Partysaurus Rex and Finding Nemo 3D

Partysaurus Rex and Finding Nemo 3D

Most of us have committed three addresses to memory: the house we grew up in, our current address and P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney! If you don’t know the third one, or it’s been a while since you’ve heard those words (or if you just need an excuse to see one of your favorite PIXAR films on the big screen again), then you’re in luck. Finding Nemo is the next PIXAR film to be re-released in theaters... in 3D!

I was privileged to see Finding Nemo 3D and the accompanying short Partysaurus Rex before they are released in theatres. Very cool seeing it early, but even cooler were the special 3D glasses  we were given to use during the screening. They look like scuba goggles! I think they are super cute. 

photo by Sammy Fries

The promo to turn your phone off was genius. I will not give it away but they fooled me.

The short came on first. Partysaurus Rex is the third short in the Toy Story Toons series, all of which are based on the characters from the Toy Story feature films. This one features Rex (voiced by Wallace Shawn), a cowardly T-Rex toy that’s definitely energetic and sometimes clumsy.  Partysaurus Rex shows a fun side of Rex when Rex gets left out in the bathroom and makes friends with a bathtub full of great characters we have yet to meet. The short was incredibly fun and really cute; I bet you’ll want to take a bubble bath with disco lights and music when you get home after seeing this one.  I think you will really enjoy the short so plan on getting to your theatre early so you do not miss it. Finding Nemo started right afterwards. 

We were each given little packs of sunscreen to take home.

Finding Nemo is one of my favorite Disney movies and I was thrilled at the chance to “sea” it again on the big screen. Directed by Lee Unkrich. Starring Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres and other amazing voice actors. Finding Nemo is second highest-grossing PIXAR film of all time and continues to be beloved by audiences worldwide.

As the story starts we meet a clown fish named Marlin and his wife Coral living in the picturesque Great Barrier Reef. As the story unfolds we learn the tragedy of Coral and Nemo's siblings. Marlin’s only surviving son, Nemo ventures into the open sea, despite his father's constant warnings about the ocean's dangers. Nemo is snatched away by a scuba diver and Marlin is committed to go find his son.

On his expedition Marlin happens upon Dory, a blue tang suffering from short-term memory loss. The companions travel a great distance, encountering various dangerous sea creatures, in order to rescue Nemo from the dentist's office.

Meanwhile, Nemo and the gang in Mt Wannahockaloogie  fish tank  plot a way to return to Sydney Harbor to live their lives free again and escape “fish –Killer” Darla..(Insert “Psycho” music here.)

Finding Nemo is a beautiful look at Australia with stunning imagery and vibrant colors. The view that is depicted from the window of P. Sherman’s dental office looks like it’s straight from real life. You can even see the Opera House in the background. The lighting and effects are breathtaking.

What do we learn from the movie? A lot. First and foremost, Just keep swimming. Friends take care of each other. There is a reason that Marlin is over-bearing but there comes a time when you need to let people, or fish in this case, do things for themselves.

Do not say things in haste. Nemo gives his father a stern look and says he hates him. He swims away and touches the “Butt!” Marlin is a good dad and does everything in his power to find the EAC leading him to his son. Marlin even asks for directions. And we learn that Fish are friends, not food.

Remember to look for a few hidden items from other PIXAR films:

Can you spot Buzz Lightyear tossed on the floor in the toy corner of the dentist office? Can you find a young boy reading a Mr. Incredible comic book? Can you notice A-113 and the Pizza planet truck? I did!

Finding Nemo is dedicated to the memory of Glenn McQueen (1960-2002), a PIXAR animator who would later be honored as the namesake of Lightning McQueen in Cars.

As with most films, stay until the end of the credits. The "anglerfish" that Marlin and Dory encounter on their quest to find Nemo, makes a cameo.

Remember to keep swimming, go with the flow and every now and than go out of your comfort zone and touch the Butt!

 Finding Nemo 3D swims into theaters on September 14, 2012, with a Blu-ray release following on December 4.