Finding Nemo (2003)

 

Is 'Finding Nemo' one of the quintessential Pixar outings? Absolutely. Not only is it one heck of a gorgeously animated film, but you can rewatch it countless times and it never gets dull or less entertaining.

That's what you get when your script is on point and the performances are top notch.

On the Great Barrier Reef, clownfish Marlin is overprotective of his son Nemo. Things take a nasty turn when Nemo is taken by a diver and Marlin in his panic swims after him, not realising he is a bit out of his depth for this undertaking.

Heh, 'a bit out of his depth'. Because he's a fish. Get it?

I'll see myself out.

Marlin runs into Dory, an enthusiastic and friendly fish with a short term memory problem. Not only that, but they encounter sharks, turtles, jellyfish and more on their way to Sidney, where Nemo is stuck in an aquarium with a bunch of other fish who want to escape. 

See, a simple story, but filled to the brim with memorable characters and absurdly quotable dialogue. Well-written to a T. Every new scene has something that will stay with you. The sharks that want to become vegetarians (at least not eat fish anymore); the stoner turtles, the hilarious seagulls who only say the word "Mine!"... It just keeps coming. And the emotional beats hit hard at times. One might assume it's hard to feel anything for fish, but Pixar proves otherwise. 

Oh, and this film is still extremely funny without being a flat-out comedy. 

Nice.

Not much else to say really: this is highly recommended for all ages and it remains to this day one of Pixar's absolute best. Now just keep swimming.