While it lacks some of the innocent charm of Pixar's similarly oceanic-themed Finding Nemo, Dreamworks' computer animated fish opera works from a more adult source, spoofing Coppola's The Godfather with an impressive array of all-star vocal talents. Its soundtrack may be one of the film's most consistently successful elements, a party-ready mix of contemporary r&b and hip-hop lite. Two of the highlights here are rooted in a 1970s disco groove: Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott take a slinky cruise through a beat-drenched take on "Car Wash," while Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real" is given a soul-pumped turn by Mary J. Blige (featuring a new rap break by star Will Smith and healthy samples of Lynn's original). Other standouts include fan 3's infectious "Digits," the pop-reggae inflected "Three Little Birds" by Sean Paul and Ziggy Marley, India Arie's dusky, seductive "Get It Together" and the Ludacris workout "Gold Digger." An excerpt from Hans Zimmer's antic, suitably tongue-in-cheek orchestral underscore closes the collection out. --Jerry McCulley
