'Finding Dory' Review: On Why it's a Worthy 'Nemo' Sequel

Rarely is a sequel worthy of its predecessor. Sequels often disappoint us, because we enter them with big expectations and a pre-conceived idea of what this universe should be; of what the tone should be. The filmmakers are then faced with a dilemma:
- either stick to what has been done with the first film; that means keeping the same structure, tone, and facing the risk of repeating yourself; we'll call that the Home Alone 2 syndrome.
- or they do something completely different, unexpected, with the consequence of losing the fans of the first film. That's the Cars 2 syndrome.

Fortunately, there's also a third option. The one for the worthy sequel which finds the right balance between looking back and saying something new. On this spoiler-free review, I'll explain why I think Dory is a rare example of that kind of sequel.

Watch: The Two First 'Finding Dory' Clips are a Combination of Old and New

At less than a month of its US release, Disney is going all in with its Finding Dory promotion: a theme song last week, a trailer Tuesday, and the two first clips today. Watch "Totally Sick" and "Meet Hank" below.

Watch: The Hilarious Latest 'Finding Dory' Trailer is Here

Pixar released a new trailer for Finding Dory, the long awaited sequel to its 2003 masterpiece Finding Nemo. The new adventures of Dory, Marlin and Nemo are almost there, nearly 13 years after the first film; and you can get a taste of how hilarious, heart-warming and beautiful Finding Dory will be with the trailer below.

Listen to Sia Perform Finding Dory's 'Unforgettable'

Finding Dory is not out before 17 June (for the American audience at least), but you can listen to the theme song right now: Sia performed Unforgettable live it in the Ellen DeGeneres show. Watch it / listen to it below.

Watch: The First TV Spot for 'Finding Dory'

Finding Dory is almost there (it arrives on 17 June in the US - 29th July in the UK), and that's precisely how Disney named the first TV spot for the upcoming movie: She's Almost There; watch the 30-second promotional video - still featuring a good amount of new footage - after the break.

Meet New Characters from 'Finding Dory'

Some drawings of the new Finding Dory characters made their way to the internet before, but this is the first time we are seeing some of them as they'll appear in the finished movie. USA Today got some exclusive pictures for the otters (above), Becky the loon and Rudder & Fluke the sea lions.

The Latest 'Finding Dory' Poster Brings Back Memories

A few days after premiering a trailer for Finding Dory on her YouTube channel, Ellen DeGeneres, the voice behind the forgetful fish shared a poster for the upcoming Pixar film on her twitter account. See the full poster after the break.

Just Keep Watching This 'Finding Dory' Trailer

Here it is! The first full trailer for the Finding Nemo sequel was revealed on the YouTube channel of the Ellen DeGeneres show, and you can now have a glimpse at how Dory is going to get back to her long lost family. Watch the Finding Dory trailer below.

These 4 Posters are Literally About 'Finding Dory'

 

Pixar just released four teaser posters for Finding Dory, where the blue fish voiced by Ellen Degeneres can be spotted hiding in various oceanic settings. See the three remaining posters after the break (click on them for a bigger version).

This 'Finding Dory' Concept Art Reveals Two New Characters

Entertainment Weekly got an exclusive concept art from Pixar upcoming Finding Dory. It shows off two of the new characters of the Finding Nemo sequel: Bailey the beluga (voiced by Ty Burrell) and Destiny the whale shark (played by Kaitlin Olson). EW also has a few informations on the film.

Watch: Dory Sleep-swims in the First 'Finding Dory' Teaser

Ellen DeGeneres debuted the first teaser of the long awaited sequel to Finding Nemo on her show today. And while the original film was released more than 12 years ago, when you look at this teaser it feels like it was just yesterday. Watch it below.

Idris Elba and Dominic West Wired Up for Finding Dory

Former The Wire co-stars Idris Elba and Dominic West are reportedly now part of the voice cast for Pixar's hotly anticipated Nemo sequel, Finding Dory! Or so says Dominic West, anyway.

Pete Docter Was Given Newt Before It Was Cancelled, Says Ed Catmull

Ed Catmull's got a book coming out. Creativity, Inc. tells the story of the studio's rise "from a small, money-losing hardware company to a movie studio with 1,200 employees and a streak of fourteen #1 movies in a row that has garnered 30 Academy Awards and earned more than $7 billion worldwide." And, to help promote that book, the Pixar president has been chatting to Fast Company, spilling a lot of really exciting and interesting titbits from inside the studio's walls. Like, for instance, what actually happened to newt. Read on to find out.

Pixar Rethinking Finding Dory Ending After Seeing Blackfish?

Yesterday we got our first real info about Pixar's Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory, which takes place about a year after Nemo: joining the returning voice cast are Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy and Ty Burrell. We also got the lovely bit of concept art above. But yesterday also brought an interesting, potentially spoiler-filled, rumour that suggested Pixar higher-ups are considering changing the film's ending.

Returning to Mars: 7 Reasons Why Andrew Stanton Should Get a Chance at John Carter 2

I just wrote an article for MoviePilot.com, detailing why I think Andrew Stanton's John Carter is enormously underrated, and listing 7 reasons why the director, who is currently helming Finding Dory for Pixar, should get a shot at a sequel. Here's the intro:

Andrew Stanton is an enormously respected name in the world of animation. The director is a double Oscar winner, having helmed two of the greatest animated films of all time, Finding Nemo and WALL-E. It’s hard to argue with the merits — dramatically, visually, thematically — of either of those films, which aren’t ‘good animated films’, they’re good films. Great, actually.

In recent years, we’ve seen directors moving in and out of animation. Gore Verbinski directed the Oscar-winning Rango, and Steven Spielberg helmed the acclaimed-but-snubbed-because-it’s-a-motion-capture-film The Adventures of Tintin; Brad Bird, who also made himself such a name at Pixar with The Incredibles and Ratatouille, successfully transitioned into live action with Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and is now hard at work, with Damon Lindelof, on Tomorrowland. Andrew Stanton, it seems, has been the unlucky one. His live-action directorial debut was John Carter, based on the epochal Princess of Mars books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, a film marked as noted only by its caustic reception and disastrous box office results, which shook Disney management all the way to its core.

So, Disney might rightly not be in a rush to green-light a second romp around Mars, but here are 7 reasons why they should:
Read the full list on MoviePilot »

Pixar Officially Announce Finding Dory For 2015 Release

Nope, this isn't a late April Fool's joke, you know that Finding Nemo sequel we've been hearing about for months now? Well, it's happening, it's coming in November 2015 and it's called Finding Dory. The sequel was as good as confirmed anyway, but Ellen DeGeneres, who voices the now-titular blue tang (and was said to be in talks to return to the role last summer) officially announced the film earlier today.

Take a Look Into Pixar and the Filmmaking Process Behind Brave

Pixar is the most beloved animation studio on the planet, and the most sought after. The studio, who most recently output the Golden Globe and BAFTA winning Brave, isn't open to the public, so, any little glimpse inside the illustrious halls of its Emeryville campus is always welcome - and here's another great one for you.

Nightline's Bob Woodruff visited Pixar, where he spoke to Brave director Mark Andrews (who engaged in a little sword fight with story supervisor Brian Larsen), producer Katherine Sarafian and executive producers Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter. It's another great little peak into how the cogs turn at Pixar, who, as this video points out, may take home their seventh Best Animated Feature Academy Award this Sunday.

The embed may be a bit dodgy, so you can check the video out here too.

Albert Brooks Set to Return for Finding Nemo 2

Brooks (center) with Willem Defoe and John Lasseter at the premiere of
Finding Nemo 3D.

Deadline is reporting that Albert Brooks, who so brilliantly lent his voice to father-clownfish Marlin in 2003's Finding Nemo, has signed on to reprise the role in Pixar's planned sequel. Finding Nemo is a source of unanimous praise, and one area that attracts significant adulation is its voice cast; in August we heard that Ellen DeGeneres was in talks to return to the role of Dory in the follow-up, so it's very reassuring to see that Brooks is back too.

Brooks was an absolute standout in an already brilliant film and, whatever direction Pixar take with the second film, - whether it be a sequel or a prequel - this is definitely going to help it be good. Brooks has taken a while to get pinned down to return though, likely affected by his recent bad-ass turn in 2011's Drive. It'll be interested to see - dependant on it being a sequel, of course - whether or not Alexander Gould, the voice of Nemo, (now 18) returns.

Who we do know, supposedly, is returning is director Andrew Stanton, who most recently directed controversial live-action film John Carter for Disney. Lindsey Collins (also John Carter) is set to produce and Victoria Strouse is handling the script. A 2016 release is being aimed for.

I'm more and more intrigued by Finding Nemo 2 as time passes, but I still can't quite escape the feeling it's just not necessary. But, at the end of the day, I trust Pixar, and I'm but a mere mortal, so if they want to make one, I believe they have ample cause.

Other Pixar news: Hilarious New Monsters University Trailer
Other voice cast news: Sandra Bullock Turning Evil for Despicable Me Spin-Off, Minions

Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Review

Pixar have a long and storied tradition with short films. As with their parent company, Disney, before them, the studio got their start with short films - films like The Adventures of André and Wally B., Luxo Jr. and Tin Toy. But while Disney has largely moved away from shorts (although seem to have returned to the format in recent years, with great short films like The Ballad of Nessie and Paperman), Pixar have remained loyal to short production - having one precede each of their feature films.

So, five years after its original Short Films Collection, Pixar have now released the second collection of its acclaimed short films on Blu-ray and DVD; and it's been worth the wait!

Andrew Stanton Confirms Finding Nemo 2; Talks John Carter

Rumour have been swirling over the past month or so, concerning the directorial future of Andrew Stanton. The two-time Oscar winner most recently directed Disney's famed mega-flop, John Carter. For one reason or another, the WALL-E director's passion project didn't find an audience and resulted in a $200 million write-down and executive shifts for the Mouse House. News broke last month though, that Stanton was returning to more familiar waters (pun intended) with a sequel to his 2003 mega-hit, Finding Nemo.

Since then, we've heard that Lindsey Collins was set to produce, Victoria Strouse had been penned to write the script, and Ellen DeGeneres was in talks to return as Dory, with a view to a 2016 release date. No word, though, had been heard from Pixar's camp, and nothing from Stanton himself, save a Tweet that seemed to deny the rumours. Until now.

Speaking to the LA Times, Stanton spoke candidly about the production of, and response to, the adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' 100 year old novel, and Nemo 2. Check it all out after the jump break: