Disney’s introduction of “Finding Nemo” on Blu-ray 3D ($49.99) provides the most impressive 3D of any Pixar movie to date.
The distinction is obvious immediately with the underwater “drop-off” animation in the background of the main menu home page. The colors are stunning and the depth so palpable that it feels like you are submerged with SCUBA gear.
The inherent underwater visuals throughout the movie provide a panoply of opportunities for showcasing dynamic depth between all the fish — individual and in schools, as well as the reefs and other aquatic lifeforms. It also gives the dark and scary scenes a more palpable sense of fear.
While it is still not as dynamic as the 3D in other movies, it’s a notable improvement for Pixar, which tends to play the 3D format pretty conservatively.
The 3D disc also offers three 3D trailers for this month’s upcoming Blu-ray 3D re-release of “Monsters, Inc,” as a precursor to the upcoming theatrical sequel “Monster University,” also in 3D. The first made-for-Blu-ray 3D movie “Planes,” is also previewed here.
The only other 3D bonus feature is a series of seven 30-minute animations called “Aquariums,” including animated but little-changing scenes of anemones, school of fish, reef, plate corral, sandy reef, jelly fish, or tha main menu “drop-off” background, any of which viewers can choose one to play to convert their display into a virtual aquarium.
The aquariums are one of many of the bonus features offered on previous DVD releases of the movie, and one of the few that has been converted from standard-def. Most of the other previous bonus features, most of which are engaging behind-the-scenes featurettes, are not converted to Hi-Def or 3D despite being on Blu-ray.
Disappointingly, the Pixar animated short that ran with the theatrical re-release this summer, the latest Toy Story Toons 3D short called “Partysaurus Rex,” is not included here.
— By Scott Hettrick