DVD Release Date:  April 1, 2008
Theatrical Release Date:  December 14, 2007
Rating:  PG (for mild peril and rude humor)
Genre:  Animation/Drama
Run Time:  88 minutes
Director:  Tim Hill
Actors:  Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney

What’s a sure way to boost an ailing music career?  Find three adorable, singing chipmunks and put out a smash-hit-chart-topping Christmas album!  But watch out because your house will certainly suffer, and singing adolescent rodents advancing to stardom definitely come with their own unique challenges. 

This is the setting for Alvin and the Chipmunks, which is (according to my very knowledgeable five-and-seven-year-old favorite sibling movie critic friends) a “really, really great and funny movie.”

But you may want to know how Alvin (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) get to Dave the musician’s house in the first place.  Well, it all starts in the forest.  The chipmunks are happily collecting and storing nuts when they hear a loud buzzing sound.  It’s a chainsaw cutting down their home to turn it into a Christmas tree!  All three chipmunks fall into a truck and are carried off to the stately lobby of an important record company—the same company where Dave (Jason Lee) has just met with his manager, Ian (David Cross), who has just rudely rejected his last lame song.

As Dave is leaving with a basket of muffins, Alvin and his buddies grab their opportunity.  They sneak into the basket and soon find themselves inside Dave’s house.  After some hilarious shenanigans in the kitchen, Dave realizes that he has very messy, very irritating talking chipmunks as his guests.  He’s about to toss them into the woods when they pull out all the stops and demonstrate their amazing singing talent.  A light bulb goes off in Dave’s head.  Too bad he just angrily tossed all his instruments and recording gear into the yard!

Alvin and friends help him dry everything off, and soon the foursome is happily picking out an amazing tune.  The next day, Dave excitedly takes in his new buddies to see Ian, but the rodents have suddenly become shy and don’t let out a peep.  Dejectedly, Dave takes them all home, once again planning to get rid of the not-so-welcome or even helpful guests, though he changes his mind at the last minute.  He says they can stay, but they have to abide by his rules—“mean” rules like going to bed on time, cleaning up after themselves, and not eating junk food.  After all, they could really spoil things with his already-shaky relationship with pretty neighbor Claire (Cameron Richardson).