Monday, September 5, 2011

Rio



Plot Synopsis: When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams 

 Let me start out by saying I have a 2yr old son, so we watch a lot of children's films.  Some of them are good, like essentially everything from Pyxar.  Some are horrible, like Shark Tale, and Astro Boy, and Some are great, like Ice Age and Rio.  Yes Rio, the film about the blue bird named Blu.  Not allot of thought from his owner when it came to choosing a name for a life long companion.  My son loves this film as it's on for background noise just about always.  Not that I'm complaining because it's leaps and bounds better then Princess and the Frog, which was last month's background film. That was just crap.  I don't mind Rio being on all the time.  I actually really like it.
  Rio center on a blue Macaw named Blu who was taken from his nest in Rio, and fell off a truck in Minnesota.  He is found by girl named Linda, who raises the bird from baby to adult.  They do everything together.  She even takes it to prom as her date.  Creepy right?  As the bird is so domesticated he never learns to fly.  One day a bird professor, who just happens to be in Minnesota for reasons never explained sees Blu and convinces Linda to bring him to Rio so he can mate with the only other Blue Macaw on earth named Jewel.
  Once there the birds are kidnapped by an evil Cockatoo and delivered to bird dealers.  See this is a kids film, so instead of smuggling cocaine, these bad guys smuggle birds.  One plot hole, the bird dealers talk about how much money there is to be made in smuggling birds, but they live in some crappy shak.  They must be dealing in cheap birds.  The two birds break out, but seeing as how they have been chained together need each others help.  Blue wants to find Linda and go home, while Jewel just wants to be free.  Of course they are chased by the evil bird, the bird dealers, and the evil monkeys.  But never fear they have help in the form of a Toucan, a bulldog, and 2 other birds who I have no idea what they are.
  The voice acting in this is fantastic.  Jessie Eisenberg, who's career has really  blown up as of late does a fantastic job as Blu.  Anne Hathaway, who is about to be the most anorexic looking Catwoman in history does a fine job as Jewel.  Tracey Morgan, who's involvement in a children's cartoon I question is good as the Bulldog, Luis, and don't worry parents he doesn't call any birds retards, or monkeys, or anything like that.  Will I. Am, who I have no clue who he is and Jaime Foxx do well as two of the birds trying to help Blu and Jewel, but its George Lopez as Rafael that not only shine's, but his performance shocks the holy hell out of me.
  I cant stand George Lopez.  No he has never done anything too me personally, I just cant stand him.  He's not funny, he's probably, in my opinion 3 steps below the terminally unfunny Joe Piscapo when it comes to comedic talent.  But he is absolutely wonderful in this part.  Out of all the voice acting, his is the best.  You can actually believe that the bird he is voicing is a real person.  The way he conveys his emotions is nothing short of spectacular.  In fact I will go so fr to say it may be the best voice acting I personally have ever heard.  Maybe its the fact I cant see his giant head, and crooked eyes that make his voice on a big nosed bird easy to take.
  Unlike most cartoons that come out now a days this one is not full of jokes for adults.  Don't get me wrong, its funny, but nothing here is going over a kids head.  The jokes are just that cute.  It is a film that's fun for the whole family, no matter what the age.  It's rated G, where as most cartoons a rated PG no a days.  Highly recommended for all tastes, and ages.  Pick it up, you wont be disappointed.  Just buy it.  Its worth owning, as I promise you will watch it time, and time again.

Overall 4 out of 5 stars.

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