Last weekend I had the privilege of checking out the new Blue Sky Studios animated movie called RIO (Blue Sky Studios – the same folks who gave us the Ice Age films) with my three children ages 14, 11 and 7. The event was hosted by Twentieth Century Fox, Power 106 FM Los Angeles, and The AMC Theatres at the Block At Orange. The Power 106 crew brought fun to the joint as hundreds of eager fans waited in line to get into the sneak preview, and AMC packed in the loyal viewers to experience the movie in ETX (ETX = wall-to-wall screens 20% larger than standard screens, and 13 channels of sound that literally make the seats rattle!)

All three of my kids absolutely loved it, and in my opinion, the movie was adorable! You couldn’t help but dance in your seat. As I watched the flick I thought, finally, an animated film with hip, urban flair. Rio’s hilarity was headed by actor/comedians Wanda Sykes, Jane Lynch, Jamie Foxx, and musician Will i Am (who is freaking hilarious by the way).

If you are looking for an enjoyable, family fun night flick, or a hip movie to see with a group of friends, RIO is an excellent choice. Let me put it to you this way, if  films are like birds of a feather and flock together, this one is right up there with Ice Age and Monsters Inc, meaning, even though these films are made for kids, they are DEFINITELY enjoyable for big kids (aka adults) as well.

Official Movie Trailer:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/rio/

Synopsis:
RIO is a 3-D animation feature from the makers of the “Ice Age” films. Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there’s another – and that she’s a she – he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. But it’s far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life’s many wonders. RIO brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.

(Cast info courtesy of IMDB)
Cast
	Leslie Mann	…	Linda (voice)
	Jesse Eisenberg	…	Blu (voice)
	Wanda Sykes	…	Chloe (The Goose) (voice)
	Jane Lynch	…	Alice (The Other Goose) (voice)
	Rodrigo Santoro	…	Tulio / Soccer Announcer (voice)
	Jamie Foxx	…	Nico (voice)
	Will i Am	…	Pedro (voice) (as will.i.am)
	Phil Miler	…	Aviary Intern / Waiter (voice)
	Anne Hathaway	…	Jewel (voice)
	Bernardo de Paula	…	Sylvio / Kipo (voice)