Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

The Chipmunks (voices by Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney) go to high school and meet a trio of female “Chipettes” (Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler and Anna Faris), who are being groomed by old nemesis Ian (David Cross) as competition for our boys. Jason Lee, who starred in 2007 as David Seville, must have demanded minimal participation this time; he literally phones it in, replaced on-site by Dave’s cousin Toby (Zachary Levi). There’s slick animation, plenty of slapstick and surprisingly little music. It’s silly but harmless, and it won’t disappoint youngsters who’ve been playing the DVD of Alvin and the Chipmunks twice per day for the last two years. Parents can grit their teeth and think of it as a baby-sitting investment—40 bucks or so now, and another 20 when the DVD comes out.