Monday, October 1, 2007

journal #2


Animated films don’t tend to get the publicity that other classic films do. Before watching Pixar’s “Finding Nemo”, I would’ve known why, but this film absolutely changed the way that I perceived animated films. I first saw this movie in 2003 when it hit the big screen and ever since, I can honestly say that it has been one of my all-time favorite, even compared to Disney films and that’s a pretty big deal. But I began to appreciate it much more viewing it the second time around because I caught on to aspects and elements that make the film terrific that I wouldn’t have noticed sitting in a movie theatre, chomping away on buttery popcorn.

“Finding Nemo” is a revolutionary work of art because it has so much to offer: vibrant and high quality pictures along with an explosive story. It is safe to say that this film literally takes your breath way because it’s almost as if you are experiencing the entire thing first-hand and are swimming helplessly through Sydney and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef alongside Marlin (Albert Brooks) in the quest to find his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould). The artists that worked on this movie really stepped up to their game because they filled the picture with finely detailed seascapes that emphasize the reality of this underwater phenomenon.

The story really begins when Marlin is forced to take his son, Nemo, to school due to Nemo’s excessive curiosity and tenacious spirit. Marlin is seen playing the role of the overprotective father because of his wife’s death and the implements that this event caused on Nemo, which was the result of a “bad fin”. However, when Nemo’s curiosity and Marlin’s fatherly devotion clashed in the dangerous Drop-Off, Nemo was suddenly taken by some divers (which turned out to be a dentist in Sydney) in his attempt to prove to his father that he was bigger and braver than he appeared. Consequently, Marlin swam uncontrollably through the life threatening ocean, encountering sharks, jellyfish, and other obstacles in his journey to save Nemo. Through the chaos, Marlin is acquainted with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a blue tang fish whose short-term memory loss adds comedy to the drama. What Marlin does not know, however, is that he is basically racing against time because within days, Nemo will be given away as a gift to Darla, the dentist’s niece, a little girl whose lack of expertise with fish can lead Nemo to turn belly-up.

Director and screenplay writer Andrew Stanton created a magnificent motion picture because he made everything come together as funny and also emotionally captivating. The filmmakers from Pixar know what they want and where they are headed because they are aware of the type of films that movie watchers want to see. They set a tone and mood that is appropriate for children, all while staying within the boundary of the humor that the parents perceive. “Finding Nemo” is definitely one of America’s finest animated films because it is imaginative and engaging for viewers of all ages. It’s sweet, totally.

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