Reel Rating: 4 out of 5 Reels
MPAA Rating: G
Genre: Preschool, Musical, Animated
Runtime: 95 minutes
Cast: E. Austin Valentine, Gabriela Aisenberg, Sebastian Arcelus, Rosie Perez
Sex/Nudity: None
Violence/Gore: None
Language: None
Which Kids Will Like It? Ages 3 and older who like colorful, animated tales like Dora the Explorer.
Will Parents Like It? Yes! As preschool characters go, it doesn’t get much better than Diego and Dora. Their DVDs tell kids that it's fun to learn, that we should always respect the environment, and that it's good to help others. The essence of Diego and his pals is that it's not only our duty, but also our responsibility to help animals in trouble. All this, while at the same time de-creepifying things like snakes and lizards.
Special Features: Song selection, animal photo gallery, full screen format
Review: Diego Marquez, the hip cousin of Dora the Explorer, stars in this DVD with a midnight-madness spin. Based on the Nick Jr. TV series, each episode features the 8-year-old Latino boy and his buddies, using observation skills and high-tech gadgets to identify and locate animals in trouble.
They're joined by Diego's older sister, Alicia, a bilingual computer whiz who switches easily between English and Spanish. Other characters include Click, a high-tech camera with a knack for locating lost animals; Rescue Pack, a messenger bag that can morph into any form of transportation (wouldn’t that be handy?!); and the Bobo Brothers, a mischievous pair of spider monkeys who complicate things. Dora makes an appearance from time to time, too.
This 95-minute DVD includes three tales, and little viewers are always invited to help Diego and his pals. In the process, they learn a few Spanish words, sing a song or two, pick up some problem-solving skills and learn about animals and their habitats.
Here's a sneak peek at the episodes on this DVD:
1) Tuga Helps the Moon. The newly hatched baby sea turtles need moonlight to find their way back to the ocean. But when Luna breaks apart, Diego and Tuga the Leatherback Sea Turtle need your help to find the moon’s four pieces so she can shine brightly again.
2) Rainforest Rhapsody. Puma wants to sing in Alicia’s rainforest concert, but when he scares off the other animal singers, Diego and the Red-Eyed Tree Frogs need your help to find them all again.
3) Rhea is an Animal Rescuer. Rhea feels bad because he’s a bird that can’t fly. But he learns that he can do a lot of other great things when he becomes an Animal Rescuer and saves the day with you and Diego.
Jane Boursaw is a family entertainment writer specializing in movies and TV. Visit her at Reel Life With Jane; follow her on Twitter; become a friend on Facebook; email jboursaw@charter.net.
