816. Finding Nemo (2003)

Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brookes, Alexander Gould

Director: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich

Running Time: 100 mins

Finding Nemo is an American film about a cautious clownfish who sets out on an epic journey to 42 Wallaby Way in Sydney in order to find his son, Nemo, who was taken from him by divers at his home at the Great Barrier Reef.

Everybody loves Finding Nemo, and there’s an obvious reason for that, because it’s the epitome of adventure. Many films may have a more epic scale than this, or may be a bit more action-packed, but I can’t think of one film that is such an enthralling, hilarious and emotional tale of one journey other than this. It’s an ingeniously written, fantastically voiced, stunningly animated and snappy story that will undoubtedly delight everyone who watches it.

Let’s start with what Pixar do best, what they’ve always done to the most amazing levels: the animation. The fish and the landscapes are well-animated and all, but it’s the water in this film that’s the most breathtaking. It’s a totally convincing backdrop to the story, and the fact that it’s animated so realistically, showing the extent and depth of the ocean really heightens the sense of the size of this adventure, which just makes the story even more epic.

Along with that, there’s no escaping how brilliantly funny this film is. Expertly written, there’s laughs at every turn in this movie, despite it often getting quite dramatic and emotional, and the best thing about it is that the laughs and the jokes are totally consistent all the way through, and unlike even some of the great Pixar films, like Up, which lose their comedic value as the story takes hold, this film keeps popping and snapping at every second, keeping you thoroughly entertained for its entirety.

However, there’s no better part of this film than the characters. The most impressive thing about this is that although all of the characters are totally over-the-top, and have the perfect potential to just be annoying and not interesting, the writers here really get it right, so that they’re wacky, absolutely hilarious, but still feel genuine, and allow you to get so engrossed in the story and their situation that, when the more dramatic, emotional scenes take hold, you’re really taken in by it all, and it never feels cheesy in the slightest, but completely honest.

Finally, what impresses me most about this film as a whole is that it is, within 12 years, hugely iconic for its story, probably more so than any other animation, because it’s such a simple idea, however this journey is written and executed so well, with so much diversity, unpredictability, emotion and excitement, that it’s an unforgettable ride that will delight you for a long time to come, and that’s why this gets a 9.3 from me.