it was great, but some things are just not needed for this film to be real. gil, for example, was just too unreal. i realize that he's a fish, but, uh, why not have some human attributes as well? and the seagulls. even thought they're really funny, they're also really annoying. ellen degeneres really surprised me, though. she was funny and i actually was able to laugh at something clean that came out of her mouth. and the sea turtles were the best part. it may be a little scary for little kids when the sharks come out, but, that's just because they're sharks and, hello, they're usually scary. now, if they're vegetarian, i don't say that they're just great, i say they have issues! good grief! but this is a good film.

brilliant

It's pretty good, actually. But that's about all it is. The central character (the father, not Nemo) isn't particularly easy to warm to for some reason, and whereas the visuals are naturally stunning, there is some real suspense, and it was kind of fun hearing all those Australian voice actors (I don't understand the Sea Turtle who seems to be modelled on The Big Lebowski, but nevermind), there was something missing from this film. Don't get me wrong it's still fun, and the kids will love it. It just isn't great, and maybe we've grown used to greatness from Pixar.

Put it this way: Toy Story(s) were brilliant. Bug's Life was excellant. Monsters Inc, for me, was showing the first signs of slippage. Now Nemo is just... good. At the time I'm writing this, 'Shark Tale' is playing in Australia and generally being panned. I know it's not Pixar, but you see where I'm going with this.

Partly because Pixar had a purple patch at the same time that Disney were slumping, 2D animation is all but dead. What if Pixar now go into the sort of slump that Disney went into after Lion King?

To me, the future doesn't look great. I'm already sick of this hyper-real 3D stuff. There were scenes in Nemo that might as well have been photographs. And that's all there is.... stretching on and on for years. That and anime, which by and large still doesn't do it for me.

Don Bluth, save us again.

If you've ever babysat and let the kids watch this movie you would no that this is like hypnosis for toddlers! they just sit there staring at the screen! they don't cry, whine or anything! it is the greatest thing... until you've watched it 15 million times...

This is a good movie--it's not among my favourite Pixar films, but it's warmed on me after further viewings.

What's good? Well, the animation--of course--is fairly stunning. The ocean world created in this film is a riot of colour, light and movement. The characters are cool. I particularly loved the aquarium fish and Nigel the pelican. Also, the Mine-Mine-Mine seagulls were great and a wonderful little tribute in their character design to Wallace & Gromit's evil penguin.

What didn't I like? Unfortunately our lead character. While I understood the idea of Marlin and his motivations, I just couldn't sympathize with him as much as I would have liked. I found his overprotectiveness and emphasis on Nemo's little fin really irritating and I particularly didn't like how he treated Dory. I remember reading somewhere that characters gain and lose points in our minds based on how they treat those around them... while Woody may have ragged on Buzz Lightyear a time or two, we always got the impression Buzz had sufficient ego to handle it and was never actually hurt by it.. whenever Marlin put down Dory for her forgetfulness or chatised her for essentially trying to help him, I felt much more sorry for Dory and angry at Marlin. I don't know if that's what the film's creators had in mind for those scenes, but it definitely soured Marlin's big epic journey for me.

Nonetheless, this is still a solid Pixar event with lots of genuine laughs and spectacular visuals. If you liked the studio's stuff in the past, you'll probably enjoy this one too.

I understand that Finding Nemo is a highly popular film at the moment.

I don't really understand why, though. I thought it was okay. but just okay.

The character development is well done. Dory had just enough pathos and humor not to become TOO irritating. Nemo and his father are quite likeable, as are the aquarium fish and the various characters who are met along the way....MANY various characters who are met along the way.

Maybe that's why I don't care for this movie...it's too reminiscent of Disney films like Aristocats and Jungle Book which followed the formula 'Introduce plot, wander around meeting interesting characters, resolve plot.'

But to be fair, I only saw it once. And the visuals were stunning. The scenes where the searchers are lost in a dark chasm was suspenseful. And the seagulls--I'll never look at seagulls quite the same way again. The seagulls alone would have been worth seeing a worse film.

So, worth seeing...but in my opinion, will fade quickly once the novelty has worn off.