DVDizzy Forum

I bought Finding Nemo DVD this weekend.
I couldn't catch it during its theatrical run...

Although the movie is really good, and I liked it a lot... I was kinda dissapointed.
It's good, but not as much as the Animated Classics... not even half...

I mean, this DVD can be on the drawer for months without watching it again.

How can this film be more succesfull than Lion King???

Maybe I had really high expectations... but Lilo and Stitch was way more touching to me...

Here in Mexico the theatrical run and DVD release was a big hit as well... I just can't see why...

I think everyone has too big expectations about the storyline. I think that this movie is so greatly rated because of the amazing underwater worlds and the funny dory. If Dory wouldn't be in the story, nobody would like this movie. I'm sure about that.

I saw a lot of members on these boards that bought the DVD and didn't like it that much. Just because everyone here and outside really overrated it (like as the greatest movie all time).

Oh well, it's the best one from PIXAR in my opinion.

I consider Nemo to be the #1 cartoon feature of all time.

Lion King was solid art but is chock full of glaring plot-holes:

Little Simba spends the first 20 minutes saying he's not interested in all that "running the pride" stuff and out of nowhere jumps into "I can't wait to be King." Where the heck did that come from???

In additon, I couldn't get over the idea that the female lions just sit around whining until Simba returns to save them. Boring to say the least...

Overall the story seemed to be just be bridging material between songs.
To me, it never fulfilled it's real potential.

Nemo, thankfully not based on a soundtrack, is a tight and solid story, along with the great artistry in each frame. Perfect voice-casting help as well...

The story is nothing more than a variation of Toy Story 1 and 2 with a variation of the traditional Pixar 'mismatched buddies' from Toy Story and Monsters, Inc.

How does Pixar escape critisisms of sticking to a formula when Disney (which hasn't stuck to the Disney formula for their last movies) doesn't?

Ric--

Finding Nemo is truly a visual masterpiece.

Watch the film again and notice all the ambient colors, textures and the like. You'll see water glistening from the surface above. You'll see specks of fish scales and other oceanic debris glistening at times in the water. You'll even see the reflection of Nigel (the Pelican) fly away as he drops off Nemo and Dory on the surface after they all thought Nemo was dead (the distorted reflection gets smaller and smaller and then veers away as Nigel turns off).

I'm with you in that the substance of the film itself is a bit weaker. But this movie is just amazing to look at. If only I had a $10,000 Pioneer Plasma screen to watch this baby on...I'd probably never leave the house.

FN is a perfect example of what stunning visuals and a super-charged word-of-mouth campaign can do for a film's overall success. I remember being blown away at the visuals in A Bug's Life. Finding Nemo makes that look archaic.

indianajdp wrote:Ric--

Finding Nemo is truly a visual masterpiece.

Watch the film again and notice all the ambient colors, textures and the like. You'll see water glistening from the surface above. You'll see specks of fish scales and other oceanic debris glistening at times in the water. You'll even see the reflection of Nigel (the Pelican) fly away as he drops off Nemo and Dory on the surface after they all thought Nemo was dead (the distorted reflection gets smaller and smaller and then veers away as Nigel turns off).

I'm with you in that the substance of the film itself is a bit weaker. But this movie is just amazing to look at. If only I had a $10,000 Pioneer Plasma screen to watch this baby on...I'd probably never leave the house.

FN is a perfect example of what stunning visuals and a super-charged word-of-mouth campaign can do for a film's overall success. I remember being blown away at the visuals in A Bug's Life. Finding Nemo makes that look archaic.

Yeah, it's visually stunning. But that's it.

Here's why I think Finding Nemo top The Lion King.
First tickets cost more now then when The Lion King was in threatre.
Second it was the only kid show at the time in the summer.
Lastly kids have power so the parents have to take their kids to see the movie.

That's why Finding Nemo top The Lion King.

MickeyMousePal wrote:Here's why I think Finding Nemo top The Lion King.
First tickets cost more now then when The Lion King was in threatre.
Second it was the only kid show at the time in the summer.
Lastly kids have power so the parents have to take their kids to see the movie.

That's why Finding Nemo top The Lion King.

yeah, and kids rule over their parents more now than they did in 1994!!

i liked nemo. it's not pixar's best. nothing will top toy story in my opinion. but i do agree that the visual aspects of the film are much better than we've seen by far, which is expected. they should get better as we advance in technology.

this will be a movie that will not collect that much dust on the shelf!! i liked it!!

I really enjoyed Finding Nemo. It was visually stunning, had great characters and scenes. I personally loved Monsters Inc though and wondered why it didn't become an incredible success like FN?

That it passed The Lion King at the box office doesn't mean it's a better film or even that it was more dominant at the box office. Timing is everything - the summer was filled with new big-budget blockbusters released every week or two, which would do well for about a week or two and then drop from the public consciousness. Nemo had word-of-mouth on it - it's a very funny and very solid movie. Its limited family film competition came from Disney with Freaky Friday...and that's pretty much it. Pirates is more a summer Bruckheimer blockbuster that brings in teens and everyone else than a 'family film' - but it was the most successful by far of its kind.

Remember how Shrek was such a big deal in 2001 - it too had timing to its advantage, particularly because the 4 months before it, there were hardly any good films released. Same thing this year - studios bunch their top of the crop for the last two month of the year and the first 3-4 months, they just sort of feel out their way and see if a decent, unspectular comedy (like Just Married) can't turn in like $50 million or more.

So anyway, after months of a cinematic wasteland, Nemo comes along, with unanimously good reviews, with Pixar's flawless track record, and with an entire summer for kids to see again and again. Hence, its box office records.

That said, I certainly disagree that half of Disney's animated classics are better than Finding Nemo. Its visuals and story are first-class all the way.

indianajdp wrote:You'll even see the reflection of Nigel (the Pelican) fly away as he drops off Nemo and Dory on the surface after they all thought Nemo was dead (the distorted reflection gets smaller and smaller and then veers away as Nigel turns off).

Ok.........Mr Indianapolis, How can nigel take nemo and dory back when nemo is suppose to be dead? hehehe I can see nigel taking Marlin and Dory back after they thought nemo was dead

Finding Nemo is charming
is magic to see... every single frame is a piece of digital art and I love it.

In fact I watched it today with the English track, I loved Ellen as Dory... and the movie is good (still not to watch it over and over again, as I do with SB or Little Mermaid)

What I mean is that Finding Nemo is good but IT CANNOT BE COMPARED to the "true classics" like Sleeping Beauty, Snow White or Cinderella...

let's call it a "different magic"...

for the new era...

I agree it was beautiful, a spectacle...the ocean, the blues, the movements. Everything. Technically, it's a marvel. And I like watching it. The DVD is a nice part of my collection, and I'll make use of it. But I find, personally, that I admire and respect Finding Nemo (for its flash and script) more than I deeply love it.

There's just something about it, though...as with all computer-generated, 3D films (for me), that's so slick and streamlined, like fine plastic, so meticulous and ordered...so mathematical; that it just turns me off. Does that make sense?

Pixar is very creative, and I commend them. I have to admit, though, I still have a bias toward 3D animation. And I'm having a hard time clearing that. Part of the reason I preferred Brother Bear was the animation. It just had an immediate feeling of being more organic, warmer, more...flesh and blood, human. And this made it so much easier for me to attach myself to the film and the characters. It made it easier for me to connect.

But, also, Finding Nemo was all about the dialogue, the exchanges. The story itself was standard, I felt. (They always manage, though, to make the sidekick thing work.) It was the rapidfire back and forth that made the plot. Dory and Marlin arguing.

"It's half empty!"
"Hmm. I'd say it's half full."
"Will you stop that?!"

"Why is it men are always afraid to ask for directions?"
"I don't want to play the gender card right now. You want to play a card? Fine. Let's play the..." (I forget what he says next, exactly.)

Finding Nemo was visually stunning and verbally witty, but...

I liked Brother Bear's story more. It was so complex (though laced with tradition, with elements of things we've seen in other stories; but every story borrows from a past story, or is influenced by it). The three brothers, the death of the first, the, "I don't blame the bear, Kenai," and Kenai hunting it down, him becoming the creature he kills and now being hunted by his remaining brother. And his connection to the lone cub Koda, and the ultimate revelation of what happened to Koda's mom, the guilt, the understanding that, "He needs me."

Not that a story is good because it's complex. But I felt that Brother Bear's plot, while not having a snappy, jazzed script, was very rich and layered. A lot of complicated themes...brotherhood, forgiveness, seeing through another's eyes, telling the truth. And I thought they were all handled with earnest.

I think Finding Nemo had the better script (as in dialogue), but Brother Bear had the better plot (as in story). You know?

But, suffice it to say, I appreciated Nemo. It's a fun, dazzling film that I'm sure I'll be watching again and again. And it will be a deserving winner (as it's the heavy frontrunner, of course) of the Academy Award for Animated Feature. But I do prefer Brother Bear. I feel I can lose myself in it more. While I'm watching it, the beautiful, colorful landscapes of the Pacific Northwest seem to blend with the story and wash over me, enveloping.

But while I'm watching Nemo, I can't get lost in it. Because it all feels so technical. It's like a virtual-reality game.

I'm analyzing this WAY too much, aren't I?

Bottom line: in my opinion, Nemo is good, but overrated. Brother Bear is lovely and is underrated (by the critics, media). Finding Nemo is already a success. And I think Brother Bear can make it to 100 million and receive Oscar nominations for Song and Animated Feature, so...

Disney (with Pixar, in FN's case) has had a good year, animation-wise. Mainly with FN and BB. I'm happy for that. And I have faith that traditional animation at Disney can weather the novelty of 3D animation. With some good stories and artists, and the right film, it'll take off again. Both mediums are good, and they need each other.

I do like the Pixar films very much. They deserve their success. But, while a perfect specimen, Finding Nemo is just...missing something. I don't know what, but...

It is a magical production, yes. I just think that Brother Bear, and last year's Lilo & Stitch...are more so.

I'm sorry for the ramble!

When I start on my two cents, when I start writing, I have a hard time stopping.

MickeyMouseboy wrote:

indianajdp wrote:You'll even see the reflection of Nigel (the Pelican) fly away as he drops off Nemo and Dory on the surface after they all thought Nemo was dead (the distorted reflection gets smaller and smaller and then veers away as Nigel turns off).

Ok.........Mr Indianapolis, How can nigel take nemo and dory back when nemo is suppose to be dead? hehehe I can see nigel taking Marlin and Dory back after they thought nemo was dead

ooops
My daughter ALWAYS refers to Marlin as "Nemo", as she's still to young to distinguish between the two. So it was out of habit that I said Nemo and Dory.

indianajdp wrote:

MickeyMouseboy wrote: Ok.........Mr Indianapolis, How can nigel take nemo and dory back when nemo is suppose to be dead? hehehe I can see nigel taking Marlin and Dory back after they thought nemo was dead

ooops
My daughter ALWAYS refers to Marlin as "Nemo", as she's still to young to distinguish between the two. So it was out of habit that I said Nemo and Dory.

sure.. blame it on the 3 year old!

catNC wrote:
sure.. blame it on the 3 year old!

Hey. It works!

That's a shame Mr Indianapolis!

EarthX wrote:Lion King was solid art but is chock full of glaring plot-holes:

You know, people use the words "plot hole" so many times these days with no justification, I actually wonder if they know what a plot hole really is. It seems to be the latest critical buzz-phrase bandied about for no reason.

EarthX wrote:Little Simba spends the first 20 minutes saying he's not interested in all that "running the pride" stuff and out of nowhere jumps into "I can't wait to be King." Where the heck did that come from???

No. If you listern to the lyrics (and even watch the animation) you'll see that Simba still has no interest in "running the pride" - he just thinks being the king will be fun. He wants the fun of being the king and none of the responsibility. It is not a plot hole. He has not changed his position.

EarthX wrote:In additon, I couldn't get over the idea that the female lions just sit around whining until Simba returns to save them. Boring to say the least...

They do this, because this is how the social structure of Lion prides works in real life. Again it is not a plot hole. And it shows how "strong" Nala is.

EarthX wrote:Overall the story seemed to be just be bridging material between songs.
To me, it never fulfilled it's real potential.

Nemo, thankfully not based on a soundtrack, is a tight and solid story, along with the great artistry in each frame. Perfect voice-casting help as well...

So what about the plot hole of Dory being able to remember the address she reads? Is there any explanation for this plot hole, character flaw or narrative hiccup? Apart from a half-arsed "Somehow I remember things better with you" line later on (which explains nothing by the way - it's a lazy get out) there's nothing, nada, ziltch. Why would she remember the address and nothing else, not even Marlin's name?

I liked Finding Nemo WAY better than The Lion King. I agree it isn't a classic, but it's funny and it was enjoyable for kids and adults (a real plus). I personally don't find Disney to be based on a formula, nor do I find Pixar movies to have a formula - they are all different stories with a happily ever after ending. Well... that might make it standard after all...

Anyway, I place my vote with Nemo, though not the best, I think it's better than The Lion King.

Ric-Mx wrote:Although the movie is really good, and I liked it a lot... I was kinda dissapointed...

Pixar has serious writing problems, Toy Story is OK, but they hit the jackpot with Toy Story II, somehow everything clicked there. In my opinion that is their one good (or excellent) film.
Monster's Inc. (writing) is just lame all around. Why would you have your hopes too high? Nemo works better than Monster's Inc. And I would place it only slightly under Toy Story II. What is the problem? More than anything, Pixar fits the CUTE description, but they need to grow beyond that. That should be their next step.