HOLLYWOOD—There is a reason I remember the first animated flick “Rio” which invaded multiplexes in 2011. It’s because it was quite funny to say the least to follow a kooky clan of birds navigating themselves in the wilderness.

The reason the movie stayed with me is because of an embarrassing moment involving my five-year old nephew who incessantly shouted “Blu, Blu, Blu” on countless occasions during the movie. It was funny, but also annoying at the same time.

Well Blu (voice of Jesse Eisenberg), Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway), Rafael (voice of George Lopez), Nico (voice of Jamie Foxx) and Pedro (voice of will.i.am) are all back for “Rio 2.” This time the movie follows Blu and Jewel, who with their trio of kids leaveRio de Janeiroto travel to the Amazon rainforest to locate more of their breed and run into a load of trouble along the way.

I absolutely loved this picture because the laughs are so frequent and unexpected. Foxx is a treat playing the wise-talking Nico, and Jermaine Clement as the voice of Nigel, just oozes evil in a way that is both frightening for kids, but also hilarious for adults. He’s the type of villain which would be present in an actual adult film; he’s so wicked and has the perfect comedic timing; one can’t help but laugh at the words that come out of his mouth.

At the core of the picture is the importance of family, as Jewel is forced to examine a past life that she had completely shut-out, as she reunites with her long-lost father Eduardo (voice of Andy Garcia). This creates an interesting dynamic between father and daughter, but also Jewel’s significant other Blu, who had quite the issue with acclimating to change in the first picture, and the same takes place here also.

We also have the additions of new characters in Dr. Monae (voice of Janelle Monae), Gabby (voice of Kristin Chenoweth) and Roberto (voice of Bruno Mars). Some would argue that “Rio2” has a ton of characters, but what animated flick doesn’t? The hefty character count does not deter the narrative in my opinion, it propels the story and makes it that much more interesting to watch. There is also plenty of singing thrown in the mix to keep the kids bouncing their heads and the adults remembering catchy tunes well after the film ends.

“Rio 2” invades the multiplex at just the perfect time: spring! The film gives the audience good weather, tons of outdoor festivities and delivers a boatload of laughs to satisfy all ages. It’s a must-see in my book.

By LaDale Anderson