Find Nemo 3D

Well last Sundays plan to see Finding Nemo 3D did pan out as expected. I spent the first part of  Fathers day enyjoying a great family  meal at Wellington's Joes Garage (where they serve my favourite coffee).  Then  followed twenty minutes of waiting in line to enter the preview screening being run by one of our local Radio Stations.  Only  to be told that there had been an almighty screw up with the cinema and the screening had been pushed back two hours to four oclock.
     Well we had already been in town for two hours, and my 4 year old was now running out of steam.  We therefore decided it was best to head for  home. We were not alone with many other parents deciding the same.
      Well my cinema drought ended yesterday when I took my four year old boy to finally see Nemo up on the big screen with the added 3d element.  Now I'm not going to break into a review, this isn't a new release and I suspect it being Pixar many of you will have it on DVD but I will comment on the extra dimension.
     Animated titles suit 3D well, but Nemo is a mixed bag, there are scenes that shine in 3D and then there are scenes which don't. Basically anything that is just a blue expanse gains nothing from the extra dimension. Intimate scenes, or scenes where the screen is busy however do. If your exposing your child to the film for the first time, then Nemo is Nemo. Its a great movie well told and it rattles along at a cracking pace. But if your just wanting to see this in 3D I'd think carefully about it. It just didn't wow me in the way I thought it would. This is one film where 2D is best.

Puss In Boots

Puss in Boots was a welcome diversion on a warm Sunday afternoon after the trials of Pre Christmas planning and the wifes dominance of the TV watching Cricket. I was sort of reluctant to see this film not having enjoyed the previous two Shrek adventures and expecting more of the same. How wrong can one be. This is an enjoyable little romp perfect for the holiday season and acts as a prequel and orgin tale all rolled into one taking place before his appearence in Shrek 2.
It works, this is a character that just plain works, in a tale that is not so in your face with the smart fairy tale references and knowing in jokes. For this reason I loved it, it has that magical mix of humour, overblown set peices and energy that only animation can deliver.
    Its no secret in my household that as a rabid Steven Spielberg fan (Jaws and Raiders being my regular comfort film fixes)I was holding out  for Tintin's arrival on these shores but this film has warmed me up for the Christmas glut of movies due to arrive in the next few weeks.
    The story is simple and well told, the jokes all hit their marks and Zach Galifinakis and Salma Hayek bring character to their respective roles. Not wanting to spoil too much this still has a fairy tale main plot in this case a heist involving Jack's Beanstalk and the goose that laid the golden egg. Zach voices Humpty Dumpty as a schemer and a dreamer and Salma a rival protaganist and potential love interest for our hero ,is the feline  Kitty Soft Paws. This is a great family film and extra kudo's for its use of 3D.
Animation is always a winner in 3D, and this film is a standout, adding depth where needed and scope and scale which supports its more eye opening fantastical spectalce. So a highly recommended from me.