Slayers Return
1996Japan★ 6.55 pt match
Both films sit with the family you choose and figuring out who you are. Same energy: whimsical, absurdist, episodic, and escalating.
Shrek
2001USALanguage: EnglishDirected by Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson★ 7.8
It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.
Themes and style
Tone
dark comedywhimsicalwarmabsurdist
Pacing
escalatingepisodic
Story
journeyescapepursuit
Emotion
belongingfiguring out who you areall-consuming lovethe family you chooselonging
Themes
class and moneymen and women navigating expectationslife under oppressioncaught between worlds
Feel
crowd pleaserfun scaryrewatchablecathartic
Violence
mildWhere to watch
Foreign films like Shrek
These foreign films share the same emotional core, themes, and structural feel as Shrek. Every one of them has confirmed English subtitles or dubbing.
Tokyo Godfathers
2003Japan★ 7.95 pt match
Like Shrek, this one is rooted in belonging, the family you choose, and longing. Both circle the same ground: caught between worlds. Same energy: dark comedy, warm, escalating, and episodic.
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
2009South Korea★ 5.93 pt match
Like Shrek, this one is rooted in the family you choose. The world both films live in revolves around men and women navigating expectations. The feel is the same: dark comedy, absurdist, and episodic.