When it comes to the history of animated movies, the 2010s were a golden era for the genre. Marked by a new Disney Renaissance with iconic films like Frozen and Moana, Pixar’s continued excellence with everything from Inside Out to Coco, and other beloved titles like Rango and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the decade was one of the strongest for animation, but not every film received the same amount of recognition. Thanks to Tubi, fans now have the chance to rediscover an underrated masterpiece of 2010s animation after the movie arrived on the free streaming platform in February.
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That movie is Rio, Carlos Saldanha’s 2011 animated musical comedy film about a domesticated, flightless macaw named Blu from Minnesota who travels to Rio de Janeiro to mate with the last female of his species, Jewel. When they are kidnapped by smugglers, they must band together as they navigate a high-stakes adventure to freedom. The movie, starring the voices of Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg, started streaming on Tubi on February 1st. Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, and Jamie Foxx also voice characters in the movie, which grossed $484 million against a $90 million budget.
Rio Is a High-Energy Adventure Perfect for the Entire Family
While not always ranked among the top-tier, critically acclaimed masterpieces of the 2010s like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Moana, and Frozen, Rio is definitely a film that deserves to be on the watchlist for family movie night. The animated venture is the type of infectious movie that will have the entire family – adults and kids alike – out of their seats and dancing and singing along to the high-energy samba-infused soundtrack, including songs like the Oscar-nominated “Real in Rio,” and fully captivated by the visually vibrant animation style, one of the best of the era. The entire movie is like a vibrant, musical tour of Rio de Janeiro, and the vibrant, rich colors and stunning, detailed shots, ranging from the city’s lush jungles to the beaches and even the lively Carnival parade, perfectly captured the energy of the city.
Outside of its visual and musical feats, Rio is really just an all-around great movie. The plot, while pretty classic and simple, is a rollercoaster of comedy, adventure, and romance and fun for adults and kids alike. The themes of friendship, courage, and finding one’s own freedom are great for younger viewers. And Rio’s star-studded voice cast, all of whom deliver strong and charismatic performances, is a big draw for adults. It’s really a shame that Rio doesn’t get more recognition, because the movie really is an underrated gem of early 2010s animation. The movie is rated fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 72% critic score and 71% audience rating.
Other Family-Friendly Movies Now on Tubi
Tubi is a great resource for family movie night. The streaming platform’s free content catalog boasts a deep catalog of family-friendly films, and that lineup grew in February with the arrival of titles like The Angry Birds Movie 2, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!, both Open Season and Open Season 2, and Secondhand Lions. Tubi’s February lineup also brought the original Spy Kids trilogy of the 2000s.
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