Veggie Pirates and Chipmunks (Seriously...)

:[ Alvin and the Chipmunks/The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie - A Dual Review

I love my now-9-year-old.

We go on movie dates. She gets to pick what she wants to see.

I would have loved to write about the very first movie of 2008 I saw being something of vast import or acclaim. I wish I could have written about the drama "There Will Be Blood" or the innovative "Cloverfield", even the revived "Rambo". But I love my now-9-year-old stepdaughter. She gets to pick what she wants to see.

Much has made of the revival of these Singing Rodents. I have to agree that we just don’t need a comeback from Alvin and the Chipmunks, but you see, I am not the audience these movies are made for. I am only targeted because I pay for the ticket. My girl wanted to see this from the instant she saw the trailer last year. I love my little girl.

At its heart it is not a niche comedy about poo-eating rodents that happen to sing. If you look under the layers of eye-candy, noise, and child-humor, there can be found a nice story about adoption and the blending of families. But you need to invest in the premise. And two weeks at number one? A lot of people did.

The Veggie Tales have always been a hit in the WB Household simply for their goofy songs and parodies of pop culture. Now, it’s not the high-falutin’ satire of your Daily Shows or Tizzy Marizzy, that you can name drop and appear smarter, no. But their parody of a Boy Band is on the level with SNL’s best.

"The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything" is as simple a movie as you can get, loaded with gags, and morality. It is fun, and light and everything you need to keep a 9-year-old happy. Heck, I laughed out loud quite a bit with it. It was nice to see Larry the Cucumber in a lead role. Without the biblical overtones.

I know these are not movies you would want to watch, being of a higher filmic taste than myself.
But you see, I love my little girl. So I watched them.

So you don’t have to.

U23D

U23D
Directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington
Reviewed by Ernest M. Whiteman III

From now on, all of U2's concert films should be done in 3D.

I am an unabashed U2 fan. I try to own all their albums, see all their concert and music videos. I am proud to admit that I saw "Rattle and Hum" in the theater when it was released in November of 1988, (almost 20 years ago!) And now I have seen what could be described as the best concert film experience ever.

I saw them live in concert three times, twice on their Vertigo Tour, and this is a much different experience. The playlist is full of hits but for a fan such as myself, any order of songs could have worked. It is the visuals that capture your attention. The vast sea of fans rippling like sea waves, the screen bombarding text messages and imagery, just seeing the landscape of the stage. When images disappear into the next through the blacks was stirring. I loved the opening "Vertigo", "Ms Sarejavo" with Bono once again filling in aptly for the late Pavarotti., "The Fly" and it’s scrawling, floating text, "Love and Peace" with Bono scribbling into the air.

I will likely try and see this again. I cannot imagine other bands not trying to use 3D for their concert films. With Miley Cyrus on board as well, the 3D experience is reaching all ages. I am so happy I got to see this, the eventual DVD will be a letdown and I hope that U2 continues down the 3D path, because a band this exciting, relevant, and unafraid of new technologies, can only get better and better with it.

Highest Recommendation.