The ocean is indeed a wonderful, fascinating, albeit terrifying place, even if it's one of the primary elements that keeps countless species of beings alive. In a cosmic sort of way, the ocean represents life in all of its forms. Not to mention, a place for solace, introspection and relaxation. The sounds and smells of its beaches are what keeps those living by the ocean there, well into their elder years. But outside of going to the beach, us humans really can't grasp how important that beautiful body of water is for them survive. Or, in the words of the centerpiece of my favorite childhood Disney film "Finding Nemo", "it's big... and blue."
"Finding Nemo" is known in many circles by my fellow Millennials as not your typical children's movie, for obvious reasons. Every time I watch it, I can learn a lesson in some magnitude. Just to clear it up, this is coming from someone who's loved seeing the movie since they were six years old. And yes, I like every meme related to the movie. Now, while "Finding Dory" was almost as good, I feel that it lacks one thing that made the predecessor hold up for years: it showed audiences of all ages just how beautiful the ocean truly is. If you go back and watch the movie again, you'll discover just how focal the ocean's beauty is, although it isn't really used as a plot point. In my opinion, these scenes and sequences exemplified how marvelous the ocean was, and how mind-boggling it can also be:
Mr. Ray's field trip
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-ExYoeufOlUXoQ
Right from the jump, we're treated to seeing the reefs and sealife throughout the Pacific Ocean with Mr. Ray. For Nemo, it's his first day of school. Even though, on the trip, Marlin has to go and screw everything up by being such a neurotic Debbie Downer.
Marlin, Dory and the jellyfish
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-jellyfish-dori-mk69aYIERqCkg
BOING! BOING! BOING! BOING! It's the underwater Amazing Race... until a few stinging tentacles get involved.
The trench
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-dory-just-keep-swimming-OSUvN1q2ovbPO
I think we all know what happens here. Need we say more?
Turtle surfing in the East Australian current
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-5yiZM2maPPMe4
Times like this show how great it can be to go with the flow. And with 150-year-old radical turtles? Totally.
Inside the dentist's tank
https://giphy.com/gifs/disneypixar-disney-pixar-qdih3AF4qYMIo
This was essentially prison for the fish. If it wasn't that, then it was an asylum. Whatever it was, it showed how a group of beings could bond the same way they would in the ocean. Although, I must say that they shouldn't have waited until Darla killed her previous fish to leave the tank.
Any scene with the sharks
https://giphy.com/gifs/disney-quote-Le5eHA05wkYCs
This really helps break the stereotype about sharks eating everything in sight, or just mauling them altogether. Plus, it shows if addicts can overcome their issues, then so can sharks and other fish-eaters in the ocean (well, in the movie universe).
The drop off
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-marlyn-b5XZKIbjoquis
As horrifying as this whole sequence is, there's still beauty and humor to be appreciated.
The end credits
https://giphy.com/gifs/finding-nemo-sIXyL3p4tODAI
I know this GIF isn't actually from the end credits, but it comes close to it. We see various locations at the Great Barrier Reef from the movie, set against "Sailing" by Robbie Williams.
