Finding Nemo

Rating: 5/5

An absolute visionary triumph, Finding Nemo is easily one of Pixar's best.

After a tragic event caused Marlin (Albert Brooks) to lose his wife and almost all his children, the clownfish now devotes every moment of his life to protecting his son Nemo (Alexander Gould). On the first day of school, Nemo is overjoyed at the idea of finally leaving the family anemone, but Marlin is worried Nemo's damaged fin will cause him to get hurt. Marlin's fears come to true when Nemo is suddenly abducted from the sea. Now it is up to Marlin and his new found companion Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) to find Nemo and bring him home.

When it comes to childhood movie theater experiences, Finding Nemo is one that firmly holds a strong place in my memories. Even though I was fairly young when I first saw this, I remember being absolutely transported into the world created by the film through the unbelievably vibrant colors and characters. It is also one of the first times where I can remember laughing out loud in the theater and the parts that I found comical then, still hold up today. This is the film that really seemed to kickstart Pixar racking up numerous Academy Award nominations and wins, and it's pretty clear to see why.

When it comes to visuals, Finding Nemo was without a doubt Pixar's greatest triumph upon it's initial release. I remember hearing buzz about how remarkable the animation was and how amazing the movie was overall. Even as an adult and many years later, I'm still blown away by the look of this film. The colors are so rich, and even though the majority of the movie takes place in the ocean, the setting never grows old. They show just how vast the world beneath the waves is, and how much there is to be explored. Personally, I have a pretty strong fear of deep ocean, so when Nemo goes beyond the reef out into open sea, though it's animated, I still get a sense of how frightening that is, and equally so later in the film when a far away dark shape is seen, but gets closer and closer to Marlin and Dory and is revealed to be a whale. Perhaps it's silly to be slightly unnerved by such scenes in a children's film, but that shows just how powerful the animation is in Finding Nemo.

As famous as many of Pixar's films prior to Nemo are, I feel like this movie has some of the most substantial staying power. It is still heavily quoted to this day, not just by those who were around when it was first released, but by new viewers who are discovering it for the first time in their living rooms. Some movies don't age as gracefully as others, but there isn't anything in Finding Nemo that, seventeen years later, doesn't still feel fresh or charming; not even the look of it. I will forever find Darla's entrance to the dentists office to be hilarious, and be mesmerized by the look of the jellyfish floating through the sea. Everything in Finding Nemo is spectacular to behold.

Of all the selections in the Pixar catalogue, I would venture a guess that Finding Nemo is one of the entries I've seen the most. It's a wonderful adventure that's worth multiple viewings, making it a highlight film that countless kids will see in their lifetime for years to come.

2003 Best Animated Feature Winner-Finding Nemo