Despite hitting theaters on June 17, I finally had the opportunity to see the highly anticipated "Finding Dory" last week. Since "Finding Nemo" was so successful and became such a classic, I was curious as to how well Disney PIXAR would be able to follow up with this movie. However, now that I've seen it, I can't believe that I ever suspected this movie to be anything less than amazing!

"Finding Dory" is the perfect blend of a movie that makes you laugh, but can also make you cry. It picks up right where "Finding Nemo" left off, with Dory, Nemo and Marlin happily reunited and living peacefully after their long journey to find Nemo. However, once someone asks Dory where she's from, she realizes that she somehow lost her parents at some point during her childhood. Determined to reunite with her parents, she then convinces Nemo and Marlin to embark on a journey with her to find them. Despite not having the best memory, Dory experiences several, vivid flashbacks to her childhood (which we enjoy mainly because baby Dory is adorable) which give them clues as to where they should go next. But, of course, they experience many twists, turns and new creatures along the way, making for a wild journey.

Of course, a major reason why I loved this movie so much is because of the humor. Despite being rated PG, even at 20 years of age, I might have been the person who was laughing the hardest in the whole theater. Just as you would expect, Ellen DeGeneres is absolutely hysterical in her return as Dory with even more "whale-talking" from the place where she actually first learned to speak "whale."

Also featured in this film are the voices of actors and actresses from some of TV's greatest comedies: "Modern Family" actors, Ed O'Neill as Hank the "septopus," and Ty Burrell as Bailey the beluga whale, and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actress, Kaitlin Olson as Destiny the whale shark. These stars, along with other characters you'll fall in love with, like Gerald the sea lion and Becky the loon (even though she doesn't actually say anything), will have you laughing so hard that you might just cry like I did.

Besides the comedic aspect, another reason why I loved this film was because of the powerful messages it conveyed to the audience. Without giving anything away, "Finding Dory" proves that, if you follow your gut and your instincts, then you can achieve almost anything you set your mind to; even if it seems like all hope is lost, there is always another way to make your dreams come true. Another heartfelt message that I got from this movie was that friends really can function as family. True friends always have your back and, as this movie proves, anything is possible with the love and support of your friends.

No matter how old you are, you will absolutely love "Finding Dory." If you have seen it, then you know what I'm talking about, but, if you haven't seen it yet, then there is no reason to wait any longer! Get out to your local movie theater and treat yourself to the movie of the summer!