Shrek
A beloved fairy-tale send-up following a grumpy ogre, a chatty donkey, and a resourceful princess, packed with heart and a great message about looking past appearances. The humor leans heavily on gross-out jokes and adult innuendo, and a few scenes carry real tension for little ones.
Most comfortable for kids 7 and up; confident readers who already love fairy tales will enjoy it most.
If you’d rather skip
Opening scene: Shrek reads a fairy-tale book in the outhouse with a toilet-flush punchline implying a crude word; sets the film's gross-out tone immediately.
Villagers with torches and pitchforks surround Shrek's swamp; Shrek lets out a sudden loud roar that scatters them.
Lord Farquaad's dungeon scene: the Gingerbread Man is interrogated and has his legs snapped off; played for dark comedy but may unsettle sensitive younger viewers.