The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
94
Studio and Year: Disney/Pixar - 2003
MPAA Rating: G
Feature running time: 100 minutes
Genre: Family
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: MVC/AVC
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 7.1, English/French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring:Albert Brroks, Ellen Degeneres, Allison Janney, Willem DeFoe, Brad Garrett, Austin Pendleton, Stehpen Root, Geoffrey Rush, Elizabeth Perkins, Alexander Gould
Directed by: Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich
Music by: Thomas Newman
Written by: Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds
Region Code: A,B,C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: December 4, 2012
"Wet yourself!"
Film Synopsis:
In the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, Marlin (Albert Brooks), an overly protective clownfish, embarks on a daring rescue mission when his beloved son, Nemo, gets scooped up by a diver. With his unforgettable friend Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) by his side, Marlin encounters an ocean full of memorable comedic characters on his momentous journey to find Nemo.
My Take:
Finding Nemofollows the momentous journey of an overprotective clownfish Marlin (Albert Brooks) and his young son Nemo (Alexander Gould) two very little fish in a very big ocean whose close bond was born out of tragedy. When the two are unexpectedly separated in the Great Barrier Reef, Nemo is carried far from his ocean home and deposited in a fish tank in a dentist’s office. Desperate to find his son Marlin sets out with no idea where to go. Along the way he meets up with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish who agrees to help. Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son––who along with some new found companions hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.
2003 was a tough year for our family as we suffered the tragic loss of my wife’s mother. My kids were 11 and 9 at the time and I remember that Finding Nemoprovided a wonderful bit of escapism for them. We also enjoyed it as a family and it became and remains one of our favorites among the Pixar films. My son and daughter are now in college and were home this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. We all sat down and watched Nemo and the experience was emotive and nostalgic with all the great lines and funny moments coming back to us as we found ourselves remembering what made it special when they were little. To me that speaks volumes. Films like Finding Nemo can be shared and enjoyed from one generation to the next which is a testament to the quality of family oriented entertainment that comes the folks at Disney/Pixar.
Finding Nemo earned the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film and remains the fifth highest grossing animated film worldwide. In 2008, the American Film Institute named it among the top 10 greatest animated films ever made, and it is the second highest grossing Pixar film to date (behind Toy Story 3. Fans will be pleased to hear that they have given it the star treatment on Blu-ray as it looks and sounds spectacular.
Parental Guide:
This is a family film that can be enjoyed by all.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 96
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
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- Low frequency extension:
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3D Presentation: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Depth (Onscreen):
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Finding Nemo 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Disney featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel sound that has an average bitrate of 6 Mbps.
So far the majority of 3D converted films that have come to Blu-ray haven’t blown me away. As a big Pixar fan I hoped for better but kept my expectations in check. What I got was a surprisingly good and rewarding 3D presentation. While this presentation doesn’t offer continual use of screen popping effects it makes for a natural and visually pleasing experience. Detail is well preserved as the image retains its high level of clarity as objects within the frame are delineated and sharp. Depth is appreciable as evidenced by the notable separation of objects or characters layered in the foreground/background which serves to draw you in by creating a discernible sense of virtual space occupied by things of various sizes and shapes.
There are sequences that provide a bit of reach out and touch dimensionality but what I enjoyed most was the impressive depth the image had. I wasn’t drawn out of the film by odd looking proportions or hokey 3D for 3D’s sake. In fact I would say that it was just the opposite. Comparing color and contrast reproduction to the 2D presentation I saw no discernible difference. The rendering of detail and clarity is similar although I would give the slightest edge for all around visual pop to the 3D version. I didn’t notice any distracting signs of crosstalk/ghosting. For those hoping for all the 3D bells and whistles I would say that you won’t find them here. That isn’t to say that this isn’t a worthwhile and engrossing viewing experience. I found this to be an excellent 3D presentation that enhanced the enjoyment of this wonderful family film.
This lossless 7.1 channel Dolby TrueHD soundtrack improves upon the lossy Dolby Digital version in every way. This is not an aggressive or action style sound mix but its ability to deliver an engaging home theater experience is not to be underestimated. This animated film uses an intricate sound design that has to maintain a delicate balance so the plethora of sound effects, music and dialogue within the soundtrack can be clearly and easily interpreted by the audience. Dialogue is distinctly perceptible and well articulated so that even subtle changes in the inflection of the voices among the cast was detectable. Sound effects are accurately placed within the sound field and establish a tight correlation between the onscreen information and what is being heard within the listening environment.
A great example of this occurs in the scene where Bruce the Great White shark chases Dory and Marlin around the interior of the wrecked submarine. This creates an immersive, active and involving soundscape that is abundantly rich in detail. Its wide dynamic range can go from subtle, intricate control to room energizing dynamism. The sequence where Darla “taps” on the wall of the fish tank sounds amazing. Low frequencies underscore sound effects and reinforce the dynamic impact of the audio. Response is authoritative, clean and attention grabbing as it fills the room with deep, tactile, low level bass energy. Thomas Newman’s wonderful music score occasionally takes center stage as it is broadcast over the entire system with high level detail with smooth, strident free treble. I found this to be a superlative mix that creates a stable and immersive surround sound experience that achieves excellent balance so that all of the elements inherent in the recording can be realized.
2D Video Quality:
Video: 100
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Resolution/Clarity:
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- Compression:
Finding Nemo comes to Blu-ray Disc from Disney/Pixar featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 31 Mbps.
This is a reference quality high definition presentation that delivers superlative imagery. The video quality is visually arresting in its depiction of the film’s animated subjects. Detail and definition is impeccably rendered as images have a luminous and sparkling clarity that is appreciably three dimensional. It never left me wanting for fine degrees of subtle delineation and texture. The attention to detail in the construction of the animated characters physical features as well as objects within each frame is superb. I couldn’t get over the depth of the beautifully rendered colors. Colors are deeply saturated with lustrous vibrancy and succulent textures that literally leap off of the screen. Primaries are particularly vivid and exhibit visible gradational stages that bring out subtle degrees of separation. Each of the sea creatures has distinctive physical qualities that are attributable to them not only in size and shape color as well. Blacks are rich with extended dynamic range and deep gradational highlights. The dark and shadowy confines of submarine wreckage exhibited excellent depth and discernible detail within its shadowy confines. I have never seen this film looking this good, theatrically presented or otherwise. Awesome.
Bonus Features:
Disc 1:
- 3D Blu-ray – Finding Nemo
- Aquariums 3D (Six 5 + hour static segments) – Anemone, Jellyfish, Plate coral, Reef, Sandy reef, School of fish
Disc 2:
- 2D Blu-ray – Finding Nemo
- (HD)“Knick Knack”(1989) – 3 minute theatrical short
- CineExplore – In Movie feature with filmmaker commentary , storyboards and production facts
- (HD) Finding Nemo: A filmmaker’s round table – 17 minutes
- (HD) Reinventing the Submarine Voyage (theme park attraction) – 15 minute documentary
- (HD) Deleted scene: Alternate opening – 3 minutes (with filmmaker commentary)
- (HD) A lesson in flashbacks – 8 minutes feature with director Andrew Stanton
Classic Content:
- Making Nemo
- Exploring the Reef
- Studio Tour
- Old School
- Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Publicity Pieces
- Mr. Ray’s Encyclopedia
- Making Nemo
- Bonus DVD of Finding Nemo
- Digital Copy Bonus Disc
Final Thoughts:
For Disney/Pixar fans Finding Nemo is among the most anticipated Blu-ray Disc releases to date. It is a marvelous family film that has an endearing charm and entertaining story that people of all ages can appreciate. I was excited to learn that its high definition debut would include 3D as well as 2D versions. Going into this review of its 3D converted video I kept my expectations in check but am happy to report that the experience was not only excellent but enhanced my enjoyment of the film. In addition its 2D high definition audio/video are reference quality which fall in line with the type of technically proficient Blu-ray offerings we have come to expect from Disney. This five disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition includes new bonus supplements as well as previously released extras. The new features are worth exploring and contain interactive content along with new insights from the filmmakers. If you have a 3D capable setup this release is a no brainer. If not the standard 2D Blu-ray version is another option. Either way if you’re a Finding Nemo fan, pick it up on Blu-ray.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS55 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103 Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
They could've added the fish tank aquariums---the ones in disc 2 of the old DVD set I own---too, though!
I'm practically in the same boat (pun intended) as you! My youngest is 4 and has seen my DVD repeatedly as well---he loves Mr. Ray's Encyclopedia too! AND, I've also pre-ordered the TDK trilogy!
