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Blabbermouse cheers about FINDING NEMO!
Hey folks, Harry here... only seven days till I see FINDING NEMO!!! EEEEEeek, must see... now... ARGH! Pixar Movie coming soon! This review caused me to drool... I need sleep. Beware of spoilers! Here ya go....
Hi Harry, Blabbermouse back again, this time from a screening of ‘Finding Nemo,’ the latest Disney/Pixar release.
Back when ‘Titan AE’ flopped, I read an article quoting a Fox animation executive blaming it on audiences’ supposed disinterest in conventional 2D animation. (Never mind the 3D effects and backgrounds in 'Titan' and just about every 2D animated feature these days.) These guys never get it: It’s the story and the characters. I’ll say it again, only louder: IT’S THE STORY AND THE CHARACTERS, and how they interact in a way that seems natural and organic; the characters’ choices affect the story’s flow, and the events that take place change them in turn. If there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s movies where things happen not for any particular reason, but because they need some way to get from point A to B, and the hell with character motivation, consistency or just plain old cause and effect.
The Pixar films have never fallen into this trap, and they’ve never tried to coast on their gee-whiz, eyeball-dazzling CGI animation, this current effort included. They’ve again chosen an environment – an undersea world and its inhabitants – that plays to the strengths of the Pixar look while minimizing the presence of human characters. What they’ve also done again is create a story where (save one detail at the end) every plot point seems to occur naturally and grow out of who the characters are and what came before; it’s the secret ingredient that makes Pixar’s films more than just superb children’s (or even ‘family’) movies.
I wish every movie did this: make sure the story and characters (remember them?) are 100% nailed down before frame one is shot. I won’t try to synopsize the movie, except to say while it’s supposedly about clownfish Marlin’s oceanwide search for his captured son Nemo, it’s really about Marlin overcoming the fear and overprotectiveness that has inhibited both his and Nemo’s lives. The film begins with a sequence explaining the cause of Marlin’s fear of all the terrible things that might happen, and it’s exactly this fear that’s the catalyst for the events to come.
The choice of Albert Brooks is inspired, given his career-long specializing in neurotic characters; you can believe the anxiety you hear in his voice, as well as his growing sense of empowerment and determination as he gradually realizes he’s equal to the challenges facing him. His odd-couple partner is a straight out of ‘Memento,’ memory-impaired blue tang fish named Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. As with Brooks, the actor’s personality is a perfect match for the character’s personality: flibberty-gibbetty, cheerful and more than a little empty-headed.
‘Finding Nemo’ differs from the usual animated feature storyline with the absence of an outright villain: there’s no Gaston, Hopper or Lord Farquaad scheming to do the heroes in. Instead, the ‘bad guys’ are characters who either don’t know any better or can’t control their instincts. Along the same lines, it’s interesting that all the supporting characters go out of their way to help and cheer on Marlin and Dory in their quest. This sense of community (‘it takes a village,’ anyone? I can’t wait for the anti-‘politically correct’ crowd to start beating up ‘Nemo’ over this) gives the film an emotional resonance that seems to be lacking in our increasingly ‘I’ve got mine, you’re a loser’ society. (If anything, the film goes this route once too often, with a ‘let’s all work together’ climax that seems a bit of an afterthought.) Continuing in its ‘p.c.’ ways, the film firmly endorses an inclusive policy towards the physically challenged: instead of being ostracized for an underdeveloped fin, Nemo is instantly accepted by a trio of peers who all but proudly show off their own imperfections.
Some images and details that stick in the mind: an ocean community that feels like an underwater version of Bambi’s forest…a winky nod to Spielberg with a shark named Bruce (as ‘Jaws’ mechanical shark was called during production)…a predator/prey chase through a sunken submarine that brings both ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Alien’ to mind…two Hitchcock references within a minute of each other…a Buzz Lightyear doll on the floor of a dentist’s office…and a cameo from ‘Monster Inc.’s Mike Wazowski, swimming behind the closing credits. (Thank God they’ve retired the ‘outtakes’ shtick this time around; that gag was getting more than a little old.) There’s also one shot that just floored me with its beauty and subtlety: the camera is angled down on a defeated Marlin and Dory, their heads out of water looking up at the pelican who’s just given them bad news flying away. We don’t see the pelican flying off though – just distorted slivers of his reflection reflected in the waves around them, fragments that gradually vanish.
A few years ago a planned ‘Incredible Mr. Limpet’ sequel starring Jim Carrey crashed and burned due to the usual ‘creative differences.’ I forget where I read it (right here in AICN?) but supposedly the real reason was the ghastliness of some test animation that tried to map Carrey’s facial contortions onto a CGI fish. In contrast, the facial articulation on ‘Nemo’s characters is (as usual for Pixar) astounding, with smile dimples and furrowed brows conveying real emotion and personality.
The bottom line: a film that will have kids, their folks and anyone who appreciates a good story about intriguing characters lined up for repeat viewings; and another (deserved) zillion-dollar hit for Pixar, with second-hand credit to Disney for teaming up with Lassiter & co. Now if only the Mouse House could come up with a hit like this themselves. (Me, I thought ‘Treasure Planet’ was gonna be that film, but what do I know?)
BLABBERMOUSE
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Can't wait!
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"It takes a villiage' - pah! Disney is clearly backed by a liberally biased media mandate to uphold the features of common communism! That's right - the commies are back! where's good ol' Joe McCarthy when you need 'em?-Sweet Joe, that's what I call him. It is our duty as true Americans to expose the agenda of these so-called children's entertainers - they are poisoing youthful minds with their liberal bombast and clapptrap. Conservatism is threatened! If we let this go, where will the line be finally drawn? I don't know about you, but I'm not pledging allegiance to 'Uncle Red' and his little book of ideas! True Americans, boycott Disney and its subsidiaries! In fact, just to be safe, boycott California entirely. Wait - to be ultimately safe, drop California into the Pacific and then use the site as an industrial waste depot - that'll prevent any undo damage by 'Nature' and her demented minions. After all, it'll be a national memorial. A memorial to dead Mexicans. Dead communist Mexicans. C'mon, it's just the right thing to do.
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The reviewer being thankful for the movie not ending with a blooper reel obviously hasn't been paying attention to how PIXAR releases their movies. The movie will play as-is for a few weeks and then they will add a blooper reel at the end to encourage repeat viewings. PIXAR has done that with all their movies.
Eventhough I haven't seen the movie, a friend of mine who has, warned me that the beginning may be scary for some little kids. It's the set up for why Marlin is so protective of Nemo...and without giving too much away, Nemo and Bambi have much in common. -
May 20, 2003 1:10:20 PM CDT
typical day at AICN: kids film review....check, Fett....check...
by jon lee ander
ambulance to Bradley Hamiltons house, stat!
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May 20, 2003 1:26:45 PM CDT
Treasure Planet HAD Story and Character! 2D's Problem is Presti
by drath
I think the problem is not that the characters and story are always bad, because that was NOT Treasure Planet's problem. I think execs are pushing CG and effects thinking that's a magic ticket to wowing the audience and critics. Had Treasure Planet left out the awful CGI interiors of the Pirate ship and gone for cheaper hand-drawn backgrounds like Lilo and Stitch (and NOT been released against juggernauts like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and James Bond), it would probably have made back its money and gone down as one of their better films. Titan AE and Atlantis were very canned, they had a lot of cliches and lacked TP's wit and heart. But Planet was one step forward, three steps back thanks to shitty marketing and way too many gratuitous special effects which the execs used to create the perception that 2D was dead and that a move to all 3D was the way to go (never mind that the CG is usually the worst part of most Disney movies, not the 2D animation). Granted, the major problem with most of these animated movies is that they are geared mostly to boys, specifically teenaged boys, which is the WRONG audience. The focus should be on families. That's why Pixar is the best in the game, there's something thrilling for just about every age group. Thanks to stupid execs, the prestige of 2D has suffered tremendously and now its taking the blame for bad management. This is only going to get worse with Disney's move to ALL CG animated movies. When that stuff bombs, you'll start to hear about canning the animation division of Disney altogether.
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May 20, 2003 2:31:43 PM CDT
Knick Knack's been rerendered for Political Correctness
by flushcraphere
I got to see Nemo on Sunday. They're showing Knick Knack as the short before the movie. Pixar's gone back and rerendered the girl in the swimsuit and the mermaid. They used to have giant spheres as breasts, but now all they have is painted on tops and are flat chested. Lame PC Disney type move. The movie? Although beautiful, not their best story. Funny lines, but not funny throughout. As for kids, the opening made a few parents take their kids to the lobby. *Spoiler alert* When the sharks have gained your trust that they're not going to eat the fish. The big one Bruce gets a whiff a blood and turns on the two main characters. Freaked the shit out of some of the kids. That's only the real young who can't understand the difference. The first half of the movie is much better than the last half. Once it becomes a journey to find Nemo, it's much less interesting. Just a series of obstacles the characters have to overcome. The opening scenes renders of the reef will blow your mind. Along with the pelicans on the docks in Sydney harbor. Beautiful stuff. The humans are absolutely horrible. What's up with Pixar and humans? They're all animated like Woody. Flopping around like dolls when they're excited. Bad, bad, bad. Ellen DeGeneres' Dory is the best thing in the film. Great comic relief. Especially lines like "The sea monkeys have my money..."
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May 20, 2003 3:57:26 PM CDT
FETT, Treasure Planet wasn't "like" Treasure Island, it WAS Trea
by drath
Treasure Island set in Space, that WAS the concept and it was well executed. As for the rest of what you said about the movie, I fully disagree. Long John Silver was wonderfully done, and Jim was a worthy hero to follow. The predictability of the story was no more intrusive than it is even in Pixar's films. As for the Matrix, good god, it really IS just like the Phantom Menace, butting its fat ass into every talkback from now until the end of time!
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...I enjoyed it the whole way through, unlike Titan A.E., it wasn't a bad movie but people seemed to want to hate it before they even saw it.
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Haha some of you really do make me laugh. Its a Finding Nemo review, which by all accounts sounds great. Typical talkbacker response "Yeah FN looks good oh and while we're at it the Matrix Reloaded lacked plot and characterisation?" What the buggery does that have to do with ANYTHING on here?? Want me to spoil the end of Revolutions for ya based on the sketches that were storyboarded? Neo is not human but a computer construct and the significance of Agent Smith is that he is effectively Neos 'brother'. It ends with the Matrix imploding and resetting itself for the 7th time, only this time the world unifies with everyone having Neo like powers.
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And no, before you all start on that one, just because Smith is Neo's 'brother' it does not mean Weaving will be replaced by Hulk Hogan in Revolutions. "Come with me Neo and we will rule the galaxy as brother and brother...'brother'"
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Thought it was an ambious movie - liked the imagery and the story - actually, could have skipped some of the fights. Tons of CGI where formerly there was the wire stuff. Frankly, I know its all fake one way or the other, so I think the wire stuff just looked better on film. Loved the new characters, except for Niobe and Roy Jones Jr. (actually, I loved Roy Jones Jr.- too bad - in every meaning of the word). Actaully the humans were for the most part boring and machine like. The machines are much more interesting. Also, I thought the Trinity/Neo connection was really strengthened. Biggest casualty was Agent Smith - his part seems smaller now - just from the actor's perspective. But he is representative of the fallacy of freedom, and serves the model well. Dunno, just really like films that are ambitious, and ramp up the characters and universe - not just the size of the explosions and fisticuffs. Admitedly cheesy in parts, but on the whole very charming to me. ON TOPIC: Pixar really hasn't made a bad move, Lasseter is like the most successful director in Hollywood history, characters are always entertaining (please don't confuse rich, or fully reallized with entertaining) - but Monsters Inc. struck me as almost perfunctory. I've seen all this before - just less shiny and perhaps on another world/dimension/species.... Maybe it's because I'm an adult and should start mainly dealing with adult things - some of you sure suck all the fun outta kids flicks.
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When you see lines like this:This sense of community (
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'Cos that seems to me to be over half the point and the one which made me laugh most- even more than Shrek- was Ice Age, and that gathers little praise now-a-days. It had a great comedy cast as well, and was quite poignant towards the end. It's my second favourite feature-length animation after Watership Down.
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Want the full screen version?
http://www.aintitcool.com/newline/realcancun/588x60_A.swf -
Do you try deliberatly to be so annoying, or is posting a dozen times in a row your idea of the pinnacle of sophisticated wit?
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http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/archive/fullnews.cgi?newsid1053461806,53778,
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My $10 will be used to procure a copy of LITTLE NEMO: ADVENTURES IN SLUMBERLAND (1991). Besides, I own Disney's last great animated film: THE BLACK CAULDRON!!!
Oh, and "Shrek" was awful. I know, Dreamworks/Pixar, blah blah. -
and trailers usually don't lie. darn tootin'.
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when the only character you care about is a robot that farts, your film's got major problems.
muppet treasure island is a FAAAAAR better film. the Jennifer Saunders and Nixon memoirs cameos are tops. -
May 20, 2003 9:43:40 PM CDT
"the great mouse detective"(1986)=the end of Disney animation
by beamish13
it's all there: CGI[which was actually handled rather well], HORRIBLE songs, unlikable characters, etc...
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May 20, 2003 11:19:35 PM CDT
the outtakes are probably gonna be released in a month down the
by tall_boy
that's what they did with Bug's Life, Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc. anyway. BTW, just saw Monsters Inc. for the first time a week ago, really great. Mike rules.
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May 20, 2003 11:28:26 PM CDT
There Are No More Good Movies OR... The "Star Wars Kid" Is NOT T
by jollydwarf
Jesus Christ, that was tough to watch! What's next for SWK? His Michael Hutchence impersonation? Re-enacting the "Lobby scene", in the cafeteria, finally getting disarmed when his unsuccessfully tries to run up the bulletin board wall? That, my friends, is why you play out your fantasies ONLINE or at least in the company of other out-of-shape aspiring Siths. (Shaking head, shuddering) Anyway, it just seems to me that there is no such thing any longer as the movie that will UNITE the TBers. Was there ever such a thing? No, there just wasn't a TB until the mid-90s. I can respect opinions, but when people can't demonstrate faith in Pixar (so what if four of its letter are in the word "Matrix"!), then I'm almost compelled to say that Kevin Smith wasn't an ungrateful bastard. We DO collectively deserve an asswhoopin' from the 3-PO and R2 of the fanboy/stoner/Jersey wasteland crowd for our lack of appreciation for...everything. Boy, you know, that "Citizen Kane" went NOWHERE.
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...at least give a warning, or an indication that you're about to give away MAJOR FUCKING PLOT POINTS. Some of us don't geet to see this for another week. And while you're at it you can shut the fuck up about 24 as well.
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I don't see it till tonight. And what's with the early US release anyway? I thought I read a couple of months back that they were going for simultaneous worldwide release. Or was that worldwide in the sense that Americans use it, ie the rest of the world? Back on topic, still looking forward to Finding Nemo; can't help thinking that the casting of Brooks might work in the way that Woody Allen did in Antz, which I think has been really underrated in recent years.
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sometimes character development is a mood point, and the only thing that matters is nice pretty animation and CGI effects. look at starship troopers!!!
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PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT! PLANT!
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May 21, 2003 11:02:17 AM CDT
I know this will sound outrageous, but if you're a SW fanboy and
by minderbinder
Seriously, you're claiming M:R is as bad as the SW prequels? You're joking, right?
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May 21, 2003 12:53:02 PM CDT
NO, YOU DUMMY, HOPPER WAS THE VILLIAN IN "A BUG'S LIFE"!!!
by film_editor17
Geez.
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howHcan you POSSIBLY expect us to take your opinion seriously when you can't even FUCKING FIGURE OUT WHICH FUCKING TB to post on? Are you really that fucking clueless? (oh wait, I guess you liked TPM and clones, so that answers my question)
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