Finding Nemo (2003)

Director: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould

Synopsis:
When a young clownfish is taken by a human diver, his overprotective father braves all the perils of the ocean to get him back.

Impressions:
Pixar made a splash (no pun intended) with Toy Story and continued to deliver with the movies to follow, but if you ask me, it was here, with Finding Nemo that they reached a whole new level of excellence, both in terms of technological prowess and storytelling. The work still holds up quite well today whereas the prior films in Pixar's lineup are starting to show their age (not that it really hampers them any). The best storytelling geared at families is layered so that there's plenty for adults and children alike to enjoy and that's magic at work here. Kids will enjoy the ocean-crossing adventure and cast of quirky characters while adults can appreciate the mature handling of the subject of parenting with the overprotective Marlin. The star-studded cast avails itself well, but particular standouts for me include Albert Brooks as the somewhat neurotic Marlin and Willem Dafoe as Gill. The real surprise was Ellen DeGeneres. Her comic chops were well-known, but she also manages to put some real pathos into one critical scene. Her character Dory is likely a favorite of many people, so it's little surprise that she takes the lead in the sequel. About the only knock I have against the film is one too many fakeouts in the third act. One is effective. Two make you roll your eyes. Three are exasperating. That aside, this is an excellent film (near the top of my list for Pixar's fare) and well deserving of a place in your collection.

Rating:
Own It