Horton Hears a Who!/ Alvin and the Chipmunks/ Garfield 2 Triple Pack [DVD]

Horton Hears a Who!
Dr Seuss's classic 1954 book Horton Hears a Who has entertained generations of children and served as the inspiration for a 26-minute, 1970 television special Dr Seuss's Horton Hears a Who and the 2000 Broadway musical "Seussical: The Musical". This 2008, full-length animated movie features the voice talents of Jim Carrey as Horton, Steve Carrell as the Mayor of Whoville, Carol Burnett as the Kangaroo, and Jesse McCartney as JoJo and promises to delight a whole new generation of children and their parents and grandparents. The technological wonders of computer animation have allowed 20th Century Fox Animation to bring to life the wacky, colourful Whoville with its minute inhabitants and the lush Jungle of Nool with its host of distinctive animals and the result is a rich, fantastical world of wonder worthy of Dr. Seuss' own imagination. All the major plot elements of Dr. Seuss' book are present, with Horton hearing the faint cry for help from a tiny dust speck atop a small clover and doing his best to protect the inhabitants of that small civilisation of Whoville despite the disbelief, disdain, and persecution of his fellow animals. The feel of Dr. Seuss' original rhyming prose is partially preserved in the sparse narration by Charles Osgood that's interspersed throughout the film's dialogue and the overarching themes of staying true to one's convictions and the celebration of the power of perseverance, imagination, and kindness come through loud and clear. Horton Hears a Who is a fun rendering of a classic Dr. Seuss story that's sure to entertain viewers of all ages. --Tami Horiuchi, Amazon.com

Alvin and the Chipmunks
A staggering surprise success at the box office just before Christmas 2007, the reason for the popularity of Alvin and the Chipmunks soon becomes clear. Not only is it a new adventure for a popular set of characters of old, it’s also a fun, breezy family movie, that the kids in particular will enjoy. Starring Jason Lee (of My Name Is Earl fame), Alvin and the Chipmunks mixes in live action and CGI chipmunks (Alvin, Simon and Theodore) in a story that sees that moved from their natural habitat into the midst of the big city. The plot then becomes as predictable as you’d expect, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had anyway. For Alvin and the Chipmunks has plenty in its corner. It’s funny, first and foremost, and moves along at a good pace, never forgetting that its prime job is to entertain its audience. And that’s something it easily manages to do, wrapping everything up by remembering not to outstay its welcome, either. Considering that Alvin and the Chipmunks enjoy a legion of fans that stretch back decades, it’s perhaps not a surprise after all that the film enjoyed the success it did. But what’s pleasing is that the spirit of the source material, in spite of its contemporary setting, is adhered to, and there’s fun for all in the end product. --Jon Foster

Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties
An impressive cast gives an unexpected boost to Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, the sequel to the first film starring the comic strip cat turned CGI feline. Once again voiced by Bill Murray (whose ever-eclectic career ranges from Meatballs to Lost in Translation), Garfield stows away in the luggage of his owner, Jon (Breckin Meyer, Clueless), as Jon travels to London to propose to his veterinarian girlfriend, Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ghost Whisperer). It just so happens that in England, a cat named Prince (voiced by Tim Curry) has just inherited a castle--much to the dismay of Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly, Mrs. Brown), who plots to get rid of Prince and all the other animals who inhabit the castle so that he can build condominiums on the property. Naturally, paths cross, identities get switched, and a barnyard of very British beasts find themselves dependent on the eternally lazy Garfield to keep their home safe from Dargis' predations. A Tail of Two Kitties is cheerful and short; nothing about it is very inspired, but it's certainly better than the first film and the technical effects are impeccable. Additional voice work by Bob Hoskins, Jane Horrocks, Rhys Ifans, Vinnie Jones, and others make everything seem just a little bit classier, as does the presence of Roger Rees (from the RSC Nicholas Nickleby) and Lucy Davis (from the original version of The Office). --Bret Fetzer

Features the family comedies: Horton Hears a Who!, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties

Horton Hears a Who!
Based on the 1954 children's book by Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who! is a 2008 computer-animated Hollywood update of the beloved illustrated tale. Horton (voiced by Jim Carrey), a thoughtful elephant living in the jungle of Nool, discovers that an entire society, Whoville, rests inside a speck. He gently rests it on a clover flower, and searches for a place where it will be safe from the perils of the larger world. Establishing contact with Whoville's befuddled mayor (Steve Carell), Horton faces disbelief from his animal friends, including his blue mouse pal, Morton (Seth Rogen), and unwittingly incurs the wrath of an uptight kangaroo (Carol Burnett), setting the playful pachyderm on a journey to the most remote parts of Nool, with malicious vultures and monkeys not far behind.

Alvin and the Chipmunks
This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they wind up in the home of Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Dave, a down-on-his-luck songwriter, realises the potential of a singing chipmunk pop act, and becomes an unlikely mentor/father figure to feisty Alvin, brainy Simon, and dopey Theodore. Meanwhile, the threesome causes chaos in his life, leading to plenty of fun, frenetic scenarios. When a devious record executive (David Cross) enters the picture, however, Alvin and the Chipmunks must deal with both the trappings of fame and their loyalty to the amiable, hapless Dave.

Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties
While tagging along to England with his lovely vet girlfriend (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Garfield's owner John Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) inadvertently brings Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray) along, where he winds up being mistaken for Prince (voiced by Tim Curry), the royal cat of a lordly estate. There's a plot afoot to steal Prince's lands and title, orchestrated by the nefarious Dargis (Billy Connolly) and it's up to Garfield to save the day, that is if he can get his face out of the lasagne long enough. This sequel to the 2004 hit GARFIELD - THE MOVIE maintains that film's clever intermingling of live action supporting cast with a CGI-animated Garfield, that self-centred, lasagne-quaffing feline, famed of newspaper comic strips by Jim Davis.

Additional Subtitles:

Alvin and the Chipmunks--German, Italian, Spanish