"Finding Nemo" will find a place in your heart.

Rating: Null/10 (3 March 2010)

The Movie "Finding Nemo" is a wholesome, heart-warming, feel-good tale about determination and love. According to National Geographic Magazine, when Andrew Stanton set out to make an animated children's movie set in the ocean and faithful to "the real rules of nature," all he needed was a perfect fish for his main character. Browsing through a coffee table book, his eyes landed on a photo of two fish peeking out of an anemoneand so a star was born.
"Finding Nemo," the Pixar movie Stanton wrote and directed, won the 2003 Academy Award for best animated feature and, according to many sources, remains one of the highest grossing G-rated films of all time, taking in over $850 million dollars to date.
And those are just a few of "Finding Nemo"s achievements. Others include the biggest opening weekend for any animated film upon its US release (30 May 2003), the bestselling DVD of all time in the world (as of January 2005) with 22 million copies sold (according to IMDb.com). "Finding Nemo" is ranked number 17 on the list of All-Time USA Box Office Receipts. One thing is clear: America loves this movie!
"Finding Nemo" is a heart-warming, feel-good tale about, Nemo, a clown fish who lives in an anemone on a coral reef in the ocean with his overprotective father, Marlin (Nemo's mother is deceased). Nemo gets taken from his boyhood home by scuba divers from Sydney, Australia. An anxious and worried Marlin sets out on a quest through the ocean to find and rescue Nemo. Marlin meets up with Dori, a scatterbrained blue tang fish who suffers from short-term memory loss, who comes along for the ride. Their quest continues as the rest of the movie chronicles their adventures, including both setbacks and successes.
It is hard to argue with the entertaining qualities of "Finding Nemo." The movie is pretty much hilarious. It is packed with almost non-stop action from one scene to the next. From the quips of Nemo's friends to the comments of Nigel the Pelican, there is never a dull moment in "Finding Nemo." Quotes like "P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney," "Sharkbait! Hoo ha ha!" and "Mine, mine, mine!" have become links to our favorite movie memories. Also entertaining are both the music and graphics of "Finding Nemo." The music is moving while the graphics are stunning. It is as if you are really in an ocean.
In addition to the movie's highly entertaining qualities, it is important to note that "Finding Nemo" is entertaining to a very broad audience. Adults and children alike thoroughly enjoy both the plot line and the visuals of the movie. The story is interesting enough for adults while still maintaining accessibility for youths; children get it and they love it. Many children have been influenced by this blockbuster hit. Just go to almost any aquarium and find the clown fish tank display; within minutes you will see and hear children come up to the tank shouting, "Nemo, Nemo, look there's Nemo!"
"Finding Nemo" is also attractive because it is relatable. It tells the poignant story of a father and son and their relationship. As an audience, we are touched by Marlin's protectiveness. We are scared for Nemo when he gets captured. We are glad when Marlin decides to look for Nemo. We are pulling for Marlin to find Nemo. And all of this is because we are relating to the story and its ties to our lives.
The father/child or father/son relationship is such an important relationship to us as humans in our lives. Our fathers play vastly different roles in different people's lives. Some are near and involved, others are farther away and indifferent. Whether or not our fathers are around us or are very interested in our lives, almost all of us want to be able to interact with our fathers in some way, shape, or form. Thus, because of the universality with which we as humans connect with our fathers, we are pulling for Marlin and we want him to find Nemo. We can put ourselves in Nemo's shoes. We can relate because we would want our father to find us if we were Nemo.
In addition to the previously mentioned qualities that make "Finding Nemo" stand out, the movie is wholesome. There are many family values that abound in the movie, such as portraying the father as a positive role model, never giving up when you have set your mind on something, and parents starting to let go of their children and send them on their way.
The fact that Pixar shows the traditional family in such a positive light is really amazing. It is a computer-animated film, but anymore nowadays that does not guarantee that it will be good, clean fun. There have been other animated movies that have not been squeaky-clean. However, with "Finding Nemo" there is no need to worry because there is virtually nothing questionable in the movie.
All in all, "Finding Nemo" is a fun, touching, and wholesome movie packed with family values. It is sure to delight you and your whole family. So take a dive into the ocean and enjoy "Finding Nemo."