$2.50 Reviews: Finding Nemo (2003)

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Marter

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Oct 27, 2009
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$2.50 Reviews:
Finding Nemo
<img height=400>http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1217/findingnemover4.jpg

I had already seen Finding Nemo, and was hoping that I would be able to pay minimal attention to it while watching it again. I was under the impression that I would be able to get some homework done while it was playing, and that giving it occasional glances would still allow me to enjoy myself. I was wrong in this assumption. I tried this strategy for about 5 minutes before closing my laptop screen and directing my attention solely on the television.

[Img_Inline width="280" Caption="Poking a jellyfish...good idea?" Align="left"]http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/3162/findingnemo3.jpg[/Img_Inline]

Finding Nemo almost forced me to do this. I knew it was good, having previously seen it, but I wasn't aware of how good it actually was. The world we are brought into, the characters we meet, the animation and design, everything was top-notch. Of course, this is to be expected from Pixar, a company who has made success after success, both critically and with its audience.

The key thing that Pixar has going for it is the fact that, while its target audience is children, they put in enough good work to appeal to everyone. Their films can be enjoyed by the younger generation, but also by their parents and grandparents. This is the main reason that Pixar succeeds; it crafts pictures where everyone can take something out of it.

Let's use Finding Nemo as an example. It has enough humor that will go over the heads of many children, yet tells a story simple enough and with enough action to keep them entertained. While it may not seem as funny to them as it will to adults, it will give those characters that they can look up to, as well as beautiful scenery for them to admire.

This is the first thing that is noticed, at least, it was by me. The design team at Pixar created a beautiful world, one which ends up getting fully explored by the end of the picture. From the fish, jellyfish, sea turtles, and even the background setting where all of these creatures interact, everything looks incredible. The animations are also great, staying as fluid as they should be, as well as looking almost exactly how you would imagine they would look if done in live action.

[Img_Inline width="275" Caption="Willem Dafoe did some voice work for this film as well." Align="right"]http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8853/findingnemo2.jpg[/Img_Inline]

However, the one thing that struggles in this department is the design of the humans. While not appearing often, they seem off when they do show up. They're not badly animated or drawn, but they don't have the same type of charm that the sea-life does. They look fine when they are divers in the water, but outside of it, you can tell that they were less of a focus for the animators.

Thankfully, the majority of the film takes place in one body of water or another. We begin with Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) and his son Nemo (Alexander Gould) preparing for Nemo's first day of school. Marlin lost his wife and the majority of his offspring due to Barracuda attack, and is therefore quite the worrying father. Nemo, who quickly becomes tired of his overprotective father, decides to swim close to a boat, (humorously called a "butt" by one of Nemo's classmates), and is quickly caught by a human diver.

The rest of the story is split in two. One follows Marlin's quest to find and save his son, while the other revolves around Nemo, who ends up being stuck in a fish tank inside a dentist's office in Sydney. He is told that he is going to be a present for the dentist's niece, and must attempt to escape before that happens. It's a race against time for both characters, each trying to accomplish similar goals.

[Img_Inline width="275" Caption="I remember people quoting Crush the turtle every day in elementary school." Align="left"]http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/6527/findingnemowallpaperfin.jpg[/Img_Inline]

The thing that Finding Nemo does better than many other movies, animated or not, is give us relatable, sympathetic characters. Nemo's father is looking to prove himself to the world, taking on things that he was previously frightened of. He is looking to gain his son's forgiveness and respect, after the last words he received were "I hate you". Nemo is a fish who doesn't seem to know any better, and is a character that children can easily relate to themselves. Adults on the other hand can relate him to their own children, or how they were at the time they were his age. He can't help himself, as he doesn't have the capacity to do so yet. The lead characters we get are deep enough to stand out, as well as likable enough to root for.

The side characters we meet are also all quite interesting. Marlin is met by a fish with a poor short-term memory, Dori (Ellen DeGeneres). Together, they come across sharks that don't eat fish, laid-back sea turtles, and seagulls who have the defining quality of saying one word: "Mine". Nemo meets fewer creatures, but they get more time on-screen. The other fish in the aquarium are trapped too, and have been affected mentally by this trapping. One fish thinks her reflection is her sister, while another has an odd fixation with bubbles.

While its target audience is children, Finding Nemo stays fresh and entertaining for people of all ages. It has a large range of characters, humor and environments, all of which keep the film exciting. It doesn't get dull, the characters are deep, and the world that the film takes place in is expertly crafted. It's another film by Pixar, and stays true to their formula in making movies that everyone can take something from.

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xmbts

Still Approved by Shock
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May 30, 2010
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Good review, it makes me want to watch this again. I just posted a video clip from the movie maybe 3 minutes before this thread was made. Weird.
 

GingerCactus

New member
Jul 14, 2010
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well thanks for that.
thank you for informing me about a film that's been out for seven years already and that I've already seen and enjoyed.
I'm so glad that there is information relevant to me and the world around me in this crazy place called the "internet"

In all seriousness though, why? Why review a seven year old film now? surely you should review a new film that came out recently.
I like the film and this is a good review, but it's sheer pointlessness is astonishing.

But on the subject of the actual review, you make the point that the film is funnier to adults, but I have to disagree.
Certainly the adults will be able to get the more subtle jokes and will also be able to laugh at the more family-friendly material, but the children will find the jokes funnier. The adults will laugh at these jokes, but the children would be rolling around in fits of uproarious laughter at such classic lines as "You were like, woah! And we were like WOAH! And then you were like, woah"
The adults will laugh at more, but the children will laugh a million times more at what they find funny.



EDIT: Just noticed the box at the bottom, um, so I guess reviewing old-ish movies it like, your thing.
Well in that case go for it and disregard my earlier comments, but I would probably change the name from $2.50 reviews to something like, I don't know Movies of Yesterday or something similar, so that people like me don't mistake it for a genuinely serious article.
 

Marter

Elite Member
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Oct 27, 2009
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GingerCactus said:
well thanks for that.
thank you for informing me about a film that's been out for seven years already and that I've already seen and enjoyed.
I'm so glad that there is information relevant to me and the world around me in this crazy place called the "internet"

In all seriousness though, why? Why review a seven year old film now? surely you should review a new film that came out recently.
And thank you for your sarcasm. ;)

Why do I review older films? Because I feel like it, pretty much. These reviews are for me, most importantly. I have a terrible memory, so writing these reviews allows me to know what I thought of a movie.

Besides, there are a bunch of people who like reading these, no matter how old the film. My user group now has 43 people in it, meaning 42 other people want to know when I post a new one.
EDIT: Just noticed the box at the bottom, um, so I guess reviewing old-ish movies it like, your thing.
Well in that case go for it and disregard my earlier comments, but I would probably change the name from $2.50 reviews to something like, I don't know Movies of Yesterday or something similar, so that people like me don't mistake it for a genuinely serious article.
I'm keeping the name. It's done me well for 80+ reviews now, and changing it wouldn't be good.

And, for the record, I do review newer movies. It's just that a $13 theatre ticket costs a whole lot more than $2.50 DVD. Therefore, I do way more DVD reviews.

As for the "Genuinely serious article" comment...I don't get what you are saying here. This is a serious review!
 

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
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Great review Marter, nice to see you too appreciate the beautiful storytelling in yet another Pixar success. The animation was well done and still holds up today. Maybe it wasn't intentional for the humans to look a bit off but I tend to think of them as strange creatures that terrify and confuse the fish. They don't necessarily need to look refined for the film to work but maybe a touch up could have been done to make them a little more real.

In anycase, I loved this film when I first saw it and I really enjoy watching it with my nephew :D

[sub]And the line "Just keep swimming" comes into my head when times are tough.[/sub]
 

Anarchemitis

New member
Dec 23, 2007
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Andrew Stanton is a very awesome director, ignoring the cliche nature of that word. If you enjoyed Nemo, you probably enjoyed his other film, Wall-E.

Hey Marter, could you review Apollo 13?
 

Jelly ^.^

New member
Mar 11, 2010
525
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I still remember dissecting this movie and writing an essay on 'The Journey' in high school English class :)

Good times, I believe you have contributed just slightly to making me want to go see it again!

P.S. as a denizen of Sydney, i must bring terrible news - There is no Wallaby Way here. :( There is one in Victoria somewhere though...
 

GingerCactus

New member
Jul 14, 2010
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Oh, please, I apologise and, seriously, disregard my comment.
I didn't realise that this was supposed to be simply humorous and thought that it was a completely serious review of the film, so I decided to berate you for that.
You enjoy doing these reviews and I will keep an eye out for them in the future as they are good reviews, So please, disregard my comment earlier as I didn't fully understand what you were trying to do.
 

Marter

Elite Member
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Oct 27, 2009
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GingerCactus said:
I didn't realise that this was supposed to be simply humorous and thought that it was a completely serious review of the film, so I decided to berate you for that.
I'm still confused as to what you mean by that. I...am serious, or at least, I thought I was. I wasn't doing a mock review or something, and I was reviewing it as if it had just come out. I'm curious as to how this isn't serious. :eek:

You enjoy doing these reviews and I will keep an eye out for them in the future as they are good reviews, So please, disregard my comment earlier as I didn't fully understand what you were trying to do.
Thank you for this though. I'm glad that you at least think they are of good quality.
 

RaphaelsRedemption

Eats With Her Mouth Full
May 3, 2010
1,409
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The seagulls say "mine"? In my version (Australian) they say "mate", which is humourous, as this is what many Australians call each other.

Thanks for another good review. As an Australian, I can add that they did their research, and to an Australian, this movie is hilarious, with many nods to Australian customs, names, jokes and slang.

I love Finding Nemo :)