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Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
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Reviews Counted:98
Fresh:26
Rotten:72
Average Rating:4.4/10
Consensus: Though cutely rendered, Alvin and the Chipmunks suffers from bland potty humor and a rehashed kids' movie formula.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Jan 3, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $217,172,612
Synopsis: This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they... This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they wind up in the home of Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Dave, a down-on-his-luck songwriter, realizes the potential of a singing chipmunk pop act, and becomes an unlikely mentor/father figure to feisty Alvin, brainy Simon, and dopey Theodore. Meanwhile, the threesome causes chaos in his life, leading to plenty of fun, frenetic scenarios. When a devious record executive (David Cross) enters the picture, however, Alvin and the Chipmunks must deal with both the trappings of fame and their loyalty to the amiable, hapless Dave. Directed by Tim Hill (GARFIELD: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES), ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS simultaneously modernizes and pays tribute to the classic title characters, who first appeared in the late 1950s and became wildly popular in the '60s. While Lee (MY NAME IS EARL) is well cast as the perpetually exasperated Dave, Long (LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) steals the show as the voice of Alvin, who provides the group's lively spirit. Though some older viewers may wince at the prospect of their beloved Chipmunks rapping, the movie is generally respectful of the franchise's long legacy, and will easily win over a younger generation. [More]
Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch
Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
Director: Tim Hill
Director: Tim Hill
Screenwriter: Jon Vitti, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi
Story: Jon Vitti
Producer: Ross Bagdasarian, Janice Karman
Composer: Christopher Lennertz
Studio: Fox 2000 Pictures
Reviews for Alvin and the Chipmunks
Whatever residual affection you may harbor for the Chipmunks will vanish completely if you fork over good money to see this cheaply made and aggravatingly stupid movie.
There is a chance I have simply outgrown Alvin, Simon and Theodore. But I can still recognize a quality film and this isn't it.
Shockingly, the movie's easy to like -- an anti-Hannah Montana parable in which young performers discover they prefer the comfort and security of home to the high-pressure glitz of rock and roll stardom.
Is it for kids? Adults? Marsupials? Martians? Who can tell. Jason Lee from My Name Is Earl stars - if that is the word - in this thoroughly brain-dead semi-animated family comedy.
Desperately conceived on every level, this forlorn family film amounts to little more than celluloid roadkill.
If the idea of three squeaky-voiced squirrels as pop gods makes you shudder, Alvin And The Chipmunks won't make you change your mind - but there's enough spritely mischief in this flawed family comedy to provide some light-hearted fun.
The script leans heavily on the pranks and big-eyed cuteness of the li'l guys and leaves the live actors with unfunny dialogue and nothing to do.
With such a thin plot, the CGI here is adequate yet underwhelming, and the same can be said for the gags
It's not made for the pretentious New York film critic. Instead, it's a film filled with slapstick, silliness and its fair share of bathroom humor.
It’s the kind of family entertainment that makes you reach for the shotgun.
Four out of five stars for being cuter, funnier, and, besides, the character design far exceeded my expectations.
At least this film, based on classic characters, is bright and energetic, because it's otherwise condescending, corny and utterly unfunny.
By the end of the movie, even the Chipmunks' youngest fans will find themselves wishing that Alvin and the boys would get back to where they once belonged: a tree.
OK!!! Here I sit - and I'm not kidding about this - typing away and listening to a song that could be one of the first bits of music I ever heard.
Filled with cheap slapstick, annoying high-pitched singing, and a variety of fart gags, all of which amused my daughter but not me.
The original recordings of Alvin were among the lowest moments in the history of popular culture. This soulless rehash, with its fart and poop jokes, proves that even one-note wonders can be diminished.
When Lee's finally called upon to yell the trademark 'Alllllvin!' it feels like a forced whimper that only reminds us how stale the decades-old material is.
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