Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Reviews

• The Coolest Movie I have Ever Seen.

  
  By A2FM09EQVC5W6B on 2003-05-31
  YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE.

  There. Now that I've said that, I should tell you that this is NOT solely a childrens' movie, but will be enjoyed as much (if not more) by adults. The cleverness of Pixar will never cease to amaze me. Only they could take a concept like a full-length movie about fish and make it totally believable. This film succeeds n being very, very funny. Heck, I'm 16 and saw it in the theater with only my mother. The two of us were laughing hysterically throughout the entire thing!

  There's alot of sadness and emotion in this movie and some absolutely terrific voice acting--the voice cast is top-notch. There are some touching moments and subtle messages to be heard by all, not just kids. I look forward with anticipation to the DVD release of this wonderful movie. The suspense never lets up; encounters with jellyfish, a whale, and a deep-sea lanturn fish make every moment exciting.

  As we know, every Disney/Pixar film is associated with its own special "short." Well, this one is the best yet, and the short film sets you up for the great feelings you'll have while seeing "Finding Nemo." I won't give away the storyline, but it involves a cute snowman, a water globe, and some tropical souvenirs that completely ready one for the overwhelming tropical-ness of the feature film.

  One thing I can't get over is how true-to-life these characters are. The attention to finding a unique species for each fish is incredible and adds a whole new, educational, dimension to the movie. There are some memorable characters in "Finding Nemo." First and foremost is Marlin, the lovable clownfish who is an overprotective father to his adventurous son, Nemo. Then there's Dory, the regal blue tang with the memory problem. She provides much of the comic relief but is also an immensely "real" character. Bruce is a mako shark who wants to get rid of the typical image of sharks as mindless eating machines. Crush is a 150-year-old sea turtle with a cool-surfer-dude attitude. Nigel is a helpful pelican. The whole thing takes place in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.

  And then there are the aquarium fish, who invite Nemo into their 'club' when he gets scooped from the sea. He goes through the initiation ceremony at Mt. Wannahockaloogee, complete with tiki statues and all. The animation is awesome. Their group includes Peach, the lookout starfish; Deb, a delusional fish who thinks her reflection is her sister; a French shrimp, a puffer fish, a yellow tang, and a royal gramma. They are led by Gill, a moorish idol who longs to return to the ocean.

  This film is excellent; it deserves a sequel...

  Overall this is one film that nobody should miss--parents, kids, or otherwise. I hope this review has convinced you to go get yourself a ticket to "Finding Nemo."
  
  

• Pixar's getting in a habit of constantly outdoing themselves

  
  By A39849I0AQTTVR on 2003-06-07
  Finding Nemo is the fifth installment for Pixar Studios, the most reliable studio in Hollywood today, and it is my personal favorite. The first obviously outstanding aspect of the movie is the animation. From the breathtaking wonder of the Great Barrier Reef, to the cold, sterile fish tank, the animation is top notch and truly state of the art. The water, which has always been the bane of animation, is picture perfect, and the animators have captured the rolling but constant ocean and the light refractions perfectly. But animation itself doesn't make a film. Finding Nemo's strongest aspect is it's warm, witty, heartfelt, and funny story of a father's quest to reclaim his son. The kids will love the vibrant characters and funny situations, and so will the parents. However, the parents will be able to enjoy the film on a level far more than the kids will. The story is about losing a child, and the desperate quest to be reunited, which will hit the parent right in the gut. This is the story's dark side, which has, thankfully, not been sugar coated by the creators. Overall, lets just say Halleluja, Pixar, you've done it again!
  
  

• Another fantastic family hit from Pixar

  
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2003-06-23
  Pixar has outdone themselves once again. "Finding Nemo" is the dramatic, sometimes sad & scary, sometimes drop-dead hilarious, tale (or should I say "tail"?) of a Father trying to find his lost son. In this case, the father (voice over by Albert Brooks), Marlin, is a clownfish living in a sea anemone. His son, Nemo, evokes images of Dicken's "Tiny Tim" character with his defective fin.

  In light of todays news headlines where children are forcibly kidnapped from their own homes, the opening of the film may be too intense and overwhelming for some sensitive youngsters.

  As with its other movies ("Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.," etc.), the story is so well written, it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

  As someone who has a salt water aquarium at home with a pair of clownfish and a regal tang (the species of Dory, played by Ellen DeGeneres), I know first hand how these fish move through water and interact with other fish in the tank.

  It's obvious that the artists involved in animating these characters studied their biology and behavior for hours on end. A few times, the fish are literally out of the water, and as the water on their skin begins to drip off, you can see the subtle highlights in their scales. Magnificent work.

  Obviously, the fish are given human-like eyes... a truly necessary component to get you emotionally involved with these characters.

  Even Bruce, the Great White shark, is an endearing fellow with an Australian accent. Despite the human-like characteristics, the adherence to physiological details on the rest of these species is incredible.

  The lighting has such an effect that you feel like you are under water with the fish. The gentle swaying of the coral and anemones is surreal... just like the real Great Barrier Reef.

  In reality, some of these fish would never encounter each other in the wild... and we all know that Starfish do not have eyes or smiley faces... but you do not care about those minor details while watching this film.

  Dory is the beautiful blue & yellow regal tang fish who teams up with Marlin to find his son. Her tendency to forget almost everything she hears is a part of the charm of this character. Ellen DeGeneres' voice was perfect for this fish. The facial expressions on the characters, modeled after the actors that did their voices, are also priceless.

  This movie is far more than eye-candy. The story and comedic timing are so good, it could be done with stick-figures and still be good.

  This movie is an absolute delight. When it is released on DVD, it will immediately be added to my collection - this is a film I could see time and time again.
  
  

• Walt Would Approve

  
  By A1S0TB8S4Y7CIQ on 2003-10-18
  Recently, I saw Albert Brooks on Late Night with David Letterman, talking about Finding Nemo. Brooks, who stars as the voice of Marlon, the daddy fish, had taken his son (who, I believe was about five years old, the equivalent human age of Nemo), to the premiere. After about five minutes, Brooks said his son leaned over to him, and quietly said, the way a grownup might, "I cannot watch this movie," and walked out. Late in the movie, the son returned, having obviously been crying. Leaning over, Brooks assured his son, "You are not Nemo."

  Such is the power of this fish story about father and son clownfish who become separated, and must struggle to find their way back to each other. Marlon is a loving but neurotic and overprotective father; Nemo is a frustrated young fish who wants to be independent and see the world, and resents his father for preventing him from doing so. We see an ocean (read: the world) that is a terrible, heartless, and yet joyous place that we frail fish must confront, as best we can, because there's no alternative.

  The animation was done by the wonderful folks from Pixar, who are the closest thing to the reincarnation of Walt Disney. There is simply no comparison between the animation of the typical, visually flat, politically correct, contemporary animated movie (many of which are produced by Walt Disney Pictures!) and Nemo. In Nemo, the ocean floor looks like the ocean. And the characters are all ... characters. They are all physically distinctive, wonderfully written, and performed by gifted actors who - if you'll pardon the cliché - will alternately make you laugh and cry. Of particular note are Barry Humphries as Bruce the Shark, Geoffrey Rush as Nigel the Pelican, Willem Dafoe as Gill, Allison Janney as Peach, and of course, young Alexander Gould as Nemo. Ellen Degeneres, in particular, steals every scene she's in, as Dory, a gregarious fish whose memory leaks like a sieve. But this is Albert Brooks' movie. The Academy should give this man a special Oscar for the most moving voice work my wife and I have ever heard.

  Thomas Newman, of the musical Newman clan (Alfred, Lionel, Randy) has produced a score that is subtle and unobtrusive much of the time, but at dramatic moments takes over, and is more impressive, with repeated viewings. He deserves his fifth Oscar nomination for Nemo.

  Andrew Stanton's (Toy Story, Monsters, Inc.) screenplay, written with Bob Peterson and David Reynolds, brims with intelligence and wit (e.g., in an AA-style group of recovering - and frequently lapsing - sharks, the members intone, "I am a nice shark, not an eating machine.... Fish are friends, not food"), and Stanton's direction does not waste a scene. Every moment in Nemo will either charm you or move you. In fact, as my wife remarked, for all of its many comic scenes, this is one of the most moving movies you'll ever see. We've already seen it several times with our three-and-a-half-year-old son, who loves it, and yet with each new viewing, we notice things we'd previously missed.

  Though I wish Nemo would win all of the big Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay), I doubt Academy voters will choose it over its live-action competition. And yet, I will be very surprised, if a better picture -- live action or animated -- is released this year. Finding Nemo is truly a find.

  Originally published in The Critical Critic, October 17, 2003.
  
  

• Finding Nemo Rules!

  
  By A1R2URG8OHNEDS on 2003-09-27
  The Pixar movies just keep getting better and better. The two "Toy Story" movies were amazing, as was "A Bug's Life" and "Monsters Inc." Now they made a new movie in their animation studios called "Finding Nemo" with the voices of Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres taking on the main characters (er main fishes) voices. The joy of this movie is that it has beautiful animation, along with a script filled with humor and heart, that you just have to love it. Although the movie came out in May, when I first saw it I felt that I could not yet review it. It took me another two times to finally decide that I was ready to share with you the magic and wonder of this movie.

  It begins a few years before the story begins. We are introduced to Marlin and Coral. Soon they will be parents to hundreds of little tiny fish. Coral wants to name one Nemo, because she thinks that it is a great name. But disaster then strikes when a bigger fish knocks Marlin out and proceeds to eat Coral and the baby eggs. But when Marlin wakes up he finds one little egg left which he promises not to let anything happen to it. He then commences to name this fish Nemo. A few years pass and it's Nemo's first day of school. Marlin doesn't trust the ocean and is scared to let his son leave home. He does and when the teacher takes the fish to the drop-off Marlin races to go find him. Nemo is with the class but he and some friends go to the end of the ocean where it goes down into the dark abyss. They see and boat and Marlin finds them. He tells Nemo to go with him but he goes off to touch the boat and in the process of returning, is captured by a diver. The divers boat speeds away and Marlin cannot catch up to it. He bumps into and meets Dory, a blue fish with short term memory loss. We find out that Nemo is in a fishtank along with felloe sea creatures of Gill, Bloat, Peach, Gurgles, Bubbles, Jacques, and Deb who believes that her reflection in the tank's glass is her twin sister flow. Gill hatches an escape plan to escape the fishtank which is in a dentist's office in Sydney Australia. They have to escape now because Nemo is a birthday gift to the dentist's fish killing neice Darla. As they plot to escape Dory and Marlin set off to find Nemo with the encounters of the likes of Nigel the pelican, Crush the turtle, and three sharks with the names of Bruce, Anchor, and Chum who are going through AA to stop eating fish. Nemo and Marlin race across the ocean to find Marlin's son.

  Also before the feature there was a mini short called "Knick Knack" where a snowman inprisioned in the glass of a snowglobe tries to escape so he can get to his mermaid beauty toy, straight from the beautiful beaches of Miami. Sadly, seeing the movie three times, I had enough of that short after the first time. Unlike the movie, that short probally would only get about 2 or 3 stars, I would have to analyze it more if I was planning on giving it a full review.

  But the short was made in 1989 almost fifteen years before "Finding Nemo" was made. It you watch both of them together like in the theatre, you would see that there is a big difference with the animation. Even without the note at the beginning saying what year it was made, you could probally guess that it was made more then a decade ago. Even with "Toy Story" and this movie. There is a huge difference in the way that the animation was made. On the "Monsters Inc" DVD there is a feature where you see how they made the fur on one of the monsters back flow with the wind. It's such a huge advancment in technology and it just blows my mind.

  "Finding Nemo" wasn't made with regular animation. It used computer generated images to make the fish. Another movie that came out this summer which I have yet to see called "Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" did the opposite of this and made it with older animation. But there is something about the computer image that just makes everything look so real, mabye because it is real. Mabye there is some kind reality to everything. Look at the character of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings:The Two Towers." Wasn't that a real person that they used a computer to make him look like a scary slimy creature. Animation alone in movies just makes you think hard. That is another beauty of Nemo's world.

  Yes. This is probally one of the greatest movies of the year if not all time. The characters are just so great. Even when you know that Nemo is not in grave danger, you want Marlin just to race across the ocean and rescue his son. You want them to be together and even though you know he's fine, you still fear for Nemo. You grow to love these characters at the instant that you are first introduced to them, and that is great filmmaking. I loved "Finding Nemo" and I think that you will too.

  ENJOY!

  Rated G

  Finding Nemo 5 stars/5
  Knick Knack 2 1/2 stars/5
  
  

• Sweetest, Cutest and Funniest Disney movie by far!
  By AO9KSD5YL3C2H on 2003-11-11
  "I'll call you squishy, you shall be mine, you shall be my squishy" says Dory the blue, short term memory loss fish to a small jellyfish near by! This movie is wonderful. It's cute, it's funny, it's silly, it's sweet and it has a great meaning to it. It's great for all ages. You will want to watch it over and over again. If you are anything like my nieces and I you will find yourself quoting little things that Dory says throughout the movie because they are so funny and memorable!! It's classic!
  
  
• This movie taught this grownup some things
  By A1HQ7X2GYOUK2I on 2003-10-06
  ASIDE from the spectacular animation, the laughs, and the endearing characters - this film has great educational value. For whatever reason, I grew up with an...uneasiness...around people with handicaps. By the end of the film I was completely oblivious to the fact two of the main characters were physically or mentally challenged. Dora, in fact, was one of the most charming characters I've seen in film recently - animated or not.

  I also (as a divorced father) greatly appreciated a single FATHER being portrayed as loving and capable. Too much of media shows men, if not actually villains, as bumbling or careless - if they're present at all.

  BRAVO! The film is so entertaining you hardly notice positive lessons are being reinforced.
  
  

• stunning visuals - average story - wait for the DVD
  By A1JKXPPLXJK5IW on 2003-06-12
  The visuals of the movie were wonderful - many times you could almost think the fish were real. The voice talent in this movie I would say was medium - Ellen DeGeneres was great and Willem Dafoe was good too as one of the fish in the dentist's tank, as well as the voice of the sea turtle by Andrew Stanton. None of other performances stood out to me.

  The plot was OK - early in the movie Nemo loses his mother and is cared for by his overprotective father Marlin. Through the movie both Nemo and his father get a big adventure and learn something about themselves. What really saves this movie from being just mediocre is Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, a fish with short term memory loss. Dory is responsible for the majority of the laugh out loud moments in the movie - one moment in particular when she is trying to talk whale speak provides the film's best laugh.

  In summary, this is probably the 3rd best Pixar movie (after the Toy Story movies but better than Monsters Inc and Bug's Life) but not an enduring classic. 3 stars - wait for the DVD.
  
  

• Endearing characters, great movie!
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2003-06-12
  Pixar has outdone themselves once again. "Finding Nemo" is the dramatic, sometimes sad & scary, sometimes drop-dead hilarious, tale (or should I say "tail"?) of a Father trying to find his lost son. In this case, the father (voice over by Albert Brooks), Marlin, is a clownfish living in a sea anemone. His son, Nemo, evokes images of Dicken's "Tiny Tim" character with his defective fin.

  In light of todays news headlines where children are forcibly kidnapped from their own homes, the opening of the film may be too intense and overwhelming for some sensitive youngsters.

  As with its other movies ("Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.," etc.), the story is so well written, it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

  As someone who has a salt water aquarium at home with a pair of clownfish and a regal tang (the species of Dory, played by Ellen DeGeneres), I know first hand how these fish move through water and interact with other fish in the tank.

  It's obvious that the artists involved in animating these characters studied their biology and behavior for hours on end. A few times, the fish are literally out of the water, and as the water on their skin begins to drip off, you can see the subtle highlights in their scales. Magnificent work.

  Obviously, the fish are given human-like eyes... a truly necessary component to get you emotionally involved with these characters.

  Even Bruce, the Great White shark, is an endearing fellow with an Australian accent. Despite the human-like characteristics, the adherence to physiological details on the rest of these species is incredible.

  The lighting has such an effect that you feel like you are under water with the fish. The gentle swaying of the coral and anemones is surreal... just like the real Great Barrier Reef.

  In reality, some of these fish would never encounter each other in the wild... and we all know that Starfish do not have eyes or smiley faces... but you do not care about those minor details while watching this film.

  Dory is the beautiful blue & yellow regal tang fish who teams up with Marlin to find his son. Her tendency to forget almost everything she hears is a part of the charm of this character. Ellen DeGeneres' voice was perfect for this fish. The facial expressions on the characters, modeled after the actors that did their voices, are also priceless.

  This movie is far more than eye-candy. The story and comedic timing are so good, it could be done with stick-figures and still be good.

  This movie is an absolute delight. When it is released on DVD, it will immediately be added to my collection - this is a film I could see time and time again.
  
  

• Great DVD
  By A2WMEDQT6EL5FM on 2003-11-05
  I do believe that "Finding Nemo" is by far my new favorite Disney DVD. The film is great, but the extras go above and beyond. Marlin (Albert Brooks) has lost his son Nemo to a diver who lives in Sydney, Australia. Marlin braves jellyfish, sharks, and whales to get his boy back. Along the way he meets Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a sweet hearted blue fish that suffers from short term memory loss. Still, she can read and knows the address that is in the mask the diver left behind. Each character in this movie is wonderful, and there are plenty of laughs throughout. Be aware, though, that there are some emotionally difficult scenes that may be slightly disturbing for younger viewers. The extras included on this DVD are great:

  CHOICE OF WIDESCREEN OR STANDARD PICTURE
  TURN YOUR T.V. INTO A VIRTUAL AQUARIUM: love fish tanks but hate the work? Pop you FN DVD in and have your own virtual aquarium playing in the background!
  STORYTIME FUN FOR THE YOUNG: Children can read themselves, or have a narrator read to them the story "Nemo Goes to School"
  MR. RAY'S ENCYCLOPEDIA: Learn about every sea creature featured in the movie.
  PLAY "FISHARADES": The school of fish form pictures bit by bit, and you have to guess what it is before they're done.
  PIXAR ANIMATION CLASSIC SHORT "KNICK KNACK": The animation short shown in theaters before FN, this 3:50 minute short tells the tale of a snowman in a snowglobe that wants to get out. My son remembered it and asked to watch that first before I'd even popped the DVD in.
  EXTRAS FOR ADULTS: Usually, kids aren't interested in the "making of" extras, or "filmaker's visual commentary", so these are pretty much here for grown ups. Oh yeah- there's,also deleted scenes.
  EXPLORING THE REEF WITH JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU (son of Jacques Cousteau, in case you were wondering): By far the best feature is this tour of the coral reef. As Cousteau narrates, Dory, Marlin and Nemo interrupt him, frustrate him, and upstage him. I laughed all the way through.

  Above and beyond that, you get a fabulous movie with amazing animation. Be prepared, though, for a more PG theme than i advertised. The peril these fish go through, along with the "death" of Marlin's wife can be very traumatic for a child who's not expecting it. Be ready to reassure them.
  
  

• This tale isn't all wet
  By A2RKI7RPP5CJMG on 2003-11-11
  "Finding Nemo" is an enjoyable film to watch. With characters like "Bruce" and "Dory," this story is sure to hold the attention of any young child. My two and one-half year old loves it, and not a day goes by when she wants to watch the "fish" show.
  Like other Pixar movies, this story features great animation, although I noticed a couple of frames in the DVD looked rather "digitized" compared to others. The story isn't too violent, is geared towards younger audiences and has a few laughs for the adults.
  I didn't enjoy this movie as much as "Toy Story" or "Monsters, Inc.," but it is worth a look for the older crowd. I did laugh at a lot of the silly humor in this flick, but overall this movie seems to be geared toward the 2-8 year range more than any other Pixar movie.
  I did enjoy the DVD extra "Knick Knack." Other features included virtual aquariums and games for the younger lot.

  In closing, get this movie for the young ones. Its great for them, but it's only okay for the older kids.
  
  

• GREAT MOVIE FOR KIDS
  By A3HYSWSWX08RPS on 2003-05-25
  The Academy Award®-winning creators of TOY STORY, A BUG'S LIFE, and MONSTERS, INC. dive into a whole new world with this underwater adventure. The film follows the comedic and eventful journeys of two fish - Marlin and his son Nemo - who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef when Nemo is unexpectedly taken far from home and thrust into a fish tank in a dentist's office overlooking Sydney harbor. Buoyed by the companionship of a friendly-but-forgetful fish named Dory, the overly cautious father embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic journey to rescue his son - who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home. This I is a good movie for the kids, it has some funny moments and it looks good on a big screen
  
  
• How I Found Finding Nemo
  By A1TU84F1NWQSN5 on 2003-05-27
  If you can get past the first 10 minutes of Pixar's latest, you'll get a movie that is on par with their four other feature films. Finding Nemo turns out to be a big, adventure film with a lot of laughs and a heart that is barely on the good side of manipulation. Once the adventure starts, the emersion into the film begins and doesn't let you go.

  The movie plays up on over-protective parents, kids overcoming their disabilities, friendships conquering obstacles, addicts joining together to be better people (uh, fish), building self-esteem, realizing and accepting strengths and curmudgeons learning to lighten up. All this in an animated, family-oriented, 'G' movie? You bet! Pixar are the masters at the making everyone happy film. They give the parents being dragged into the theater something to enjoy as well.

  If only they had done something with that beginning. The films opens in a fish suburbia complete with happy families, beautiful homes and a peaceful way of life all with no hint of sardonic humor. Yes, there are people who think that is heaven, but what about those who make fun it? At least give them something to chuckle about. It's Utopia for the Family Values set and completely out of character for Pixar.

  It's at this point I thought they had finally produced their first sub-standard film. That is until a barracuda changes the main characters lives forever and Albert Brooks goes into, well, Albert Brooks mode. Marlin (Albert Brooks) has a son, Nemo, who has an underdeveloped fin and therefore can't swim well. This combined with the catastrophe at the beginning of the film causes Marlin to smother Nemo. Nemo, finally fed up, rebels, ends up being caught by a diver and spirited away. Marlin sets out after Nemo and that's when the film finally picks up with some adventure and some laughs.

  And when that laugh level is revved up, it's supplied by the scene-stealing Ellen DeGeneres as a blue tang named Dory. Dory is basically an idiot savant. She has a severe short-term memory loss problem. Now fish are believed to have no short-term memory so the jokes on the surface play on this; however, in a scene where Dory is faced with being alone without friends again, you wonder if it's a form of denial. She says in the scene that she doesn't want to forget anymore and that having Marlin around helps her remember because he is the only one that has stuck by her. Does she really have this problem or is it that she is so disappointed with no one understanding her that she hides everything? The scene is multi-layered and heart wrenching. Ellen plays it surprisingly well as if she identifies with what Dory is going through. That's what makes the scene work so well. Many of us have gone through the same thing and know how she feels.

  There are many, many memorable scenes in the film as Marlin attempts to find Nemo who is now in a fish tank in a dentist office. One of the scenes is supplied in a superb performance by William Dafoe as Gill, an angelfish in the tank with Nemo who is from the ocean (not a pet store) and dreams of escaping and taking his new friends with him. He devises a scheme to get them out that is hair-brained and daring, but with one little plot hole that the film plays up to hilarious effect at the end. Another great scene is with a trio of sharks that have sworn off fish in the most unlikely AA meeting imaginable. Their motto: "Fish are our friends and not food!"

  Finding Nemo is grand and exciting adventure that once it gets beyond it's slow opening turns into exactly what you expect from the masterminds at Pixar. A film that is imaginative and visually stunning with big adventures for everyone no matter how old they are on the outside.
  
  

• catch and release
  By A12WTXKP9IPL2M on 2003-06-10
  pixar's latest, finding nemo, begins by meeting disney's quota for the death or absence of at least one parent with the seemingly kid-unfriendly scene of marlin losing his wife and all but one of his children to an eel. due to the circumstances surrounding the birth of his only son (nemo), marlin attempts to protect him, sometimes suffocatingly, from everything outside the four tentacular walls of their anemone home. further complicating the matter is nemo's small ("lucky" if you ask his dad) fin, which makes it difficult for him to swim long distances. despite, or because of, those hurdles, nemo longs to venture outside his father's grasp and is unwavering in his desire to begin school with its concomitant autonomy.

  of course, as soon as nemo breaks free into the open ocean, he is scooped up by a diver and placed in a dentist's office aquarium, where he is to be presented to an unruly girl who resembles sid from toy story. in the tank, he joins a bevy of luckless sea creatures, including a pink starfish suctioned to the glass, a scarred angel fish who desperately wants to escape, and a french shrimp who meticulously cleans the artificial habitat. marlin begins the journey through the great barrier reef accompanied by dory, a blue tang fish voiced by ellen degeneres. along the way they are helped and hindered by sharks who have (mostly) sworn off eating fish, pothead sea turtles, the bright bait of an angler fish, self-serving gulls, a forest of jellyfish, the belly of a whale, and dory's own short-term memory deficits.

  the movie has many opportunities to address bigger issues, but it's satisfied with patrolling the shallows. nemo's disability isn't treated as a detriment, necessarily, but it's exoticized somewhat. the travails of captivity are mentioned, but only in a superficial manner. after the credits rolled, children, rather than organizing boycotts against pet stores, were heard screaming, "mommy, i want a clown fish. can we take one from the great barrier reef?" the replies: "well, it is a protected area, but anything for you, my dear." three sharks bring their terrified fish buddies to a meeting where they announce that fish are friends, not food, before being tempted toward a more carnivorous diet when they sense blood in the water. it's a way of decreasing the impact of their ecological footprint, perhaps, and it works as a joke, but the filmmakers are reluctant to either focus on the details implicit in such a decision or expand their sights to encompass other areas worthy of criticism. i did, however, like the references to marlin's perceived comic ability solely based on his reputation as a clown fish. the idea that others would assume he was funny was understated and portrayed deftly enough that it made a statement about the problems of stereotyping.

  i realize i shouldn't be harping on the lack of social imperative in a (children's) movie, so i will concentrate on the humor. many of the jokes were repeated throughout. dory's forgetfulness was made evident at every turn, making me wish that i had received some sort of blunt trauma to the head so that i wouldn't be burdened by memory, or at least that she could have been relegated to the role of an ancillary character. the sea turtles' speech, which relied upon a surfer's lexicon, grated from the beginning and steadily got worse. sure, i've been known to occasionally pepper conversations with "dude" or "man," but this was ridiculous. it should be said, the majority of the audience didn't seem to be as negatively affected by the repetition as i was: the man across the aisle from me joyfully said, "wow, it's still funny," when a frightened young octopus inked itself for the nth time.

  the film does succeed sometimes, mostly when it concentrates on nuance. the scene involving the sharks and the one involving the angler fish are imaginative, but they continue past their expiration date, as does almost every scene. the best sequence occurs when the fish escape from the tank, only to bob on the surface of the water inside their plastic bags, unable to achieve true freedom from their confines. the monosyllabic sea gulls are consistently funny, especially in the scene where a crab is offered to them until he divulges the secret he is concealing. interestingly, these gulls appear to be a homage to aardman entertainment (and wallaby way is the street on which wallace and gromit live), and there are a few other visual references to pixar films, past and future. in my opinion, the viewer would be better served renting chicken run and actually paying attention to it this time.
  
  

• Heart-warming fishy tale for the whole family
  By A1HO9J4DCQDGP9 on 2003-11-08
  What a delightful movie!
  Okay so seeing Nemo's mom and siblings gobbled up by a hungry underwater predator in the first few minutes of the show made me have nightmares for a month but other than that I loved every single minute of this animated fantasy.
  

  The plot is simple and fun. Nemo is a little clown fish with a weak and undersized flipper who wants to prove to his Dad, the over protective Marlin that he is grown-up enough to start school. Unfortunately things go wrong on the first day of school and Nemo is captured by a scuba diving dentist who takes him away in a boat and it is up to Marlin to rescue him and he sets out on an adventure of a lifetime.
  

  Marlin meets up with the attention deficit blue tang fish Dory, voiced over by the wonderful comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and we are treated to a roller coaster ride of fun, laughter and tears as Marlin sets forth into the world beyond the safety of his coral reef home.
  

  Other wonderful characters include Bruce the Vegetarian shark, the hippy like Sea Turtle who gives Marlin good advice, the friendly pelican, and Gill the scarred Warrior Angel Fish (William Defoe) who is forced to live in a fish tank and constantly dreams of escape.
  

  Little Nemo's fate is to end up in a tank with a group of disparate fish and crustaceans who long to flee the confines of their glass prison. Led by Gill, Nemo finally realises his own potential as he strives to escape the clutches of Darla, the Dentist's psychotic young niece who thinks that the world and its fish are hers to scare to death.
  

  There are many hysterically funny moments, such as Dory trying to speak whale, the seagulls who screech "Mike, Mike" all the time and try to make a meal of Marlin and Dory, along with heart stopping moments such as the ride through a wall of jelly fish and a trip in a whale's stomach.
  

  This is a great film for the whole family, no matter what age you are, you will love this movie. Go and see it, and enjoy!
  
  

• Pixar does it again!
  By A1S3FBNC3KDQFU on 2003-06-02
  My daughter and I went to see this film at our local IMAX theater and I have to say it was fabulous! This picture deals with some difficult themes in an entertaining and heart-warming way. The ocean scenes were so breath-taking that at times it was hard to believe we were watching computer animation. We loved this movie so much that we will be going to see it again this week. Looking around the theater I saw many young adults and couples without children. I hope the 70 million dollar opening weekend sends a message to Hollywood: America is tired of the violence. We want more feel-good movies.

  Bravo Disney/Pixar! We are patiently awaiting your next theatrical release in Nov. 2004!
  
  

• Was Nemo Worth the Hype?
  By A13UFZZWOMZA6B on 2003-09-29
  It seems as though rated "G" movies are often under-advertised and never really make money or are even worth watching. Generally they're made specifically for children and any humor in the movie is lost on those over the age of seven. Pixar, in the past, has defied these common sentiments with movies like Toy Story 1, Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, and Monster's Inc. Pixar continues to defy standard Hollywood practices with the release of Finding Nemo.

  This movie is, by at least a little bit, the best rated G movie I've ever seen. Monster's Inc comes in a little behind in second place. The animation in this movie is incredible, the water, the fish, the particles of dirt floating in the water...there were many points when I would watch the movie and could definitely not be sure whether I was looking at a real or animated sea-scape.

  The story...the story wasn't anything particularly groundbreaking other than the setting...father loses his son, will do anything to find him. In this case, anything includes taking on sharks, jellyfish, pelicans and other random sea monsters. The father, Marlin, is a clownfish that defies his name by being particularly unfunny...luckily he picks up a sidekick early on with a short term memory problem - a little memento-esque.

  Nemo, the son, is captured by divers and put in an aquarium in Australia, where he meets several psychotic fish including "Gills," another fish from the open sea - whose voice belongs to William Dafoe (in a non-bad guy role!).

  Of course, being a comedy, the movie does have a happy ending, but the ending isn't nearly as much fun as the trip taken to get there. The movie is great, I went along with indie rock dave and Mike, and they both laughed as much as I did. If a kid's movie can make three college students laugh as hard as we did...it is definitely worthwhile seeing. The movie is genuinely funny and worth watching with the entire family. The movie is safe for small children, though there are a couple of potentially scary scenes that might frighten *really* young children.

  I have very little to say against the movie, except that the first ten minutes or so drag on a little and the drama seemed a little out of place in the film. Other than that, the plot, animation, characters, voices and jokes make this movie hilarious and fun to watch.
  
  

• We Found More Than Nemo
  By A1NSZUVPOJKXXQ on 2003-08-05
  Finding Nemo is a breath of fresh air, in a summer (2003) of dissapointing movies, and less than perfect sequels. Nemo is another masterpiece from Disney and Pixar. Although not as good as "Toy Story", Nemo is still easily the best picture of the year so far. Entertaining on all levels, as well as fun for the whole family.
  
  
• The Pixar's funniest movie
  By on 2003-08-12
  I can say this is the best cartoon that I had watched this calendar year. All those jokes make me laugh, Nemo the stubborn little clown fish, if he could have listened to his father's words he would not have been caught by the divers. So I had learnt not to be stubborn. MUST watch!
  
  
• Worst movie ever!
  By on 2003-11-03
  As a black African American, I'm highly offended by Finding Nemo. This is another attempt by the Man to oppress the brothers. Suggestions of racial inferiority are played out all throughout this "Disney" movie. Why do the "colored" fish have to be "enslaved" in the aquarium? And notice the "white" seagulls were the ones who saved the day?

  Actually, this movie was pretty good. I like Saving Private Ryan better, though.
  
  

• RITE OF PASSAGE
  By A341BG8RMH8QW on 2003-11-27
  Few movies in recent years have done as impressive a job as Finding Nemo in giving us uplifting, truly fun entertainment with a wonderful message. Nemo is a nonstop journey from fear to joy, from struggle to triumph, from grasping and clutching to courageous self-abandonment. I will not say an ill word about this movie. I cannot give it less than a full five stars.

  Pixar has put out some great movies--but none of them hold a candle to Nemo.

  Visually this movie is unlike any of its pixar predecessors. The Toys, Bugs and Monsters of the past have all been skillfully executed. They have also all been very anthropomorphic. They not only acted like humans, they took very human forms. Not so with Nemo. This movie is set in a very believable, but wonderfully alien seascape (and aquariumscape).

  Yet what Nemo and his Father go through is the most human of stories. The over-protected child must come of age. As is often the case, the protector (Nemo's Dad), finds that he must do likewise.

  Nemo's Father only wants the best for his child. Yet, like too many fathers, he unintentionally fails to heed the teaching of Colossians 3:21-- "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged."

  Nemo becomes lost in his rebellion against his father's discouraging nagging. However, it is in the darkness of the proverbial "far country" that Nemo comes to see his life more clearly. In time he finds things inside (and outside) of himself that he never suspected were there.

  This story of the unexpected Rite of Passage has an almost mythic power to it. Along the way we as viewers cannot help but find ourselves laughing, being moved, and--always--entertained.

  Albert Brooks has always been on my shortlist of the best voice actors alive (listen to his guest-voice work on The Simpsons). He does not disappoint as Nemo's Dad. He and Ellen Degeneres absolutely carry this movie with their brilliant acting. Wilhelm DeFoe is wonderful as well in the role of Gill.

  I cannot recommend this movie enough. I'm still waiting on The Return of the King, but Finding Nemo may well win my personal movie of the year award.

  Watch it Today!
  
  

• Outstanding Family Film
  By AA3AE1SNHREL3 on 2004-03-13
  Once again, Pixar and Disney have joined forces to release a fun animated movie with a warm-hearted ending. The computer animated graphics and the story are just as touching as any other Pixar/Disney film. Finding Nemo is the story of two clownfish: Marlin(Albert Brooks)and his son Nemo. After his wife and all of his other children are devoured, Marlin becomes a nervous, overprotective father who fears the ocean and prefers to hide out in his sea anemone. On the first day of school, the day that Marlin finally lets go of his son (temporarily), Nemo is captured by an Australian scuba-diver/dentist. Marlin desperately searches for his son and is soon accompanied by a blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) who suffers from short-term memory. They face many dangers to find Nemo who meanwhile, is in danger himself. The dentist is going to present his frightening niece, Darla, with Nemo. Big trouble. Boosted by the witty humor of Ellen DeGeneres, the awe-inspiring visual effects, and the moving storyline, this is a movie the whole family will love.
  
  
• Sad and Scary for little ones
  By A2ISHMIA2U1PX8 on 2003-06-01
  The film begins with the murder of the mother fish and 399 of the 400 unhatched babies. Only dad and one egg (Nemo) survies. So already, children feel the fear of abandomnemt and the horror of the realization that mom and/or dad can die and leave them without a parent. This theme continues throughout the film, with Nemo being kidnapped by humans becuase he didn't listen to his dad, and both Nemo and dad facing deadly circumstances and several incidents when the audience is supposed to believe that one or the other is dead or greviously injured. The animation is beautiful and the voices well-acted, but the mildly humorous aspects within the film are greatly overshadowed with sadness and grief and abandonment issues. (Not to mention reinforcing the sterotypical fear of dentists.) I would NOT recommend this film for young children.
  
  
• Wonderful Movie
  By A3U7S80T026WLJ on 2003-06-11
  This is one of the greatest movies I've seen. The 11 kids all loved it and the 7 adults in our party were captivated by the cool graphics, the messages and the story line. I recommend it for every age from 4 to 137. Under 4 may find a couple of scenes a little intense but nothing unsavory. Over 137... WHAT A WAY TO GO! For all else, don't miss this one.
  
  
• 99% Perfect! The escape from the whale was impossible.
  By A3LRFGYJVXKPDI on 2003-08-09
  "Finding Nemo" the latest hit from Pixar, is the biggest movie of 2003, (as of Aug. 7, 2003). It has made more money than any other film released this year, and gotten 99% approval rating from "Rotten Tomatoes", the movie critics website, which is better than any 2003 movie up to this date. It has a great story, the voices are perfectly matched to their characters they portray, it is an original script, and the techincal aspects are very well done. The story concerns an over-protective father clownfish, Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks), trying to get his only surviving son, Nemo, who was caught by a scuba diver and taken away. The film does start off with a violent scene involving a barracuda, the wife, and their other fish eggs. Most of the violence does take place off camera, but, this is strong, real-life action for very young children. The action takes place between the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney Harbor, and there is one mild negative comment made about Americans. The sea life is the type a person would find in the area. Pixar used Professor Adam Summers, from the Univ. Of California at Irvine, in the making of the movie so it's usually accurate, but there is one scene that is impossible. Marlin, and Dory, a blue tang voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, (who's the best character in the very talented cast), are caught in the mouth of a baleen whale, and they escape through the whale's blowhole. This can never happen because a whale's lungs and mouth are not connected, otherwise, a whale might drown trying to eat. The water that comes out of the whale is condensation, similar to exhaling on a cold day. This one scene does spoil an otherwise perfect movie. I think Pixar wanted the visuals of being ejected from the whale's spout, instead off being released out of the mouth. Marlin and Dory, shallow water fish, also meet a very deep sea angler fish, but, I can overlook that mistake. The whale escape aside, the movie is great, and I plan on getting the DVD when it is released in November 2003. This is an instant classic, and it will probably get the "People's Choice" award for favorite film of 2003.
  
  
• Pixar has done it again!
  By on 2003-08-13
  I did not want to the movie to end. This animated story is moving and funny. It exposes the inner workings of life in the oceans. Surprisingly, it's quite similar to life on the surface :)

  Nemo and his father, Marlin, are the only remaining members of the clown fish family. The rest were eaten by a shark. Nemo is kidnapped when he purpously wanders near a boat against the warning and protests of his father. The movie follows the father's quest to find his son.

  Marlin enlists the help of a blue fish with a short term memory problem. They encounter many different sea creatures including sharks, who are trying to abandon their predatory ways, and turtles, who show them the way to Sydney.

  Nemo is imprisoned in a fishtank in a dentist's office in Sydney. He and his fellow prisoners plot daily to escape. They get news from the outside world from a pelican who visits the dentist's office. Nemo's hope is restored when he hears of his father's brave exploits in search of him. All the fish escape by outwitting the dentist, and Nemo is reunited with his father.

  I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It has the trademark of genuine Pixar look and humour. It's a lot different than Jacque Cousteau's version of what actually goes on in the ocean because it is told from the sea creatures' perspective.
  
  

• Highest Grossing DVD Ever?
  By A3EY1CA1C5PCNF on 2004-01-01
  Kind of hard to believe this is the highest grossing DVD ever. I had heard all of the hype about this movie and had to check it out for myself. I thought "Wow, if this is the highest grossing DVD ever, then it must be something special"...What I found was typical, Hollywoood, Formulatic fodder for the kiddies. Great movie for the kids...horrible for adults. You see, Shrek, Toy Story, and even Bugs Life can be enjoyed by both kids and adults..that's what makes those movies so great. This movie is just, well, boring. Sorry, I don't get it.
  I would have liked it better if Nemos dad's voice had been different. I can only take that guys voice for about 2 minutes! But throughout the entire movie he is yelling and screeching and whining and it really gets OLD! Also, just a question, why is it that in just about EVERY animated movie or commercial we have to listen to character that has an accent from New York or Boston or some place back east? Why? I even saw a commercial where there was a talking Tomato with an accent from New York. Well at least we aren't forced to listen to cartoon characters with a Texas accent because that would really do me in!
  Anyways, pick up this movie for the little ones, they will watch it over and over...and Pixar knows this....
  
  
• Complete overrated rubbish!
  By A2IQD3N0RZQTLX on 2004-01-11
  Dude,before you decide to watch this movie,don't watch this movie.It's the biggest load of crap ever.Sure,the animation is great,but that's really the only good thing about it.Dory the bluefish turns this into a one-joke film,and it's funny for about half an hour before it grows old.It disappoints me that Disney may stop making traditional animation films after Home on the Range.Finding Nemo is so terrible that they should reconsider and stop making their CGI films after the Incredibles,which I could boycott after seeing the trailer.And their traditional animated films are improving after such a while.I loved Brother Bear(whe's the DVD coming?),and I loved Lilo and Stitch(when's the real sequel coming?)but when Dory starting speaking like a whale,I literally yawned like a whale.It sucks.I apologise to all the five star reviewers out there,but yes,it sucks.
  
  
• Pixar Nails it
  By A262UKPFX80U7D on 2008-02-16
  This is one of the best Pixar films I've seen. It rates right up there with Cars. The animation is fantastic, it tells a great story and keeps you engaged. My little ones love the film and watch it over and over and over and over.
  
  It is a great movie for long car trips. Also, if you goto Epcot, take a look at the Finding Nemo ride. It is fantastic as well, and goes hand in hand with the movie. Nothing scary in the film, so it is ok with all ages.
  
  
• Disappointing
  By A3KHXRQ9US8BMD on 2003-05-31
  I took 4 kids who are five- to six-year olds to this movie today (opening day.) You've probably already read about the baracuda eating Nemo's mom and all his siblings in the first 15 minutes of the movie. I can't say that was as disturbing to the kids as it was to me - they were all confused as to what was going on and didn't get it. However, there is one shock after another in this film. From the sharks to the dentist performing root canal work, to the sadistic little girl that Nemo is to be given to, none of the kids in my group liked the film.

  I think Disney tried to hard to make an action-packed film and forgot that there can be action without the fear factor (think Toy Story 2)

  The two stars I gave it are for the graphics -- superior as usual, and Ellen DeGeneres' portrayl of Dorrie, the forgetful fish who helps Nemo's dad find him.
  
  

• Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
• Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition)
• The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
• A Bug's Life (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
• Cars (Widescreen Edition)