CD Giveaway - Sam Shrieve, "Bittersweet Lullabies"
Ends Nov 29, 2009
The current student at Berklee College of Music has a rock 'n' roll pedigree, but delivers a pleasing and diverse collection of soft pop on his debut record. Enter our contest for your chance to win!
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Prize Pack
Ends Nov 29, 2009
The second installment of the Twilight saga is hitting theaters, and we've got the stylish goodies you'll howl over!
Rating: Country: USA Release Date: September 8, 2009 Distributor: Paramount Grade: B-
Alvin and the Chipmunks have gone where no chipmunk has gone before -- to the big screen! On this anthology disc, viewers are treated to two specials from the "Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies" series, and a cinematic adventure from the Alvin and the Chipmunks television show.
Headlining this trio of hat-tips to the silver screen is "Star Wreck," where we find Captain Dirk (Alvin) piloting the USS Boobyprize, with his associates Mr. Speck (Simon) and Dr. "Moans" McRoy (Theodore). When the crew comes upon the shattered remains of a Class-M planet, they encounter a family of aliens (with their 2.4 children) who value sameness in all things, destroying anything that shows difference. With their giant vacuum cleaner spaceship (insert your own MegaMaid joke here), they set out to destroy the USS Boobyprize after kidnapping Dr. McRoy and holding Captain Dirk captive. It's up to Speck to help Dirk show the aliens the value of diversity.
Up next, Alvin takes on the role of the yellow-fedora sporting "Chip Tracy." While it may have been a topical closer to the Warren Beatty film, kids today are unlikely to recall Dick Tracy and his gang of malformed villains or how they are parodied in this toon in the forms of Flatfoot, Grumbles, and Prunelip as Tracy hunts down The Glove. The Chipettes take a hand in things playing Tracy's sweetheart Bess Blueheart and lounge chanteuse Breathmint Baloney.
Finishing up the set, Simon sends up Masterpiece Theater with his Holmesian tale, "Elementary, My Dear Simon." Simon plays Holmes to Theodore's put-upon Watson, as they assist Inspector Seville of Scotland Yard crack a case involving thefts of items that have very little value. Overnight, however, the crime spree ramps up to include the Crown Jewels and priceless works of art. It's all the work of Professor Moriary (played by Alvin), and it's up to Holmes to take a page from H.G. Welles in the solving of the case.
The Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes sendups will likely appeal to kids moreso than the Dick Tracy parody. All have simple plots, but of all the Holmes episode has the most comedy: every time Holmes tells Watson he's wrong, Watson's ready to quit, tired of Holmes' constant condescension. Now that's a Watson behaving realistically! Overall, the set should provide a fun diversion for the under-ten set.
