3D BLU-RAY REVIEWS: Up and Finding Nemo

[JessHorsley]

Disney & Pixar Release Two Family Favorites for 3D Home Use...

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Disney and Pixar continue to impress families looking for great home entertainment with new re-releases of their older films in 3D. With Monsters, Inc. hitting theaters in 3D later this month (read more here), now's the perfect time for everyone to pick up two other newly released 3D movies that'll impress the whole family: Finding Nemo and Up.

Both Finding Nemo and Up are classic Disney films with everything fans and families have come to expect from the house that created the mouse: entertaining dialogue, dynamic characters, and an emotional roller coaster of an adventure. Both films feature plenty of drama, humor, and adventure and will appeal to movie-goers both young and old. Now, with both films available in 3D, the added appeal and depth makes for an even more engaging experience for families at home.

VIDEO

With an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and presented in gorgeous 1080p, Up is, simply put, gorgeous. The detailing on everything - be it clothing or hair, a home or blimp - comes through on this video. Even though the film originally debuted in theaters 3 years ago in 3D, it's only now receiving its 3D home video debut. While the film rarely forces its 3D on viewers, it's the minor, subtle use of 3D that's most impressive. This includes city settings, rural vistas, and the deep jungle scenes all prove not only impressive, but nearly breathtaking at times. Aerial shots of the house floating and the sky scenes will really impress.

Finding Nemo too is just as gorgeous, with an impressively converted film filled with scenes ripe for 3D at home. The underwater adventure makes amazing use of depth as schools of fish and other underwater sea creatures swim by, providing multiple layers of enjoyment. Optimized for the best home viewing experience, the entire crew of Finding Nemo looks brilliant here, the turtles riding the currents as well as the sharks tracing their ways through the sunken ships are two especially noticeable scenes in which the 3D comes to life. No matter what scene you're enjoying, the video is crystal clear, smooth, and easy to enjoy.

AUDIO

Up delivers a great audio experience thanks to the DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 ES soundtrack which fills the stage and ensures both the city and the jungle surround the viewer. Everything from the busy cityscape to the sparsely populated jungle provide ambient sound and dialogue is clear and easy to hear and understand. Overall, an impressive and all-around enjoyable experience. Likewise, Finding Nemo features a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack which includes everything - and I mean everything - one would expect to hear underwater. Bubbles pop, water swirls and moves, the music fills the speakers and dialogue is clear.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Both releases include a wealth of special features.

Up includes the Cine-Explore commentary featuring director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson. Both deliver an engaging, fun and deep Picture-in-Picture video commentary that also includes drawings, sketches, storyboards and alternate footage to keep fans entertained and informed. The 22-minute "Adventure Is Out There" featurette shows Docter and others discuss the creation of the film to include pre-production, story creation, and more. Seven various documentaries feature over 45 minutes worth of info and discuss everything from the film's "Geriatric Hero" (Carl) and the film's "Canine Companions" to the "Wilderness Explorer" (Russell) and "Our Giant Flightless Friend" (Kevin). These and other featurettes both inform and engage viewers. Other special features on Up include the 6-minute "Partly Cloudy" short film, a new animated short called "Doug's Special Mission" featuring the fan-favorite dog from the film, and two compilations of alternate scenes called "The Many Endings of Muntz" and "Married Life." Other special features include an interactive "Global Guardian Badge Game," a number of promotional spots, and the film's two trailers.

Finding Nemo special features includes the Cine-Explore commentary with director Andrew Stanton, co-director Lee Unkrich and co-writer Bob Peterson, who provide a fun P-in-P experience that's filled with interesting info, storyboards, concept art and more. An 18-minute "Finding Nemo: A Filmmakers' Roundtable" includes Stanton, Unkrich, Peterson as well as producer Graham Walters, production designer Ralph Eggleston and technical lead Oren Jacob for a retrospect on the film while the 15-minute "Reinventing the Submarine Voyage" gives viewers a look at the Disneyland attraction. The 8-minute "A Lesson in Flashbacks" includes Stanton discussing lessons learned, the 26-minute "Making Nemo" (formerly on the 2003 Collector's Edition DVD) is an informational behind-the-scenes documentary while the 7-minute "Exploring the Reef" features Jean-Michel Cousteau showing real-life reefs. Also included here are a 5-minute studio tour, a number of short featurettes, a number of deleted scenes and outtakes, and finally some promo material and trailers.

Overall, if you've seen these films before, you know just how exciting and entertaining Finding Nemo and Up can be. Now add another level of awesome - 3D - to that fun and you've got yourself Finding Nemo 3D and Up 3D. Both feature some of the most adored animated characters and some of the most memorable adventures in recent memory. Then, of course, add the opportunity to enjoy these at home in 3D and your family will fall in love all over again with an adventerous old man, a young scout, a talking dog, a lost clownfish, a recovering shark, and a forgetful Surgeonfish.

Both Finding Nemo 3D and Up 3D are available now wherever fine home video is sold.

- Jess C. Horsley