My thoughts on the 3D conversion, Partysaurus Rex, and the film itself!
Simply put, it is. Read on!
After taking us to the worlds of toys, bugs, and monsters, this time around, Disney-Pixar take us underwater, to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marlin is an overprotective clownfish who goes to great lengths to protect his only son, Nemo from harm. But when Nemo gets carried away by a scuba diver and ends up in an aquarium, Marlin decides to brave all odds and search the entire ocean for his son. Along the way, he meets up with Dory, a forgetful blue tang fish, crosses paths with vegetarian sharks, meets a century-old turtle, and ends up in the stomach of a whale...all in the name of finding his son, who himself is trying to escape the aquarium and meet his dad again.
In the nearly ten years since its original release, the movie looks and feels new as ever. That goes to show just how cutting edge its animation is.
I sadly did not see the original film in 2003, but did catch it later on DVD. And I have never been that big of a Nemo fan. My favorite Pixar movie is still The Incredibles. But I now can proudly say that Finding Nemo is simply awesome. The breathtaking animation, witty dialogue and excellent voicework (special mention to Ellen DeGeneres as Dory!) all add up to an unmatched experience. Even though I had seen this film many times before, it had me tearing up inside my 3D glasses!
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| "Hi. I'm Dory." |
What I don't like about the film? How episodic it is. The movie switched from one episode to another really fast. There's the shark scene, then the lantern fish scene, then the jellyfish, then the turtles, then the whale, and finally the climax, with the aquarium scenes in between. It's an odd and minor complaint, but is rather noticeable. However, the treatment and development of each character is really cool, and the film wraps up in a really satisfying way.
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| "That's a big butt." |
SPECIAL FOCUS: 3D; PARTYSAURUS REX
THE 3D: Like I mentioned, Finding Nemo is returning to theaters in next-gen 3D. So obviously, the 3D addition is an important selling point for the film. It's really good, and the extra dimension adds to the film's rich visuals. Some particular sequences of note are the jellyfish scene, the turtles scene ("The EAC, dude"), and the inside of the whale. It didn't feel like individual layers, but felt very natural and real. Really cool and eye-popping stuff. The 3D really immerses you into the ocean, and makes all that particulate matter visible and surrounds you with it. It's really very cool. I also noticed things I had never seen before, like the sheen of Marlin and Nemo's scales. Maybe it was the big screen and not the 3D, but I never noticed that the dentist had a "Highlights" magazine in his room.
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| Some of the colorful supporting cast |
However, sadly the 3D effects tend to darken the screen a bit. But that happens with every 3D film, doesn't it? Also, I noted that the film was presented in a funny aspect ratio. It didn't really fill up the entire screen and seemed cropped somehow.
That said, the 3D really adds a lot to this film. You will find yourself gasping and jumping in your seat when the shark snaps his jaws in your face, or when the turtles take you into the Vortex of Terror. It's a unique experience and really transforms this film. Overall, the 3D is very well done and is not just a lazy conversion.
Once again, I have to say that animation HAS to be in 3D. It's like 3D was tailor-made for animation!
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| "Maybe a different dialect." |
PARTYSAURUS REX: Another selling point for people who have already seen Nemo is the new Pixar short film, Partysaurus Rex. This new Toy Story Toon takes us back to some of our beloved characters from the Toy Story world. It's bath time for Bonnie and she takes Rex along to play in the bathtub. But after the bath, the toys are left behind hopelessly in the tub, so Rex decides to turn on the water again and turn the tub into a party! It's great to see the wild side of Rex for a change, but above all, it's just great to see some old friends again! Since the short is just a few minutes long, I won't go into details or spoilers , but just say that it's a lot of fun! The water-themed short is a perfect match for Finding Nemo, in case you noticed.
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| Partysaurus Rex. Image courtesy Disney-Pixar and Entertainment Weekly |
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
Finding Nemo is a near perfect film. I simply can't recommend this film more. Not just as a Disney or Pixar fan, but as someone who loves good movies, I suggest you go watch this when it comes your side. And take the kids along and introduce them to this classic! The 3D effects are great, but what's better is experiencing this film all over again in the movie theater.
A true, fun, hilarious and heartwarming adventure that goes beyond the depths of the ocean. Another Disney-Pixar classic.
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| Found. |
RATING: ★★★★★ (Excellent!)