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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
Nostalgia counts for something, I suppose, so while I wouldn't exactly recommend this thing, I at least found it kind of innocuous.
It's a fine-enough kids movie. Cute. Nice lesson. And better than you'd think.
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.
Will true love prevail? Will Dave grow a backbone (and some real songwriting talent)? And most important, will Alvin, Simon, and Theodore survive this bland new form of chipmunk mania? They shoot rodents, don't they?
There's just not enough here for a movie. It's almost as if some ideas were meant to live for three and a half minutes each Christmas season, not to get stretched to the breaking point for 50 years.
With such a thin plot, the CGI here is adequate yet underwhelming, and the same can be said for the gags
It becomes a little difficult to distinguish exploitive "Uncle Ian" from the folks trying very hard to keep this fragile idea alive and making money. The big difference is that Uncle Ian wears out the Chipmunks and this movie wears out its welcome.
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.
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 little beasties in the new film are computer-generated, reasonably realistic (way ahead of Garfield) and cute. It's not their fault the humans, especially Jason Lee's Dave Seville, are excruciatingly boring.
Alvin, Theodore, and Simon have the only good lines or recognizable emotions, with Jason Lee and David Cross straining to flesh out their cardboard roles.
I was also grateful that Alvin wears a red sweater with a big 'A' on it as an aid to identification, since otherwise all the chipmunks seem to be identical, like Mutant Turtles or Spice Girls.
Alvin and the Chipmunks goes in one eye and out the other, featuring a CGI Alvin, Simon and Theodore interacting with a human-ish world.
A lot like candy, sweet and pleasing, but ultimately disposable and empty...
Nem mesmo o visual engraçadinho dos esquilos e a ironia de David Cross conseguem trazer charme a um roteiro óbvio e sem graça, à atuação sem vida de Jason Lee e à direção frouxa de Hill.
" ...even if Alvin and the Chipmunks has one hand reaching for your wallet, at the very least its heart seems to be in the right place."
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.
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