Here we are more than four months into 2011 and overall the films so far this year have been disappointing. Fortunately we appear to have broken out of that rut with Rio.
Blu (voice of Jesse Eisenberg) is one of the last two remaining Blue Cockatoos in the world. He lives with his bookstore owning best friend Linda (voice of Leslie Mann) in Minnesota. He has a good life but is unable to fly. One day a doctor of Ornithology comes to the bookstore and convinces Blu and Linda to go to Rio De Janeiro to meet the other Blue Cockatoo and save the species. Her name is Jewel and she is voiced by the always charming Anne Hathaway. Jewel wants freedom. Unfortunately for her she is chained to Blu after bird smugglers steal them from an aviary. Then they escape and go on an adventure where they meet a toucan named Rafeal (George Lopez), a bulldog named Luiz (Tracy Morgan) and a pair of song and dance birds (Jaime Foxx and Will. I. Am.)
The only criticism I have for the movie is the use of slow motion in one scene. I'm tired of seeing that in every animated movie these days. It's a cliché and it doesn't add anything special for me.
I am most surprised by the fact that, although they normally irritate me, George Lopez and Tracy Morgan are great in this movie. I found myself enjoying the movie much more when Lopez' character came on. Both of them are kept in check enough that they don't take over the screen. As I said I adore Anne Hathaway. Every one of her films I enjoy enough to watch more than once. Well, except maybe Bride Wars.
The movie is charming and bright and colorful and fun. Even the human villains are more bungling idiots than a real serious threat. It wouldn't fit this movie for them to die so instead each one of them is embarrassed beyond belief.
This is the best movie I have seen this year.
★★★★
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