Dory, a fish "with a heart of gold"

Rating: 10/10 (21 August 2003)

IMHO, Disney/Pixar has finally come up to the standard of film making of Japanese (especially Ghibli) animation which draws nothing but admiration from the viewer. Finding Nemo got them all: beautiful artwork that makes me feel like watching Spirited Away & Final Fantasy combined, and such a likable character with compassion, kindness, gentleness, and charity as in Kiki Delivery Service.
With that lovely character design alone, I would have like this movie so very much. But Pixar really raise the standards up this time. EXCELLENT JOB! I sure want to know if the Pixar people can say something they think they fail to achieve in Finding Nemo.
On initial watching, I couldn't help but to think with all constant action and excitement, the movie is trying to keep the young audience from getting bored. However, as the movie progress to its end, I realized how wrong I was. The constant action is a genuine part of what makes this movie purely enjoyable: 1.Instead of trying to imitate from Ghibli animation and probably come up with some superficial deep theme, it stays loyal to cinematic style of continuous excitement as in Monster Inc 2.It follows the initial plot hint; "the ocean is not a safe place"
Having something beautiful thrown (or presented) at me, I started to compare movies. I noticed some potential inspirational scenes from Spirited Away (intro of theme with title shown, same closing scene etc)& other Ghibli films. Also came to think of how one is deeper than the other, although it has so much unfamiliar/weird ideas and so on. However, I finally got to a level of change of attitude. I stopped comparing and/or putting these profound work of art in ranks.
It's futile trying to put those works in ranks. They simply reach deep within, and such is a unique, wonderful, and heart warming experience; Finding Nemo, Majo no Takkyubin, Whisper of the Heart, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Totoro, Spirited Away...the list grows