The Chipmunks

[D'Snowth]

Today's new episode with Miss Smith quitting and being replaced with a tough drill sergeant as the new teacher, prompting the class to try to get Miss Smith to come back totally ripped off HEY ARNOLD! That was Mr. Simmons's debut episode.

But the main difference was that Miss Smith went so far as to file a restraining order against Alvin, of which Dangus had to detain him for violating - twice.

 

[mr3urious]

Today's new episode with Miss Smith quitting and being replaced with a tough drill sergeant as the new teacher, prompting the class to try to get Miss Smith to come back totally ripped off HEY ARNOLD! That was Mr. Simmons's debut episode.

But the main difference was that Miss Smith went so far as to file a restraining order against Alvin, of which Dangus had to detain him for violating - twice.

But Alvin was the one to force her to have a breakdown, rather than the whole class. And the sergeant didn't get driven out of the room by the class. And he forced them to do pliés in the hall rather than banish the troublemakers into the corners of the room. So yeah, there's a lot more differences there, so I wouldn't go so far as calling it a ripoff.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, Walmart has given us our first look at some new toys from Fisher-Price, and they . . . ah . . . uh . . . hmm . . .

Well, Alvin looks good . . . he's really just about the only one that looks good (well, Theodore looks decent). Simon looks like he's high as a kite, Brittany looks like an evil robot clone of herself, Jeanette looks like they didn't even bother finishing her, and Eleanor looks sickly.

But, at least we're finally getting toys, so this is a start. But honestly? From Fisher-Price? I would have expected better quality - these almost look like a fast food premium, and in fact, the way their stage pieces connect together remind me of Subway's EEE premium, where each of the characters came with their own piece of sidewalk pavement you hooked together to form a cul-de-sac curve.

 

[Drtooth]

These are clearly made for the youngest of the demographic. I can see why they'd look cheap (and probably aren't) for the kinds of kids who put these things in their mouths. Still, it's a shame that there can't be somewhat more of an older demographic toy (the 6-8 year olds at least), and it's a shame that something more collector friendly wouldn't be commercially viable.

That said, I'm sure Hasbro would have done a better job. But I do like that Alvin as well.

 

[D'Snowth]

It's still a little disheartening to see how far FP has fallen from their glory days. I mean you take a look at their SST playset from the 70s, then compare the 40th anniversary playset they made in 2009, and there's just no comparison.

Heck, I remember as a kid in the 90s, FB has this really, really awesome pirate ship playset that I loved so much:

Then I see what kind of pirate ship playsets they've had since then, and I almost feel sorry for kids:

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, Toys R Us has plushies now . . . I thought Toys R Us shut down, but I guess they're just yet another chain that left my town because there's no money here.

 

[Drtooth]

I caught the last half of the Road Chip movie. Gotta admit, not as bad as I thought it was. Not good, but Tony Hale completely stole the show. I'd say so far, if you can find it on cable, Netflix, or some one's garage sale, check it out for him. Kinda wish he used a more effeminate voice like his Mr. Noodman from Sanjay and Craig or that Mime Angry Bird. But him and that German comedian that's sometimes on @Midnight who's name escapes me at the moment... that scene with them waking up with a hangover at a hotel after the Downtown Funk number was precious.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

And not too long ago I watched "Chipwrecked". Not a great movie by any means, but at least they tried something different than the first two movies (both of which basically had the same plot). And I can't hate Jenny Slate, no matter what character she plays, and say what you will about her but at least she was one of the only actors that actually seemed to give a care. David Cross and Jason Lee clearly did not want to be doing another movie.

Geez, I can't believe i've actually seen three of these films. But hey, I guess if you're an obsessed film watcher and aspiring screenwriter like me, you gotta take the good with the bad, the great with the mediocre.

that scene with them waking up with a hangover at a hotel after the Downtown Funk number was precious.

I find it kind of odd that in the Uptown Funk cover they had the replace the "Put some liquor in it" line with "put some water in it", yet the guy was still clearly allowed to get drunk.

 

[Drtooth]

I find it kind of odd that in the Uptown Funk cover they had the replace the "Put some liquor in it" line with "put some water in it", yet the guy was still clearly allowed to get drunk.

I can see why they'd do it, considering the Chipmunks are kids, while the Tony Hale character and the woman handing him the drinks are full grown adults. Like I said countless times before, it's not as if they never censored lyrics in Chipmunks covers to the point of strangely overly safe before. They couldn't even use the lyric "break your mama's back" in their cover of Whip it, even in reference to "step on a crack." And for the millionth time, their cover of Time Warp wasn't altered in the slightest. Especially "voyeuristic intentions." Yep, apparently the thought of someone injuring their mother is too gruesome for kids, but watching people doing it? Yeah. TOTALLY kid friendly.

Though, I swear using the word water, rather than soda (the default for family friendly alternative to alcohol, hence the term "soft drinks") just smacks of health badgering.

That said, the one thing that bugged me at the end of the movie, and I'll put this in spoilers anyway:

Spoiler

It took 4 freaking movies for David to legally adopt the Chipmunks as his children? I get that it was used as a sappy ending to the events of the film and all, but you'd think that would have been something he'd do movie one. Then again, considering how cold and distant Dave was in the first 2 films due to Jason Lee not wanting to be there, it's not too much of a surprise.

 

[D'Snowth]

Another week of new episodes ahead of us, but in all honesty, reading the descriptions, half of them don't even sound very interesting at all.