★★★★☆ (4/5 – For nostalgia, though the quality is dated)

A Time Capsule of Tears and Tube TVs: Revisiting Finding Nemo on VHS

In an era dominated by 4K restorations and Disney+, popping the VHS of Finding Nemo into a bulky CRT television feels like an act of rebellion. While Pixar’s 2003 masterpiece was a showcase for digital animation, the VHS release offers a strangely comforting, albeit flawed, experience that DVD and Blu-ray fans simply won't understand.

Watch it on a 13-inch TV/VCR combo for the true "dentist office waiting room" experience.

Let’s be honest: VHS was not kind to widescreen cinema. This is the dreaded "Pan & Scan" version (fullscreen 4:3). You lose about 40% of the image. Remember the beautiful shot of the jellyfish forest? On VHS, you’re mostly looking at Marlin’s fin while the horror to his right is cropped out. Also, fast-forwarding to find the "Just keep swimming" scene requires the patience of Dory herself.