BEFORE: Like "Jimmy Neutron", another film based on a TV cartoon - and like "Jimmy Neutron", one that focuses on characters constantly getting into trouble. OK, I know it's not much of a connection - but I'm sticking with animated films because each one gives me about 30 minutes more free time than a regular 2-hour movie does. And yesterday's benefit for the Humane Society has put me on an animal-themed track - I could watch a chain based around cats or dogs, but rodent-based films are going to synch up rather well with this week's birthdays.
Linking actors: Patrick Stewart from "Jimmy Neutron" was in "X-Men" with Anna Paquin, who was in "Almost Famous" with Jason Lee (last seen in "Stealing Harvard"). Took me a while to find that one.
THE PLOT: The world famous singing pre-teen chipmunk trio return to contend with the pressures of school, celebrity, and a rival female music group known as The Chipettes.
AFTER: Not one but TWO crippling accidents in the first few minutes of this film, sidelining both Jason Lee's Dave Seville AND his back-up care-giver (because thinking up different plot points is like, HARD and stuff), placing the chipmunks in the hands of a slacker cousin - like the kids in "Jimmy Neutron", the chipmunks get to run amok (a-monk?) for a while, and Jason Lee gets to phone in his performance - literally, his character calls from the hospital once in a while.
It's hard for me to take films seriously when they're aimed at children - or people with a 5-year old mentality, I reckon. Maybe kids like the singing rodents with the sped-up voices, but I have to judge these films as the adult I am. Why watch this film at all? Aren't there better, more serious films to be watching? Perhaps, but I assure you there is a plan to get to everything on my list, in due time. If I can make it through this week, hopefully better films are on the horizon.
But taking the child-friendly nature of the film into account, it's hard for me to take pot-shots at the plot, which send the famous singing chipmunks to high-school, despite the fact that they're world-famous, and, well, chipmunks. The plot's very formulaic, with the rodents taking part in a "Battle of the Bands" to win $25,000 for their school, to restore the school music program. (Does that ever happen, though?)
So remember, kids, if your school music funding gets cut, just party like a rockstar and sing like a chipmunk - and if you lose the battle of the bands to actual chipmunks, well then I guess you just weren't cute enough, now were you? No education for you!
It's interesting that this came along when I'm thinking about charitable causes - the chipmunks are trying to raise $25,000 - but this film's budget was $75 Million! And it brought in over $219 Million in U.S. box office. It makes me wonder if we, as a society are doing things right - I can think of a lot better things to do with $75 million than make a film like this. You could probably cure a disease, or feed an entire nation of starving people, wouldn't that be better in the long run than having one more goofy talking-animal film in theaters?
By all rights, this should have killed the franchise - but no, there's another "squeakquel" in the works, titled "Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked". Wanna bet the chipmunks get stranded on a tropical island? I can only hope...
Also starring Zachary Levi (from NBC's "Chuck"), David Cross (last seen in "Year One"), Wendie Malick, and the voices of Justin Long (last heard in "Planet 51"), Matthew Gray Gubler (last seen in "The Great Buck Howard"), Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris (last seen in "The House Bunny") and Christina Applegate (last seen in "Just Visiting").
RATING: 4 out of 10 cheez balls
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