Walt Disney Rio [DVD]

From the creators of Ice Age, Rio is comedic adventure that tells the story of Blu (voiced by The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg), a likeable “nerdy” bird who can’t fly who embarks upon a wild adventure in one of the most exotic and magical places on earth where he makes incredible friends, discovers his inner hero and finds that he has what it takes to soar. Special Features: Deleted scene Taio Cruz "Telling the World" music video Amazon.co.uk Review A classic tale of self-discovery, romance, and adventure, Rio is the story of Blu, a flightless macaw who was taken from the forests of Rio de Janeiro as a young bird and raised by a kind girl in a small Minnesota town. When an ornithologist comes to town and informs Blu's now-grown owner Linda that Blu is the last male of his species, Blu and Linda return to Rio so that Blu can mate with a feisty female named Jewel. Thus begins an adventure in which Blu encounters everything from the complexities of courtship and love, to thugs involved in an exotic animal theft ring, strange new friendships--including one with an overly friendly slobbering bulldog--and a crazy ride through a carnival parade. Blu and Linda both mature as a result of their journey in Rio, and love ensures that life will never be quite the same for either ever again. The animation in Rio is quite impressive, the characters are endearing, the Brazilian music is very appealing, and the star-studded voice cast includes Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Will.i.am, Wanda Sykes, Jane Lynch, George Lopez and Jamie Foxx. While the story doesn't really offer anything new--instead playing much like a rehashing of some of the major plot points from movies like Madagascar, Finding Nemo and Babe--that doesn't mean the film isn't perfectly entertaining for both kids and adults. (Ages 6 and older) --Tami Horiuchi