HBOWatch Editors were not able to line-up a writer to review ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to draw your attention to the PG rated family flick playing on HBO. The movie premiered on Saturday, 09.03 at 7:00pm and is still airing across the channels as well as on HBOGo/HBONow. To get the right vibe to what this is all about check out this HBO promo:
Now who would have thought the Chipmunks (created in 1958 by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.) with hit novelty records would be a hot property today and headlining their fifth movie? If you want a detailed account of their historic antics then check Alvin and The Chipmunks via the link. But, for our purposes here we just focus on their latest movie career. It started in 1987 with their first movie The Chipmunk Adventure, an animated feature. Alvin, Simon and Theodore did not become CGI mixed into live action until 2007 with Alvin and the Chipmunks, followed by Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in 2009 and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked in 2011. This latest one came around in 2015.
In Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip we learn that through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave (Jason Lee) is going to propose to his new girlfriend Samantha (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in Miami…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother. They travel by car and plane, where they encounter Air Marshal Suggs (played by VEEP’s Tony Hale) which seems to be where all the antics show up. When they hit the hot life of Miami that is where the partying starts and the traditional squeaky voiced music shows up.
Okay, this writer confesses to being familiar with the earlier incarnations of these talented little critters, but I never saw any of the CGI movies beyond a music clip.
The best moments do look like the musical riffs these guys do. Hell, I’ll also confess that the above clip even as short as it is left me laughing. They sure do know how to make the Chipmunks cute and cuddly. It also looks like Tony Hale had fun in his role as one of the villains of the piece. So if you are wanting to amuse the kiddies while the food is grilling then maybe the antics of Alvin, Simon and Theodore might do the trick. Each sequel seems to gain more box office buck as they come out, so someone is squealing or is it squeaking, in laughter. Our rating of choice doesn’t think so though. Judge for yourself on HBO this month alongside the other movies available.
