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Often hailed as one of the early heralds of the independent film movement, this first offering from the Coen brothers was… well, disappointing. It contains very little of their usual quirky comedy and instead comes off as a film school attempt at making a creepy David Lynchy indie film. It still has its high points — the plot has lots of fun twists, the cinematography is perfect for the setting and story — it’s just… not all that interesting.

In summary, I take back what I said in my review of Intolerable Cruelty. There is now one Coen brothers movie that disappoints.

I hate Disney, but I love Pixar. Go figure.

It’s just… I’ve loved everything they’ve done so far, and so little of that has to do with the actual CGI. They have such a great handle on what makes a great kids’ movie: writing clever scripts that aren’t just one-dimensional morality tales that patronize the kids. Finding Nemo is no exception to the airtight formula they established years ago.

If you asked me to find the best vocal “odd couple” for an animated film — one uptight, neurotic character and one silly free spirit, I likely would come back to you with Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres. That casting alone earns Nemo a permanent place in my DVD collection.

Everything else though — the dialogue, the story and yes, even the computer generated imagery — is of the caliber that we’ve come to expect from the people who brought us the two Toy Story movies, Monsters Inc. and A Bug’s Life. This summer’s offering is The Incredibles, their take on superheroes. I can’t wait.