Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakqual- D-

In "Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakqual" brilliant comedian David Cross' dignity is sacrificed for the film's one and only laugh. He's taken enough heat for appearing in the first one, so I won't lay it on any more. But he's back again here drawing a paycheck for a piece of crap he himself would never lay eyes on if he weren't being paid to do it.

Jason Lee seems to have wised up and taken the easy road out. He's technically "in" this movie, but his screen time (and his embarrassment) has been cut down to almost cameo status. He lucks out by spending most of his scenes in a hospital bed after his character "Dave" suffers some misfortune at a charity concert as a result of Alvin's showboating antics at the beginning of the movie. He leaves a layabout relative by the name of Tobey in charge of the singing sensations who are now taken off the road and thrust into school to live the lives of normal children.

Cross' unscrupulous record producer reenters the picture when he finds a team of singing female chipmunks and seizes on them as a way back to the big time.
Which brings me to the film's only laugh. Cross tries to get his new girl group into the school talent competition to steal the spotlight from the Chipmunks. As the three Chippettes sing Beyonce's "Single Ladies," cross has stage lights attached to his arms, legs and head and he's furiously waving them all around to simulate a real concert light show. That made me chuckle once. Nothing else did.
and from the sounds of the audience I saw it with, I think I might be a little generous in acknowledging even one laugh.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakual" D-