Finding Dory Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Lynn Barker on Nov 15, 2016

Rating:

Finding Dory was a huge, international hit. Are there cool and fun extras on the Blu-ray? Check out Kidzworld’s Blu-ray & DVD review.

By: Lynn Barker

In Finding Dory, it is six months after we went to find Nemo and Dory has suddenly remembered some of her childhood. With the help of Nemo, dad Marlin and some new friends, can she travel to Morro Bay, Ca. and find her parents?

Baby Dory with her mom and dadCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

I Remember Mom and Dad!

One year has passed since Nemo (voice of Hayden Rolence) was rescued by Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) and his overprotective dad Marlin (Albert Brooks). Dory is still their pal and they are used to her forgetful nature. She suddenly can’t deny a feeling that her parents(Jenny (Diane Keaton) and Charlie (Eugene Levy) are out there somewhere waiting for her.

Dory's loving parentsCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

Beware the Undertow

Someone mentions the “undertow” and it triggers a memory in which mom and dad taught Dory to avoid it. She knows she got separated from them unwillingly. She remembers something about California and, with Marlin along and with help again from the turtles who ride the California current, they end up in front of the Marine Life Institute where poor Dory gets scooped up by some kids in a boat. (“Oh No. Not again!” says Marlin).

Hank the octopus with a rescued DoryCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

Marine Life Hospital

The kids give Dory to the “hospital” at the Marine Life Institute where spokeswoman Sigourney Weaver tells us the mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release. In the many colorful aquariums are many species of marine life stared at in wonder by families. In various tanks and environs, Dory meets Hank an octopus who has lost a tentacle, Bailey, a Beluga whale, Destiny, a shark whale who can barely see and two wacky sea lions.

Hank the octopus holds Dory in a cup of waterCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

A Family Reunion?

Dory’s learns that her parents ended up in the hospital section looking for her but that was years ago. If Dory can follow directions on how to get there through a series of pipes, they might still be there or someone might know where they are now. Of course her memory loss makes getting there hard and it might take several adventures both inside and outside the Institute for Dory and her friends before she and her folks are finally reunited.

Hank helps Dory on the search for her parentsCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

Special Extra Features

As with most Disney home entertainment offerings, this Blu-ray has quite a few. On a separate “Bonus disc” you get:

Behind the Scenes – a multi-part feature discussing the art of animation, the film’s music, showing us funny computer mistakes, the Finding Nemo story told with Emojis, some funny fish antics etc. All of these are short but enjoyable.
Living Aquariums takes the underwater backgrounds developed by the animators and just lets us watch fish swim by with sound effects. Very colorful and calming.
Deleted Scenes with explanations by the director as to why they were cut is fun to watch once. Most of the scenes are just in crude storyboard form. You can see why you don’t need these in the film.
On the disc that contains the actual film, we get:

Bailey and Destiny try to help DoryCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

The adorable short film Piper, about a baby sandpiper’s journey from nest to pecking for his own food. You just want to pick up this little guy and pet, pet, pet!
In Marine Life Interviews, we get different aquatic animals talking about Dory. Very short but cute.

Baby Piper on the beachCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

The Octopus That Nearly Broke Pixar tells us all about octopus Hank in the film and how very difficult he was to computer animate. Fun.
What Were We Talking About? follows Dory’s short-term memory loss from her babyhood to the time of the film.
Casual Carpool is very different for this kind of Blu-ray. We have the major male voice actors in the film riding around in the director’s car while he drives them to work. A few, funny and silly moments.
Animation & Acting presents the director working with the voice actors during their recordings and each actor talking about his character. Enjoyable.
Deep in the Kelp gives us a young Disney actress hosting a piece about the animators watching, sketching and photographing various creatures at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Interesting.

Dory wants to go on a class tripCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

Creature Features presents each voice actor giving special facts about their character and the type of fish/aquatic creature they are.. some interesting facts revealed by actors who obviously enjoyed their work.
Feature Audio Commentary by the directors and a producer discussing making Dory as a sequel, the changes they made as the film progressed, bringing in new characters, scenes they cut, etc. Pretty complete talk on the animation movie process. Watch after you have seen the film at least once.

Fish pass by in the Living Aquarium extraCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

Wrapping Up

Dory’s motto is “Just keep swimming” and that is something we all have to do, especially Americans who are in turmoil right now. Finding Dory is a great, joyful film to watch as an escape. When things get tough, the tough keep swimming.

Ellen DeGeneres with director Andrew StantonCourtesy of Disney•Pixar

This Blu-ray looks and sounds just great….so colorful! Extras a mostly quite short but all are very sweet and watchable. This would make a great buy now for later holiday gift giving. As we did for the film in theaters, we go 5 stars.