Finding Dory

In a world of movie ads, these are the best.

Even America’s best animation studio isn’t perfect.

Donald Trump incited widespread panic among his many detractors when he first elbowed his way into the American presidency back in November. But even as matters got bleaker and bleaker, some tried to find a silver lining in the notion that a slide into fascism would at least yield some good ‘n’ furious protest art. Little did we know that the most searing indictment of Trump and his policies had already been scripted, completed, and released months before the noted reality TV star took office. I am referring, of course, to the complex political allegory Finding Dory.

January’s almost over, and when the calendar rolls over to February, there will be a whole new batch of movies and TV shows coming to Netflix for your streaming pleasure. This month’s highlights include a few big recent premieres (like Pixar’s latest hit, Finding Dory), and a few big Netflix Originals (like the new series Santa Clarita Diet starring Drew Barrymore). The recent Sundance hit I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore shows up next month, and if you’re looking for something to watch on Valentine’s day there’s also a “big, sexy” special starring Michael Bolton. There’s no way that could work out badly for you.

An audience of children and their parents out for a day of family fun at a movie theater in California were horrified to watch the red-band trailer of Seth Rogen's Sausage Party film before the airing of Finding Dory.

It took 20 years for Roland Emmerich to deliver a sequel to Independence Day, a film that’s largely responsible for the modern summer blockbuster season. Unfortunately, it looks like most audiences didn’t think it was worth the wait. As predicted in recent weeks, Resurgence crash-landed in theaters with an underwhelming opening weekend that was no match for Pixar’s Finding Dory.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Finding Dory opened at number one at the box office this week and did enormous business, but the folks at Disney and Pixar must be breathing a sigh of relief. After all, last year’s The Good Dinosaur was the first film to come out of the venerable animation studio that could be considered a legitimate box office disappointment, especially since it came in the wake of the massively successful Inside Out. The massive opening weekend for the sequel to Finding Nemo repositions Pixar in its rightful place on the top of the animated movie food chain.

If you like to pay $5 for a cup of ice and caramel sauce, Starbucks has got you covered this summer.

An 11-year-old from Aurora is the new voice of Nemo in "Finding Dory."