Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

The visuals of Finding Nemo are that much more adventurous and successful than it's predecessors. The work that went into not only creating a assortment of under-sea creatures but their environments (and the actual water) is awe evoking. It's amazing how much hard work we instantly take for granted in these films because the visual work is so, well, perfect that we don't have thoughts to find any flaws in it (I'm pretty sure there aren't any anyways). The recreation of Sydney Harbor is pitch perfect and it's just a treat to sti back and take it all in.

Our story revolves around a overprotective clownfish, Marlin (Albert Brooks), who lost his wife and all but one egg to a shark attack and all he is left with is Nemo (Alexander Gould), his young adventurous son. Nemo is his life and he won't chance losing him too so he goes overboard in sheltering him. You can see where the story is going with a son that wants to break free and a parent who needs to learn to let go and two people that need to meet in the middle of it all. Nemo finally does break free and does so too boldly and becomes a capture of a Sydney, Australia dentist who makes Nemo a resident of his office fish tank. Marlin can't let his life slip away so easily and sets out to rescue his son any way he can.

Marlin is joined by a blue tang named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) who becomes his son away from Nemo in many ways, but only this time he allows his companion to have the freedom they deserve. DeGeneres is achingly funny as the memory challenged fish and Brooks is ideal to play a neurotic worrywart like Marlin. Along their trip they meet a group of fish-free sharks ("fish are friends, not food" is their mantra), navigate a visually breathtaking jelly-fish field, and catch some waves with some surfer dude style turtles. Nemo's tale involves his initiation into the fish tank crew and their plans to help him get back to the ocean, which is plotted out by a fellow ocean native Gill (Willem Dafoe), an Idol fish. The tank crew provided many of my favorite parts of the film, especially their knowledge of dentistry they've picked up in their extended stay in the tank. They've also got a contact on the outside, a pelican (Geoffrey Rush) called Nigel, who ends up playing the middle man and ends up helping the two groups find each other.

I think as of right now Finding Nemo is the funniest in the Pixar cannon and I consistently found myself laughing. The casting is perfection, as is the norm for these films, and I can't express enough times how great the likes of DeGeneres, Dafoe, and Rush were in this film. I've almost forgotten to mention the fantastic sound design that helps complete the experience, as well as the nifty score by Thomas Newman, who gives Pixar a change from the usual Randy Newman score. The film has morals throughout, but the best part of them is that they're given time to work themselves out in a natural way and are rarely forced out. So hats off to Pixar and Andrew Stanton who have once again struck gold on pretty much every level with grand entertainment for both young and old.