Alvin and the Chipmunks took over the scene in the late 1950s and returned in full swing in 2007 as computer generated images, known as CGI. The three little rascals look more real than ever now. Like the movie poster says, “Things are going to get messy.”
This time the chipmunks arrive in the home of struggling songwriter David Seville, who had just had his latest song rejected by JETT Records executive Ian Hawke, his old college roommate. To make the story even more interesting, Dave has a complicated a relationship with one-time girlfriend Claire Wilson, his next door neighbor.
When Alvin and his two buddies sing “Only You (And You Alone),” Dave realizes he has discovered three diamonds in the rough. This is when the movie really takes off. The Chipmunks sing the songs he writes and in return, Dave keeps them fed and sheltered. The singing and montages in the film are brilliant as Jason Lee does a fantastic job of playing off the little CGI animals.
One of my favorite scenes is when Theodore wakes up in the middle of the night, scared from a nightmare. Dave helps him feel safe by letting him sleep in his bed. A very cute part of the movie, any parent or child will relate to this heartwarming moment, which is later referred to with Uncle Ian in a rather poignant scene.
The chipmunks, being the little rascals they are, cause some major problems for Dave. But they are so adorable you can’t help but laugh, which really makes this a wonderful family movie. A really cute scene is when Alvin tries to create the mood for Dave’s reunion dinner with Claire. The dinner becomes very odd and strange, with Claire eventually bailing on Dave after he confesses, “My life is being sabotaged by talking chipmunks.”
Alvin and the Chipmunks want to make up for the blunder, so they record a hit song and get a record deal with Ian Hawke, making the trio more famous than the Jonas Brothers. The little animals work hard to keep up with the demand from the fans. Dave begins to worry about them and tries to get control over the situation. With missed opportunities and Hawke’s underhanded scheme to steal the chipmunks, Dave lets them go. Hawke tells the chipmunks to call him Uncle Ian, though his plan is just to make money off of them and doesn’t have their well-being in mind. Clearly, the little guys are overworked. They miss Dave and Dave misses them.
Directed by Tim Hill, Alvin and the Chipmunks is fun for everyone. It is a film that the whole family can watch together without worries of parents getting bored or jokes going over the kids’ head. The talented cast and voice actors make the movie. Some of the cast members are Jane Lynch from “Glee”, Justin Long as Alvin, Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon, Jesse McCartney as Theodore, David Cross as Ian Hawke, and of course, Jason Lee as Dave.
The DVD comes with a behind-the-scenes featurette detailing how the chipmunks’ singing was created. It is well worth the look, as you will discover the real singers of the movie.
For more information or questions regarding buying or selling used family DVDs from Alvin and the Chipmunks to The Nutty Professor, visit www.used-familyentertainment.com. If you have any questions, please email us at customerservice@secondspin.com.
About Brad Parmerter:
Brad Parmerter has almost 20 years experience in the music and entertainment industry as a writer, programmer, and merchandiser. He has professionally interviewed and photographed such artists as: Rush, Metallica, Celine Dion, Live, Phil Collins, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Live, Van Halen, Queensryche, Anna Nalick, Styx, Def Leppard, and many more.
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