*** Official "FINDING NEMO" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Jason Harbaugh]

People magazine in their positive review refers to "Nemo" as the "fourth Pixar film". Ummmmmm.

Maybe they are using Disney logic and acting like Toy Story 2 doesn't exist.

 

[Peter Kline]

One show biz site says that if a new deal is made between Pixar and Disney (read: Jobs and Eisner) there will be a Toy Story 3.

 

[Joel C]

As much as I love the TS characters, with the passing of Jim Varney, I'd rather see the creative team move on to create new characters (M,I and FN are certainly worthy successors).

A sequel would be at least four years off, regardless, with their standard lead time, and with The Incredibles, Cars, and another film already in production.

 

[Peter Kline]

Nemo grossed $6,945,560 on Monday. An excellent amount for early in the week. Many kids aren't out of school yet.

P.S. It hasn't been mentioned, but The Incredibles looks like it will be 2.35:1.

 

[Stephen_L]

Gosh what a terrific film. I'm amazed at Pixar's ability to produce one outstanding movie after another.

A few random thoughts:

The ocean effects were so splendid I almost didn't notice them. The water shading, particulates, bubbles and wave action were so good my mind accepted them as 'real'.

Ellen Degeneres stole the movie. Almost every line was a winner, and the animators provided such terrific facial expressions. Just thinking about whale speech makes me chuckle. And then the line "Wish I could speak whale", dang what a hoot.

Special kudos for successfully providing rich character and emotion to fish, who with their short fins and limited body motion have little body language that the animator can exploit.

Crush was righteous, dude! The surfer cliche has been so overworked I was prepared to dislike the laid back tortoise, but the voice acting and character where great.

 

[Steve Sm.]

One show biz site says that if a new deal is made between Pixar and Disney (read: Jobs and Eisner) there will be a Toy Story 3.

In the last investor's teleconference, Jobs said that they had "story ideas" for a Toy Story 3 and a Monsters, Inc. 2, if they can work out a deal with Disney (but they wouldn't be able to produce them until 2007 at the earliest).

 

[Sam E. Torres]

did anyone else catch the subtle ocean's eleven allusion when gill was talking about "the plan"?

 

[Dave Dahl]

Earlier someone mentioned that they felt the movie wasn't funny enough and that it therefore wasn't as good as the other Pixar films. (mental note: Pixar, strictly speaking, doesn't make films)

Anyhow, my take is that this movie is not a comedy. It is actually a drama, and a damn fine one. There is a deep connection to the emotional state of the characters. We really care about Marlin, Nemo, and Dory. The payoff is much better in this film than the other Pixar movies with the possible exception of the original Toy Story.


-Dave

 

[FredK]

It is actually a drama, and a damn fine one.

Agreed, I was pleasantly surprised at the nature of the opening scene and titles, not typical Pixar fare and set the mood for a more engaging story.

FWIW, I thought Pixar missed a great shot at Monsters Inc 2 with the whole laughter=energy angle... it could have been much more than a 5 minute coda to a finished story and would have provided a reason to have Boo return.

 

[Tom Ryan]

did anyone else catch the subtle ocean's eleven allusion when gill was talking about "the plan"?

I thought it was more of a subtle "every heist movie ever made" allusion

 

[Chuck Mayer]

One of the winningest things about Pixar is how they can use a cliche and make it really work for the audience. The Zorg/Father bit from TS2 stands out as something that would be a HOWLER in any other film, but TS made it a GREAT laugh. Pixar does this consistently, and it makes me think there is something in the water where they work.

Take care,
Chuck

 

[David Forbes]

How was it a confused breakdown, David?

Thomas, sorry for getting back to you so late. I recall her being very confused after Marlin leaves her and Nemo finds her. She's panicky and says she doesn't know where she is or why. I thought it was very touching and rather sad. It seemed that Marlin leaving her made her lose it a little.

 

[Seth Paxton]

I thought it was more of a subtle "every heist movie ever made" allusion

That was my take to.

Ellen was freaking hilarious in the film, she really sold her lines. Great writing for sure, but she brought out every ounce of humor in the words I thought.

Our audience was laughing at almost every point.


My favorite things were the crabs near the end, claws up in the air just like real crabs - "That's right, just keep moving". And I loved the seagulls, which were rather like the birds from For the Birds..."Mine".

Crush could have been annoying as the cliche, but for me his son saved their scenes by being delightful. I loved him giving them the "jump" instructions.


Another classic by Pixar. You get the feeling that those people could sneeze and make a great film by accident.

The CGI is great, but its all their different characters that make their films so great.

 

[ThomasC]

I recall her being very confused after Marlin leaves her and Nemo finds her. She's panicky and says she doesn't know where she is or why. I thought it was very touching and rather sad. It seemed that Marlin leaving her made her lose it a little.

Ah okay, I get it now.

 

[David Rogers]

Toy Story is still my #1 film of all time. Many films have come and gone, and while a few danced around in the top five, none have ever come over it. However, Finding Nemo gave me a very hard time thinking it over, because it is so very good. I ultimately decided it's not quite as good, because it doesn't have the friendship Woody and Buzz develop and share, but Finding Nemo is a tremendous film.

It's so incredibly touching, and I'm still searching myself to figure out why it hits me so close. My parents were not overprotective, and I've never really had people in my life keeping me away from the dangerous things. If anything, perhaps I've needed more help along the way to pick the safer and narrower choice.

Yet I felt for Marlin as he struggled to love his son and learn how to do it without smothering him. Nemo is so earnest and determined, I can't help but love him. Yet among all the characters in the film, the one I like the most is the one I would have never guessed.

Dorie the blue fish with short-term memory problems (it runs in my family, I think, hmmm).

I haven't cried at a film in years. Years and years. Yet when Marlin and Dorie have their final conversation after Nemo's 'death', I cried.

Dorie: But when I'm with you I remember ... and I don't want to forget
Marlin: But I don't want to remember.

She's so sad and heartfelt. The entire movie, Dorie wears her heart on her sleeve. She's utterly dedicated and willing to go to any length to help Marlin find his son Elmo (Nemo!), right Nemo. The impass they've reached at that moment is impossible and twisting.

I also really liked the Turtles. Crush was awesome. "Whoa, let's see what the little dude does, okay?" he says when Squirt whishes off into the current. He cheers with his son when he comes back, "Whoa dad, did you see me?!" "Gimmie some fin, little noggin, okay!" The wise dude turtles, I just really dig it.

Storytelling at its finest. Characters you care about, things you believe are real and that matter. The animation was stunning. Beyond breathtaking. It was like watching the ocean come to life with creatures that talk. Magical seems far too simple a word to ascribe.

I really liked it a lot.

 

[Seth Paxton]

And I think Knick-Knack also showed that Pixar magic is not just the CGI. Here we see old CGI, basic animation in comparison to what we are about to see and have seen recently from them, yet that short has all the same creativity and fun of any Pixar film.

Not to bring that Disney CGI debate over to this thread, but to point out that you can take the CGI out of Pixar but you wouldn't lose the magic.

 

[Derrik Draven]

FWIW, I thought Pixar missed a great shot at Monsters Inc 2 with the whole laughter=energy angle... it could have been much more than a 5 minute coda to a finished story and would have provided a reason to have Boo ret

I've thought that a good idea would be to get Sully and Mike stuck in our world this time around. Probably would be set up with Sully wanting to visit Boo, and Mike reluctantly going along with him.

As for Nemo, good film but I certainly didn't find it as funny as any of the previous Pixar digital experiences. I really didn't think of it as a drama but, now that you mention it, I think you're right! That being the case, one shouldn't expect non-stop humor.

...those water effects...WOW!!!!!

 

[Peter Kline]

Kermit said it wasn't easy being green. Dory (that's how you spell her name) didn't think it was easy being blue.

The film has already made back it's production cost as of Wednesday. $91 million in ticket sales. It should easily be number 1 again this weekend. There are lots of repeat viewings going on. My nephew saw it with me last weekend and will be going with his mom this weekend.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Just wanted to share an excellent article about Disney, Pixar and their ultimate need for one another.

Have a look:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2084011/

 

[Chris Farmer]

Interesting that many aren't finding it as funny as Pixar's others. To me at least, this was their first straight-up comedy. The story didn't grip me as much as TS or Monsters, but I was laughing my butt off the entire time. And the subtle parade of in jokes and nudge nudge humor "Heeeeeere's Brucie!" "Do you realize we're swimming in our own..." "...Shh, dentist is here!" and a gajillion other references I caught but can't remember made it even better. I always feel so proud when I catch a subtle joke like that.

Anyway, fantastic movie, and I'm sure I'll be seeing it again in a month or so when they tack on the outtakes.