Official Synopsis:

Already adored by generations of fans around the world, Alvin and the Chipmunks have plenty to sing about in their big-screen debut - a hilarious holiday adventure packed with toe-tapping tunes and fur-flying fun! When struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore, they become overnight music sensations. But a greedy record producer (David Cross) intends to exploit the "boys" and send them on a grueling concert tour just to line his own pockets. Now Dave must use a little human ingenuity - and a lot of 'munk mischief - to get his family back before it's too late!

Our Take:

I’ve been a fan of Jason Lee ever since I first saw Mallrats way back in high school. Since then I’ve seen just about every one of his movies. Some of them are great, some good, and some have been mediocre. Of course, ever since he donned the ‘stache as Earl Hickey, Lee has redeemed himself for past transgressions. Now, though, he seems to be on a trend of family friendly flicks such as Alvin and the Chipmunks which, while not atrocious, are not the kind of work I’d like to see him in.

That said, Lee is actually a solid choice as Dave Seville, a songwriter who is trying to make a big break with a catchy song that by chance meets the Chipmunks and is able to turn things around. I was a little disappointed though that Lee never seems to be really comfortable as Seville, and even his “Alllviiinnn!” yell is weak.

Despite all its shortcomings, Alvin and the Chipmunks is a harmless family-friendly flick. It has all of the requisite slapstick comedy & toilet humor and a few very subtle chuckles for adults that you might miss unless you’re paying attention. Lee does his job by the numbers, and David Cross is, well, David Cross. Throw in some upbeat music for the kids to bounce to, and you’ve got a movie.

Alvin and the Chipmunks offers both widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film, with bonus features split between the two discs.

* Hitting the Harmony (9 minutes) - A making of featurette showing how they gave the Chipmunks their trademark sound.

* Chip-Chip-Hooray! Chipmunk History (12 minutes) – A history of the Chipmunks featuring interviews with Ross Bagdasarian, Jr, the son of the Chipmunks’ creator, Ross Bagdasarian. This feature proves to be the better of the two.

If you’ve got kids and want to spend some time with them watching a flick, you can’t go wrong with Alvin and the Chipmunks. Otherwise, if you’re hoping for a blast of nostalgia, you might be left wanting more.

Overall Picture:

Film: B-

DVD: B

- Chris Lawrence

Staff Writer