Alvin and the Chipmunks | 
| Actors: Jason Lee, David Cross, Justin Long
Studio: 20th Century Fox
List Price: $29.99
Buy Used: $6.12
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Rating:  125 reviews
Sales Rank: 152
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 2250301
UPC: 024543503019
EAN: 0024543503019
ASIN: B0013FSWT2
Theatrical Release Date: December 14, 2007
Release Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: DVD has been TESTED & PLAYS FINE. 100% guaranteed against defects. Contact us within 7 days if there is any defect, and we will gladly refund your purchase. Our standard shipping method is USPS First Class. If you upgrade shipping we use USPS Priority Mail. Your satisfaction is our goal. We look forward to helping you!
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Product Description
A L V I N ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !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 when a greedy record producer (David Cross) tries to exploit the "boys" Dave must use a little human ingenuity and a lot of 'munk mischief to get his furry family back before it's too late!System Requirements:Running Time: 91 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 024543503019 Manufacturer No: 2250301
Amazon.com
Families come in many different shapes and sizes, but few humans consider rodents members of the family. Dave Seville (Jason Lee) is no exception, so when this flailing musician finds three young talking chipmunks gorging themselves in his kitchen cupboards, Dave is quick to question his sanity and then toss the offending chipmunks outside into the rain and restore order. When Dave hears the chipmunks singing outside his window, he realizes that that unusual trio might just be the world's next vocal sensation and he strikes a bargain with them--the chipmunks can stay with him if they sing his songs. While chipmunks Alvin (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) quickly begin to see Dave as a father figure, it's strictly a business arrangement for Dave and he maintains an appropriate emotional distance. Dave's frustration with the chipmunks mounts as they unwittingly wreak havoc on his personal life, but when Dave's old friend and record label mogul Ian (David Cross) begins to exploit the chipmunks for personal gain, Dave suddenly realizes what an important part of his life, and indeed his family, the three chipmunks have become. Hilarity reins in this live action/CGI comedy with many memorable scenes--think chipmunks showering in the dishwasher, riding in remote control planes, and bouncing off the walls under the influence of a serious caffeine buzz. Catchy Chipmunks' songs both new and old promise to lodge themselves in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll and even those none-too-enchanted with the premise of singing chipmunks can't help but be entertained by this comical film. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to mild rude humor) --Tami Horiuchi
Meet the Chipmunks 
Justin Long as Alvin | 
Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon | 
Jesse McCartney as Theodore |
Beyond Alvin and the Chipmunks 
More from Jason Lee | 
Alvin and the Chipmunks Music | 
More Kids & Family titles from Fox |
Stills from Alvin and the Chipmunks
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| Customer Reviews: Read 120 more reviews...
 Parents: This is a must-see for your little ones April 4, 2008
Victoria A. Wildermuth (Odessa, TX USA)
24 out of 26 found this review helpful
This film teaches important lessons to children in a gentle and very entertaining way. Lesson One: Discipline is important to children. Lesson Two: Anything in excess, even fun, can ruin your life. Lesson Three: The entertainment industry, although glamorous, can be harmful. Stable family life is more important. And dads are important role models for young sons. Alvin and his companions Simon and Theodore learn these lessons from their surrogate father Dave and from the hard knocks they endure as they leave Dave and rise to recording stardom. Seldom have I seen such an entertaining film spell out such excellent values for young children. In terms of pure fun, the chipmunks are believable and so precious they can make you cry. Jason Lee is outstanding as the caring "dad", Dave. The music is wonderful: great remixes of "Witch Doctor" and the Chipmunks Christmas song. Don't listen to the critics on this one. It is amazing. See this with your little ones and talk to them about the lessons the chipmunks learn. Oh, and by the way, the movie makes everyone feel like a kid again! The munks version of Funkytown will make you want to get up and dance whether you're 9 or 90. Highly recommended.
 Fun for kids of all ages December 21, 2007
R. Kyle (USA)
21 out of 26 found this review helpful
An interesting cross-section of people attended the film at the same time my husband and I did. There was a group of college kids, parents with children, and Tony and I, who were going to see how faithfully a contemporary film translated a childhood cartoon hero.
From the laughter, booing, and general merriment, I can tell you we were all having an excellent time. This definitely was not a performance that someone who likes to view films in quiet would have enjoyed.
The story: David Seville (Jason Lee) is an advertising exec with dreams of becoming a songwriter. He's got an 'in' with old college chum, Ian (David Cross), who is an exec with Jett Records, but still can't produce anything that anyone would want to sing.
It looks like David's never going to be able to quit his day job until three chipmunks get their pine tree home chopped down and taken to the lobby of Jett Records office building. They stowaway in a basket of muffins David's swiped from Jett in a fit of pique.
A few hours later, David discovers he's got an infestation of talking chipmunks--and the rest is pretty inevitable. He writes a song, they perform it, and become a true overnight success.
I won't spoil the rest of the story for you. This is a lighthearted film that you can take your young kids to without much problem.
Those of you who grew up with the Chipmunks will be pleased with the treatment. The group sings some of the oldies, but they also strut their stuff on newer music as well.
 Fox should be ashamed - Continue to support DVD! March 18, 2008
Bruce Dembecki (San Jose, CA)
18 out of 41 found this review helpful
Really Fox? This is the best you can manage? I'm pleased to see that DTS and 5.1 audio options are available on the Bluray disk, as of course is widescreen... but are you really telling EVERYONE in the world who doesn't have a Blueray Player or a Playstation that you are simply going to release movies on regular DVD format without 5.1 and with 4:3 screen format? My Home Theatre is capable of providing perfectly good 16:9 and 5.1 and DTS without me going out and buying a Blueray player... I have hundreds of DVDs here which play perfectly well in 16:9 and with great surround sound... Why the crippled DVD Format release? I'm not opposed to having a 4:3 format DVD if there's also a Widescreen version of the disk... but not offering a DVD based 16:9 is a serious mistake that needs to be stopped now before it becomes a trend!
Good music, funny scenes, all tied well together February 20, 2008
Tenna Merchent (Noblesville, IN USA)
14 out of 17 found this review helpful
I took both my three year old and my six year old to this movie, and they sat through the whole thing! They were mesmerized by the silly humor. For instance, in one scene Alvin pretends to eat Theodore's poop so Dave thinks it's a raisin and doesn't get mad.
The story starts with Dave, an unsuccessful song writer, who accidentally takes the chipmunks home. This is where all the fun starts. He wants them out, then finds out they can sing! He says they can stay if they sing his music. The chipmunks grew up in a forrest with no parents, so they have NO manners. There are loads of funny scenes as they destroy his house and his social life. He is determined not to be their "dad", they're just friends.
Enter evil uncle Ian. He is Dave and the chipmunks manager, who of course, told Dave his music stunk before the chipmunks entered the scene. On Christmas, Dave had given the boys savings bonds, which granted, is a lame gift. But he meant well, and he was thinking about their future. Uncle Ian comes in with lots of toys, setting the scene for Dave is the serious one, and uncle Ian is the fun one.
Dave of course gets soft to the boys, and his desire that they have a normal childhood becomes apparent, whereas Ian just wants to make money. Ian eventually exploits the situation and the boys come to live with him. This is where the real drama comes in. You have to see the movie to find this part out. But don't worry, it has a happy ending with a nostalgic "ALVIN!!!"
The music is absolutely great. There are songs I remember from growing up in the sixties, and then there are new ones that are more in keeping with today's music.
I pre-ordered this DVD as soon as I found out it was available, and my boys and I can't wait to get it!
 Celebrity in a Nutshell December 14, 2007
Chris Pandolfi (Los Angeles, CA)
13 out of 24 found this review helpful
"Alvin and the Chipmunks" is a cute film, but it's also the cinematic equivalent of empty calories--light, airy, and sweet, with nothing of value except for maybe a few moments of enjoyment. After it's over, the experience is forgotten, and we're no better or worse than before we saw it. There really isn't much that can be analyzed, deconstructed, or even explained; this is one of those films that puts absolutely everything on the table, able to capture the attention of even the most inattentive five-year-old. I'm not saying that this is a bad movie, but I'd be lying if I said that I'm the right person to have seen it. This is for kids and kids alone, a bright, energetic, simple film unfettered of complexity and meaning.
Now that I've gotten all my adult-level jargon out of the way, let me summarize the plot for you. Dave Seville (Jason Lee) is a struggling songwriter, unable to impress anyone with his music, least of all Ian (David Cross), the executive of a record company. When he steals a basket of muffins out of spite, he discovers three small, furry, squeaky-voiced chipmunk stowaways: the troublemaking Alvin (voiced by Justin Long), the brainy Simon (voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler), and the meek overeater Theodore (voiced by Jesse McCartney). Dave soon discovers that the three are natural born singers, and thus negotiates an arrangement: they can stay in his home so long as they sing the songs he writes. The film begins at Christmastime, so naturally, Dave's first song with the chipmunks is "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." You know--the one where Alvin wants a Hula Hoop.
This song soon brings Ian back into the game, and he immediately shows his true colors by tempting them away from Dave. He lavishes them with expensive gifts. He tells lies about how Dave feels about them. But most importantly, he turns them into full-blown music superstars, allowing them to live a carefree lifestyle of food, toys, and video games. These things sound juvenile, but as Simon explains, he, Alvin, and Theodore are only kids; their parents left them a week after their birth, which is supposedly the way it's done with chipmunks. Of course, if you actually care one way or another about where they came from, how old they are, or even why they're able to talk and sing, then this is definitely not the movie for you.
But I digress. As the chipmunks are lured deeper and deeper into the crazy world of pop music celebrity, Dave realizes that he misses them, despite the fact that they drove him crazy. They in turn feel the strain of constant performing, and even though they believe that Dave doesn't want them back, they still would like to go home. Ian, of course, finds this unacceptable; he sees the chipmunks as nothing but cute moneymakers, an excuse to manufacture and distribute a boatload of rodent-related merchandise. He repeatedly says that he never loses, and isn't that exactly what you'd expect the villain of a kid's movie to say? Anyway, in realizing that the chipmunks are about to launch a twelve-month world tour, Dave vows to save them, not only from Ian, but from fame, as well. Helping him is a press photographer named Claire (Cameron Richardson), and as you might have guessed, she and Dave have feelings for each other.
That's about as much of the plot as there is to summarize. If this doesn't fit the bill as pure child-friendly escapism, then I must have missed something along the way. Short of the direct to video Barbie films, "Alvin and the Chipmunks" is about as fluffy and generally unimportant as they get. It's filled to the brim with sight gags, such as the chipmunks trashing Dave's house, ridiculous character quirks, and a scene in which Simon puts Theodore's accident into his mouth, convincing Dave that a raisin had somehow landed on the couch. There's also moment when Alvin inhales helium from a balloon; apparently, helium makes an already high-pitched voice sound deeper. Pretty much the only things saving this film from being too sickly sweet are the numerous pop culture references--songs such as "Funkytown," "Don't Cha," and "Only You" find their way into the film, as do a number of present day slang terms like, "My bad." Even chipmunks have to keep up with the times.
Or do they? This film adaptation of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" definitely accomplishes what it set out to accomplish, but honestly, did it really have to be made? I know that kids will like this film, if for no other reason than the joy of seeing cute CG rodents on the big screen. I don't debate the fact that this is a good-looking film, and to some extent, it is fun--or rather, about as fun as simple films can be. But that doesn't mean that it was necessary, and I have no doubt that adults will feel the exact same way. I don't know what original "Chipmunks" creator Ross Bagdasarian would have to say about this film, but I suppose it doesn't really matter. At the very least, he would have been glad to hear Dave's trademark shout: "Allllllviiiiiin!"
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