Since I've recently become a Grandpa it seems appropriate that I start paying more attention to films aimed at kids. So I approached Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel with a bit less languor than I might have not many months ago. It's been a long time since I've watched a film such as this. I'm happy to report it was an enjoyable experience.

The Chipmunks are one of those cultural phenomena that cross generational lines. Even a grandparent like me first met the chipmunks as a child. They have been around a long time. So this film allows me a chance to reconnect with my past experience with them—both as a child and as a parent when my children watched them on TV. It should be noted that the Chipmunks have, in a sense, matured over the years. They are no longer only about entertainment (as they were on the radio back in my childhood); now they also give a bit of insight into the world of children.

In The Squeakquel David has been injured (accidentally by Alvin, of course) and is in the hospital. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are being cared for by David's slacker cousin Toby, so they are in effect without adult supervision. Add to this that they have to go to school. This is a terrible shock for them. They are used to their role as rock stars. In school, they are the smallest of the small. They have to scurry to avoid being stepped on. They are preyed on by bullies. Alvin finds a way to join the popular kids, but that leaves Simon and Theodore behind.

The Chipettes (a female trio like the Chipmunks) also show up in this film. They end up being taken in by the evil promoter Ian Hawke, who takes advantage of them. When a big school concert comes up, Alvin is off with the football team, leaving his brothers to face the humiliation of not even competing against the Chipettes. Is this the end of the Chipmunks, like so many other groups? Can they forgive one another? Okay, you know it'll have a happy ending, so it's not a spoiler to say that they all learn a bit about what it means to be family.

No doubt many parents will take their children to see this just because it's entertaining. Nothing wrong with that. But perhaps this will also provide a chance to help children think about what they see by talking a bit after the movie. That could include parents sharing their own memories of watching the Chipmunks or helping them to consider the issues that come up in the film, like loyalty, commitment, and family.

The key significance of the Chipmunks is that between them they make up every child. Some children may seem like a Theodore or like a Simon or like an Alvin, but most children will have bits of all three of these characters: Theodore's insecurity and shyness, Simon's empathy and intelligence, and Alvin's self-centeredness and craving for attention. Letting the children talk about the characters and their various traits may help them acknowledge that part of themselves and begin to grow.

But hey, it's only a Chipmunks movie. It can't really be more than a few minutes of fun... or can it?