Rio

Captured by smugglers when he was just a hatchling, a macaw named Blu never learned to fly and lives a happily domesticated life in Minnesota with his human friend, Linda. Blu is thought to be the last of his kind, but when word comes that Jewel, a lone female, lives in Rio de Janeiro, Blu and Linda go to meet her. Animal smugglers kidnap Blu and Jewel, but the pair soon escape and begin a perilous adventure back to freedom -- and Linda.

Rio lands solidly in the middle of animated-film discourse: audiences responded warmly to its carnival energy, bright visuals, and voice work, while critics were more divided over whether the colorful spectacle adds up to anything more than cheerful noise. The animation and music draw consistent praise, but the plot's relentless chase structure and lack of depth kept several reviewers from calling it a genuine crowd-pleaser at Pixar's level.