Andy Labis, Author at Entertainment Ave!

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes

DVD Rated – Unrated
It’s 1:05 Long
A Review by:
– Stu Gotz

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Avlin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette, Eleanor, and Dave
MPAA Rated:	Unrated, but it’s for kids.
Released By:	Paramount Home Entertainment
Kiddie Movie:	It’s definitely for them.
Date Movie:	Only if she’s the mother of your children.
Gratuitous Sex:	Umm, no.
Gratuitous Violence:	Cartoonish.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Mostly for the kids.
Memorable Scene:	None.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Cool Things About the DVD:	It’s really just set for the six episodes which is actually probably perfect for kids anyway.

When The Dude on the Right handed me a copy of “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes” I gave him a raised eyebrow look. Before I could follow my look with a rude comment, the Dude cut me off and said, “Maybe have your kids watch it and tell me what they think?” So that is exactly what I did. Later that day I popped the movie into Mama Gotz’s in-headrest car DVD player (Hmm… How come she gets all the cool stuff, and I drive a truck?) and let the kids have at it on the way to and from Tae Kwon Do practice.

So what did the Little Gotz’s think of “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes?” I’ll get to that later. First let me tell you a little about the DVD. The DVD is 6 episodes of the mid-80’s TV show “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” For this special six-pack of special episodes, three female chipmunks mirror Alvin and the boys, with similar personality, dress, and body attributes. Brittany is like Alvin and Jeanette is… Well… Does anyone really know any of the chipmunks besides Alvin? There is a smart chipmunk chick and a chubbier one, the girl’s misadventures coincide with the boy’s misadventures, and if you’ve seen one episode, well, you’ve seen them all. Predictable mayhem occurs. Dave almost looses his wits and by episode’s end, all is well (just like in Star Trek).

So who the heck is this movie for, and why now? I think most people can recall the squeaky-voiced cartoon from the 80’s era of upturned-collared Polo shirts? For those who can’t, the Chipmunks have actually been around since the late 1950’s. Yes, they did exist before that Earl guy made the movie with them. Anyway, the squeaky boys are back (again), and this time they are joined by equally annoying-for-adults female chipmunks. Why? Personally I think it’s to cash in on the whole High School Musical, Hanna Montana, and iCarly craze. Right now kids, starting at far too young of an age in my opinion, are totally hooked on the High School Musical craze and such. This is all fine where and when it is age appropriate, but let me ask you, do you want your 6 or 7 year old coming home singing the Vacation song and wanting to dress like a tart? Not me! So maybe “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes” could be a more age appropriate DVD title to turn your youngerl kids on to.

They key to this though is will little kids like it?? The first day I had “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes” in Mama Gotz’s car DVD player our littlest one wanted to bring it into the house and keep on watching it when the car ride was over. I think that’s a good sign. After about a week I again asked the Gotz’ boys what they thought about “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes.” The 4 going on 5 year old gave me a double finger gesture. No he didn’t flip me the “bird.” He extended his thumbs, but I think that is a copyrighted gesture so I can’t quote him on that. Our oldest boy, now six, said he liked it a lot, though I did notice he tended to watch the episodes and pressed scene skip when the chipmunk music videos came on.

The bottom line, a.k.a. is it worth your money? As an adult I can deal with the chipmunks in small doses, such as I am. My 5 & 6 year olds both liked the episodes, but split their vote on the music videos with the younger Gotz liking everything. I think “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes” is a great age-appropriate alternative to the High School Musical and Montana stuff that is on TV, and in my opinion, also turning girls into tarts and boys into, well, not football players, so for me “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes” is money well spent. 4 stars out of 5.
I’m Stu Gotz. ‘nuff said.

Alvin and the Chipmunks

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:31 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Jason Lee, David Dross, Cameron Richardson
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	20th Century Fox
Kiddie Movie:	It’s really for them.
Date Movie:	Only if you’re bringing the kids.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nope, but some skimpy outfits on the back-up dancers.
Gratuitous Violence:	Cartoonish.
Action:	Not really.
Laughs:	Mostly for the kids.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing really.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing comes to mind.
Directed By:	Tim Hill
Produced By:	Ross Bagdasarian Jr., Janice Karman

Maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s because I’m old, but you would think that with the advances in technology that our beloved Chipmunks, namely Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, would still have the chipmunk voice but you would be able to understand them a little better. Not so. And you would also think that they could write a story a little more creative than the Chipmunks being seduced by a dirty record company executive. Not so. Even so, I didn’t think “Alvin and the Chipmunks” was all that bad.

As I eluded, the story for “Alvin and the Chipmunks” is pretty simple. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are living in the woods when their pine tree gets chopped down for an office Christmas tree, and the boys come along for the ride. Seeking a life of ease, the boys then stowaway with Dave (Jason Lee), a struggling songwriter who is friends with the evil record dude, Ian (David Cross). Sure, Dave quickly accepts the fact that he has talking Chipmunks, especially when he finds out they can sing, but they are rambunctious creatures, messing up Dave’s pad, but all seems well when the boys have Ian record “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t be Late), and Dave does his best to keep the boys grounded as they enter the rock star world.

But Ian sees an opportunity to exploit the Chipmunks for financial gain, he splits them up from Dave as sleazy record company people do, gives them a life of excess, and works them until they become tabloid fodder.

Can Dave save the heroes from a life of booze, drugs, and cheap women? Of course he can, this is a children’s movie, and he does so just in the nick of time.

And, oh yea, of course the movie has a love story built in for no real reason, namely Dave trying to woo his ex-girlfriend, Claire (Cameron Richardson).

For the kiddies they will probably really like “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” and most of the kids in the theater when I saw it seemed entertained, although they did start to become distracted during the romantic dinner scene. For the adults, it’s not horrible. Jason Lee does a nice job as Dave, keeping him friendly enough in a quirky sort of way, and David Cross is good as the sleazy record dude. The CGI of the Chipmunks themselves is done fairly well, giving each of the boys their own character, but I still can’t believe they are so hard to understand.

There’s nothing special about “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” but it seems okay in a kids kind of way, and of course what would a kid’s movie be without a fart joke. It’s 2 ½ stars out of 5 for “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Alpha Dog

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:57 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Alpha Dog Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy, Emile Hirsch, Sharon Stone, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Universal Pictures
Kiddie Movie:	Only if you want them on the wrong life path.
Date Movie:	Both you and your dudette have bodies to ogle.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nudity and sex!
Gratuitous Violence:	Mostly hand to hand combat, but sadly one gun scene.
Action:	Not really.
Laughs:	There’s a chuckle or two.
Memorable Scene:	Frankie trying to get Zack to leave the apartment.
Memorable Quote:	I hope I got this right: “Have a period or something.”
Directed By:	Nick Cassavetes
Produced By:	Sidney Kimmel, Chuck Pacheco

I think knowing the ending of “Alpha Dog” before going in to see it made me feel even worse for Zack Mazursky, the brother of Jake, because up until the end, getting kidnapped was the greatest thing that seemed to have happened to him. Here’s the basic story…

“Alpha Dog” is a fictional look at a true Hollywood story about a kidnapping gone bad, kids gone bad, and parenting that is mostly questionable, except, for, well, that of Sonny Truelove (Bruce Willis), sort of, who supposedly has mob ties and supposedly sets up his son with drugs to sell, yet tries to get Johnny (Emile Hirsch) out of a sticky kidnapping situation, but Johnny doesn’t listen. Such are kids sometimes.

Anyway, Johnny and his group of friends, including Elvis (Shawn Hatosy) and Frankie (Justin Timberlake), enjoy their days by selling drugs, getting high, drinking a lot, and sleeping with hot girls. Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster) owes Johnny money, and Johnny ain’t too happy about it, tries to beat up Jake, and now Jake is pissed. Jake and Johnny seem to go back and forth a bit, but Johnny doesn’t take it too well when Jake takes a dump on his living room carpet.

Meanwhile, Jake’s brother, Zack (Anton Yelchin) is a fifteen-year-old kid, not really happy at home with his over-protective mother, Olivia (Sharon Stone), looks up to his hoodlum brother, and decides to run away from home when he gets busted with having a bong in his room. So Zack is wandering around, Johnny and his crew spot him, and Johnny decides to kidnap Zack so that Jake will pay his debt. As things sometimes go when you don’t fully think about your plan, Johnny finds himself in a pickle, and now instead of just a person dealing drugs, he’s also a kidnapper.

Johnny assigns Frankie to take care of Zack, so of course Frankie invites some people over to party, the girls think it is cool that Zack is “Stolen Boy,” and Zack is having a pretty good time smoking pot, getting drunk, being “cool,” losing his virginity via a threesome in a pool, and figuring he would ride this out until his brother pays his debt, and all will be well. But little does Zack know that Jake, rather than just pay off his debt, intends to kill Johnny, Johnny is now freaked realizing kidnapping can lead to life in prison, and of course Johnny thinks his easiest course of action is to have one of his buddies kill Zack and leave him in a shallow grave, even though everyone and their aunt and uncle knows Johnny kidnapped Zack, and has partied with Zack.

I found “Alpha Dog” a really good movie, tapping into a world of people most of us wouldn’t have far to understand where the kids went wrong thanks mostly to some of the worst parenting out there. The sad thing about “Alpha Dog” is that it is based on some true events. Sure, I’m not exactly sure what was real, and what was Hollywood fantasy, but there were two scenes in the movie that really stuck in my head. One was Frankie, truly torn between his loyalty to Johnny and his liking Zack and wishing Zack would just go back home. In the scene, knowing the fate that awaits Zack, Frankie tries to get Zack to go to the corner store for him, possibly getting Zack out of the apartment long enough to keep him from getting offed. But Zack doesn’t to go, enjoying just relaxing and watching “Austin Powers” on the TV. The other scene is Zack, being driven to what he thinks is back home, talking to Frankie about how he thinks he might change his life, and maybe appreciate his mom more.

What works in “Alpha Dog” isn’t just a great story, but the performances by everyone were fantastic, and yes, especially Justin Timberlake. In the end it’s really a sad story, especially for Zack who, for a few days, enjoyed being cool, even impressing Frankie with his fighting skills, and losing his virginity with two cute dudettes. Then he finds himself dead, when sadly, if Johnny had just listened to his dad, Zack might have been able to learn to play guitar like he wanted to, and Johnny’s friends might have been able to avoid life, and even death sentences, for the kidnapping.

I liked “Alpha Dog,” but it might not be your cup of tea. It’s violent, it’s got sex, it’s really a sad story, but in the end I was gripped with the story and give it 4 stars out of 5.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Along Came A Spider

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:43 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Along Came a Spider Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Paramount Pictures
Kiddie Movie:	Too adult. Leave them at home.
Date Movie:
Gratuitous Sex:	Nah.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some pretty gruesome killings.
Action:	A good chase here and there.
Laughs:	Nah.
Memorable Scene:	The ending.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Lee Tamahori
Produced By:	David Brown, Joe Wizan

Sometimes you go and see a movie and you leave going “Hmm, that was a pretty good movie.” Not “Wow,” not “Oh my God,” just “Hmm.” Such was the case of “Along Came a Spider” for me.

After seeing a series of movies that showed I’m too easily amused, it was good to see a movie that I could appreciate for just being a good action/drama. “Along Came a Spider” teams Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross, a good investigator brooding about the loss of his partner, with Monica Potter as Jezzie Flannigan, a secret service agent that let the girl she was protecting get kidnapped. Alex wouldn’t have anything to do with the kidnapping except that the kidnapper brings him in by leaving him some clues. And so the chase is on. Alex takes Jezzie under his wing because she feels like she screwed up but Alex sees her as a valuable ally because she could help profile the kidnapper (it was the teacher at the school where the little girl went – don’t worry, I’m not giving any important plot points away, this is part of the story).

Not the greatest of suspense films, there have been better, but “Along Came a Spider” does a good job of leading you through Alex’s investigative process and the relationship he develops with Jezzie. But the movie does have some flaws, like some too obvious foreshadowing of a couple of plot points, although also does a great job of mixing up how you might perceive the movie to end.

I can’t go into the story much more without giving too many things away. Freeman does a great job as Alex Cross, trying to put the pieces together, and Potter is good as the innocent secret service agent, but there is some lack of thrill that had it been there, it could have gone right up there with some of the great movies of this type. This one ends up being just a “Hmm, that was a pretty good movie” and with that a “Hmm” movie gets 3 stars out of 5 from me. Even so, if you’re looking for a nice thriller, go see “Along With a Spider” and you’ll get a “Hmm” too, or maybe a little better.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

All The Pretty Horses

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:54 Long
A Preview by:
– The Dude on the Right

All The Pretty Horses Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Matt Damon, Penelope Cruz
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Miramax Films
Release Date:	12:25/2000
Directed By:	Billy Bob Thorton
Produced By:	Mike Nichols

Watch out ladies, here comes Matt Damon! The story looks the same, rich girl falls for commoner, commoner falls for rich girl, rich girl’s family won’t let them get together, commoner doesn’t care.

This one’s got Matt Damon as a ranch hand, Penelope Cruz as the rich girl, and they like each other. The problem for Matt is that he is in Mexico where he went for fun and adventure and now finds himself in jail. She promises not to see him again as long as they don’t kill him and let him go and he goes back looking for her.

Do I really need to go into this story anymore? Probably not, but Matt Damon has been coming into his own as an actor so this might just have potential.

Alien: Resurrection

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:49 Long
A Preview by:
– The Dude on the Right

Alien: Resurrection Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	20th Century Fox
Release Date:	11/26/1997
Directed By:	Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Produced By:	Bill Badalato, Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill

Back for round 4, “Alien Resurrection” has that deep mystic with one of the scariest monsters to keep hitting the big screen. From what I can gather the story line kinda goes like this – Sigourney Weaver is back as Ripley, sort of. With all of the cloning stories going around, seems like this is the perfect outlet, so Ripley is a clone of Ripley, except supposedly mixed in her DNA is some Alien DNA so Ripley is just confused. The underlying problem seems to be there is a newborn Alien on a ship, and in the tradition of mama Alien, does some pretty cool damage when killing the victims. Winona Ryder plays a, hmm, a mercenary, enigmatic mechanic, bad-ass? Personally, I don’t care what Winona plays because I’ve always liked her and will probably go to see the movie just for her, who supposedly buffed up for the role. Like previous Alien films, this one no doubt will have some quality kills, that whole scary spaceship setting, and might even head for earth. Should be a winner because the Alien series has always been full of some pretty cool action, even if the story lines sometimes weren’t the greatest.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:26 Long
A Preview by:
– The Dude on the Right

Aliens vs Predator: Requiem Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	An entire group of actors whose names I don’t recognize.
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	20th Century Fox
Release Date:	12/25/2007
Directed By:	Colin Strause, Greg Strause
Produced By:	John Davis, Wyck Godfrey

If your Christmas is filled with so much cheer and good will that it is making you sick, what better way to quench your thirst for violence than with a probably not finale where the Alien monsters and the Predator monsters wreak havoc and a small town has to figure out a way to stay alive.

Is there really a reason to preview this movie? I think probably not because you know what you are going to get, and it won’t be that original. The originals were done years ago, but hey, a Tuesday at the movies filled with violence might be a little more safe than your dinner table.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Adventures of Pluto Nash

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:35 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

The Adventures of Pluto Nash Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Eddie Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Jay Mohr, Randy Quaid, Joe Pantoliano, Illeana Douglas, Pam Grier
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Warner Bros.
Directed By:	Ron Underwood
Produced By:	Martin Bregman, Michael Scott Bregman, Louis A. Stroller

Sometimes I wonder about Eddie Murphy. He’s such a great comic, and then he puts himself in something like “The Adventures of Pluto Nash.” The movie looks like it’s geared for kids, but being rated PG-13 for violence, sexual humor, and language is not a good sign.

It seems, for this one, that somehow Pluto Nash (Eddie Murphy) owns a nightclub on the moon. The mob wants to buy it, he doesn’t want to sell it, and somehow Pluto will probably save the day.

This movie has been on hold for too long for it to probably be good. There’s not much publicity for this especially for it being an Eddie Murphy picture, and from the initial words I’ve read this is pretty much crap and should go strait to video. I would probably suggest you wait until your friend sees it and tells you it is great before spending your bucks on this one. Too bad for what looks to be a great cast.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Adventureland

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:46 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Adventureland Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Miramax
Kiddie Movie:	Please leave them at home unless you want them to work at the summertime carnival.
Date Movie:	If she wanted an artsy “Superbad.”
Gratuitous Sex:	Some people get it on but no boobies.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some penis punching.
Action:	Not really.
Laughs:	In an adult, artsy kind of way.
Memorable Scene:	Frigo in the window.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing totally stood out.
Directed By:	Gret Mottola
Produced By:	Ted Hope, Anne Carey, Sidney Kimmel

I understand why they did it, hell, if I were the movie studio I probably would have done it, too, what with “Adventureland” being directed by the same dude, Greg Mottola, who also directed the riotous “Superbad,” but if you are going to see “Adventureland” expecting the same kind of movie as “Superbad,” as the trailers suggest, you will probably be kind of pissed because even though there is drug use, even though there is drinking, even though there are some funny moments, “Adventureland” is a different breed of comedy movie, bordering on drama, so if you are looking for moment where a McLovin gets to shoot a gun, it won’t be happening, but there is a lot of punching to the balls.

Here’s the story basics…

James (Jesse Eisenberg) is planning out his life – looking to spend a summer in Europe after graduating college, getting ready for grad school, and looking for a life of probably potential snootery as a journalist. Sadly things quickly change when his dad, played by Jack Gilpin, gets demoted and transplanted to Pittsburgh, and now James, who has to earn some money for grad school since his parents can’t afford it anymore, must find a summer job. Sadly no one is looking for a Renaissance studies’ major, so low and behold he ends up working the Games area of Adventureland. But even with artsy aspirations as a journalist, in a weird way as a carnie worker James seems to fit in with a lot of the other wayward souls, stoners, and seeming lowlife who aren’t really lowlifes at all. And with this mix comes Em, (Kristen Stewart), a cute, dark-haired girl who is also kind of lost in her life, and wouldn’t you know it, James and Em hit it off. So, for a little over an hour and a half, we see how their lives intertwine during a summer, how their own insecurities become broken as they begin to fall in love, how the temptation of the hottie, Lisa P (Margerita Levieva), and the studliness of the carnie mechanic, Connell (Ryan Reynolds – who is really coming into his own as an actor, way past his goofball reputation as Van Wilder), who professes to have played guitar with Lou Reed, come into play, and somehow, over a summer, there is a lot of growing up to do.

Sure, there are other characters around, with the spotlight being kind of on Bobby (Bill Hader) and Paulette (Kristen Wiig), the owners of Adventureland, and who can forget the scene with, I hope his name is Frigo (Matt Bush), in the window at Em’s house, but really this movie is a spotlight for two people, James and Em, and how in the end, through it all, they both need each other.

So, for you “Superbad” fans, please don’t go into “Adventureland” expecting the same kind of movie, and for those of you afraid of seeing the movie because you don’t want another raunchy comedy, let me say that this movie is a little more realistic about coming-of-age, probably a little more relatable to those who hit late high school and college in the late 80’s, and this is really a thinking person’s comedy, a little on the artsy side, so don’t be afraid to see it. The only issue I had with the movie is that for most of the movie I couldn’t get past the vocal affectations of Jesse Eisenberg as James, because it seems his role was written totally for either Michael Cera in the character he played in “Juno,” or Jesse has been studying too many of Kristen Wiig’s characters from Saturday Night Live because his pauses and manner of speaking sounded too much like her, and not like his own character. I know, I’m probably over-analyzing that too much, but as the movie went on, I just kept thinking James should be more like James and not Paulie Bleeker.

In the end I did like “Adventureland,” even thinking it is a solid 4 stars out of 5, but I do want to warn you not to expect “Superbad,” because this film ain’t it. Expect a lot more dialogue, subtle jokes, and a little more realism that in a weird way you might be able to relate to.

And, oh yea, and I don’t know why I obsessed on this so much while watching the movie, but I forgot how tall Ryan Reynolds is because compared to Jesse Eisendberg and Kristen Stewart, he looked like a giant next to them. Just me and my observation, because I’m weird.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Bells v Founders, Taft v Skilling, Bears v Patriots, and What’s a Snapback Cap?

By: The Dude on the Right

Download and Listen

With the weather here in Chicago not nearly as bad as it is in Indiana, Stu Gotz and I were easily able to record this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, and I tell Stu who won, in my opinion, in the battle between Jerry Taft v. Tom Skilling and their respective” last weekend” forecasts. Here’s a hint – I’m fascinated by Mr. Skilling’s weather maps, but I’m a bigger fan of The Taftman! Stu, meanwhile, had his own battle to report on, one that left him a little tipsy, a battle of beer as it would be, specifically a couple of Michigan brews, Bells v. Founders. We also discuss some box office battling that was done over the weekend, but with the crappy weather here in Chicago, we can’t really comment if any of the movies were andy good or not because we didn’t see them. Stu, however, was able to catch an Indiana Jones’ Marathon on cable, and oddly enough likes the scene with Indy, the nuclear blast, and a refrigerator.

With Christmas coming we do talk a bit about the season of gift giving, and I have to hip Stu to what a snapback hat is, made famous now thanks to the likes of Tyga and Chris Brown. We also talk a bit about movies coming out this weekend, but more about a movie coming out next summer, “Cowboys & Aliens,” with hit director Jon Favreau.

Stu won’t be around for next week’s podcast so if you might want to be a guest podcaster, feel free to shoot me an e-mail or comment, and, as always, thanks for listening!

I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!