Finding Nemo...in High Definition!

Available Now!

Jelly dude!!! Ok, so hopefully by now, at least MOST of you out there have seen the  incredibly entertaining 2003 Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. If not...well, here's a waring: THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD ME MATEY'S!

In 2003, Walt Disney Pictures released the fifth film produced by Pixar Animation Studios called Finding Nemo. This heartwarming adventure film told the story of an over protective clown fish (let's face it...we ALL know clown fish...they CAN be quite over protective, right?) named Marlin. Now, Marlin goes a bit overboard (pun intended) with the way he's raising his son, Nemo, but in his defense, Marlin IS a single parent. See, Nemo's mom was - gulp - killed off at the beginning of the movie! So, like most rebellious kids, Nemo decides to put his fin down and teach his dad that he's too grown up to be treated like a guppy! But of course, while attempting to show is independence, Nemo is "captured" by a diver and brought to live in a dentists (P. Sherman, Sydney) aquarium, with the "Tank Gang", a motley crew of assorted sea life, led by the crafty and overly ambitious Moorish Idol (yep, a type of butterfly fish!) named Gill. Once Marlin discovers Nemo is missing, well, the fun begins! Marlin sets out, without regard to his own safety, to find his beloved son, and, with the help of a good hearted, optimistic Regal Blu Tang (uh-huh, another type of fish!) named Dory (who by the way suffers from short-term 

Dory and Marlin 

memory loss), Marlin encounters adventure after adventure, in his quest. 

In true Disney fashion, Finding Nemo is a highly entertaining film, that does appeal to kids of all ages. The story, while not completely original (the theme has been done before), is presented in a way that is incredibly beautiful and immersive. Although an animated film, I found myself actually forgetting the characters weren't real! Yes, there is a message in this film, as in just about all Disney films, but it's not preachy. In the end, the moral of the story is pretty complex and applies to both parents and children: for parents, the moral is to listen to your kids, understand that there will come a time when they need some independence and yes, they MUST learn from their mistakes, good or bad. And for kids, listen to your parents for although you may doubt it, they do know what they're doing (at times), and be patient with them. Remember, for the most part this is all new to THEM as well! 

Finding Nemo with High Definition!

On December 4, 2012, Disney/Pixar released Finding Nemo on Blu-Ray and 3D Blu-Ray for the first time. Yeah I know...you’ve seen it on VHS, you’ve seen it on DVD so what’s the big deal? Well, let me tell you! Finding Nemo was awesome on DVD - very fluid (yep, that was a pun). But as visually appealing as it was on DVD, Blu-Ray transforms Finding Nemo into an incredibly stunning high definition feast for the eyes! What could possibly be better than that? Well, SOOOO glad you asked! Finding Nemo in Blu-Ray 3D! WHOA!! Now, we do own a Sony 3D Blu-Ray player, but unfortunately we don’t own a 3D capable television, which you do need to enjoy this awesome film in all it’s 3D sensory glory, but from what we’ve heard from friends who have seen it in 3D...well, let’s just say that when Bruce the shark come up to Marlin and Dory...yeah...so real they had to mop up the water on the floor! 

3D....YIKES!

Finding Nemo is awesome on Blu-Ray. This hi-def format and enhanced audio creates an incredible experience that, in our opinion, was even better than seeing it on the big-screen. So much more depth to the film, highlighting much more detail than ever before, enabling you to truly appreciate the unbelievable skill the Disney/Pixar animators bring to the table. 

Not only does this release mark the debut of Finding Nemo in high definition, but it also includes some pretty gnarly bonus content, such as 3D and 2D virtual aquariums, CineExplore© (an awesome option that allows you to expand on the viewing experience with pop-up behind the scenes photos, production art, etc), A Filmmakers’ Roundtable and much more! Finding Nemo Blu-Ray is available as  5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition (2 Disc Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D, DVD and Digital Copy) for $49.99 SRP,  3-Disc Collector’s Edition and Blu-Ray for $39.99 SRP, Blu-Ray 3D for $25.00 SRP and Blu-Ray for $19.50 SRP. Of course, you can always visit the Tales From The Mouse House Amazon Store to purchase your very own copy! 

Blu-Ray So Totally ROCKS Dude!

Finding Nemo has always been one of our favorite Disney/Pixar films. The story, the visual beauty, everything, just adds up to one terrific way to spend 102 minutes! But add the extreme make-over of Blu-Ray or Blu-Ray 3D...well, as my good friend Crush would say....It So Totally Rocks! 

Happiest Blog On Earth...Wreck It Ralph

"I'm Gonna Wreck It!" ~~ Wreck-It Ralph

It really takes a lot for me to go out to a movie. They cost a lot more than they used to and BOY, if you want popcorn and a soda...well, prepare to sell a vital organ! But, every now and then, a movie comes along that really catches my attention. And at the D23 Expo in August, 2011, just such a movie did just that. 

When Joyce and I visited the Expo last year, one of the panels we enjoyed was the Inside The Walt Disney Studio panel. In this unbelievably incredible event, representatives from Disney talked about many of their upcoming movies, many of which were completed and just awaiting release. We were also shown a clip of an animated movie that wasn't completed at the time, some of the rendering was "glitchy", and some of the animation kind of flat. But, what we saw really grabbed us. The story line felt familiar. Not in the, Oh I've seen THIS plot before, way, but in more of a, familiar surroundings sort of way. Comfortable. That movie of course was Wreck It Ralph. Familiar because this film is set in the imaginative world of arcade games! A world I was completely immersed in during my youth...and unfortunately for Joyce, still am to this day!

Wreck It Ralph, as you may have guessed, brings to life the world of video games, where, after the arcade closes for the day, "Game Central Station" comes alive with characters from our favorite video games, including cameos from Sonic The Hedgehog, Q-Bert and more. Ralph is the villain in 30 year old (but still fairly popular) arcade game called Fix It Felix. It's Ralph's job to wreck the apartment building the good citizens all live in, and of course, it's up to Felix to repair all Ralph's damage with his magic hammer. For 30 long years, Ralph has lived in Felix's shadow. Every night after the arcade closes, the good citizens celebrate Felix's heroism, while poor Ralph is banished to his rubble-pile home. Then, for the 30th anniversary of Fix It Felix, Ralph sees that the citizens have thrown a huge party for Felix, complete with CAKE, but have neglected to include Ralph - without whom there would be NO game. As Ralph attempts to crash the party, he's informed that he's the bad guy, only the bad guy and will be nothing more. Of course, this does not sit well with our hero...err, I mean villain. 

So, Ralph decides he's tired of playing the role of bad-guy and takes matters into his own hands and sets out to prove everyone wrong. And that's where things get interesting! Now, I'd go into deeper detail, but I'd rather YOU go see this movie yourselves. Besides...no spoilers here!

Wreck It Ralph is without doubt one of the best movies we've seen in a long time. The animation is fantastic and the 3D version is amazing. As is usual, Disney paid so much attention to detail in this film that you almost forget it's animation - until Ralph knocks down a building! This film appeals to all ages really, and it's truly appropriate for everyone. The story is terrific, but beyond that, there is a touching and heartwarming message. See, Ralph is frustrated with his "lot in life", of not being appreciated. So he sets out to find the one thing that he feels will make others view him in a better light, but what he ends up finding is much, much more. As silly as it may sound, this movie actually has a deep personal and social meaning for me. In life, we tend to type-cast those around us as WE feel they are, not as they ARE. Just because someone plays the role of villain in life does not necessarily make them a villain. We all must look past what we see on the surface and look INSIDE of others, if we truly want to know them. What's that old saying..."Judge not lest YE be judged...". 

Wreck It Ralph offers a great escape from the real world, if only for a short time (something Disney is absolutely perfect at giving us). Yet it also serves up some valuable lessons, not just for the young ones but for adults as well. Without realizing we've just been schooled, Disney has created a great portal to teach everyone the value of others, to look past what we see, and see others as they are deep down. And when a movie can make me feel good about learning something, AND entertain me...well, full endorsement from me!  And you thought it was just another cute cartoon!  I highly recommend Disney's Wreck It Ralph to everyone. If I had a movie rating scale, of, oh, say 1-5 "Disneyland E-Tickets", I'd give Wreck It Ralph 5!  ~~ Al