MOVIES IN REVIEW

Rio 2

Monday my nieces were celebrating their last day of their Spring Break, which was shortened due to so many snow days from the brutal winter this year. So, after spending the majority of the day outside soaking in some Vitamin D and enjoying the spring weather, we decided to go and see Rio 2. We love Rio, so naturally we wanted to see the second movie. We weren't disappointed and there were plenty of favorite scenes, each of us have different favorite scenes. My nieces and I did so the 3D experience; I love 3D, what can I say.

The movie kicks off with a toe-tapping intro back into Rio de Janeiro Independence Day celebration. It's a gorgeous scene and it brings us right back to Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway) and Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg). They are partying-it-up with ease since they know their three young birds are with good friends... when they bump into those friends at the party, immediate anxiety rushes over the parents. The next scene we're introduced to Blu and Jewel's three young birds. The boy is the wannabe stuntman, one of the girls is a bookworm and because of this has a lot of knowledge, and their other daughter is the reserved to-herself child. As they're taking advantage of their make-shift babysitter, Blu and Jewel busts up their attempt in celebrating. 

The next morning Jewel is excited about teaching the kids how to open a nut, but when she arrives she is shocked to see Blu making pancakes for them, and their children not connecting more to nature. They are interrupted by breaking news, how their humans Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) and Tulio (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro) are in the Amazon and believe they have made a great discovery. They had traveled to the Amazon originally to release a bird back into nature that they had rescued. After they accidently take some rides on white water, they happen to see, very briefly, what they believed was a Blu Macaw. So, they set-up camp and begin the adventure of trying to find them. At the same time Jewel jumps at the chance and suggests that the family take flight, stretch their wings, and go to the Amazon. It's especially exciting because they had thought they were the last of their breed. 

What could dampen their celebration? A greedy villain wanting all the Brazil Nuts that are in the Amazon that would hurt the Macaw's living there. Nigel also gets wind and sets out to take his revenge on Blu, since at the end of the last movie he sustained permanent damage; he can no longer fly. However, he has some help, an ant eater and a cute frog named Gabi (who has a huge crush on Nigel). Gabi was my youngest nieces favorite character and is voiced by the talented Kristin Chenoweth.

When Blu, Jewel, and their family reach the Amazon they are immediately taken to the Macaw's and Jewel is reconnected with her father. My nieces really loved the music, especially when Jewels Dad tells her kids to call him Poppop and he sings about it in the songs "just call me pop-pop-pop" (voiced by Andy Garcia).

However, "Poppop" or as he wants Blu to call him "Sir", he has to make sure his daughter is paired with the right bird. He tests Blu and it doesn't help that Jewel has a male friend from her past that Blu feels threatened by. He's beyond stressed and when he tells Jewel that it's time to go home, Jewel is conflicted because her and the kids are thriving in the Amazon and she wants to stay. 

Meanwhile Linda and Tolio have collided with the bad guys destroying the Amazon and are tied to a huge tree that is due for demolition. When Blu flies off from Jewel, he goes to find Linda. When he finds her he quickly helps them escape and they know it's crucial that they have to work together to save the Amazon and the Macaw's habitats and homes. In the end Nigel is taken by Tolio and Linda, and the Blue Macaw's stay with their family. Overall, it's a great movie that everyone in your family will enjoy.