazier plot line, Monsters vs Aliens (2009) was yet again to the list of DreamWorks movies subverting conventional standards of beauty. 

 Now, my personal favourite How To Train Your Dragon (2010). Vibrant characters, gritty world, larger than life orchestral soundtrack a dragon that looks like a giant cat. What else could you want?