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But on to the business that is Alvin and the Chipmunks 2. The population of computer-generated talking chipmunks has doubled since the last time we saw these dudes. This time around we're graced by the presence of the Chipettes, who first appeared in the cartoon series in 1983 and are voiced here by Anna Faris, Christina Applegate and the hilarious Amy Poehler. Perhaps the gals can breathe a little life into the kiddie franchise, which last time around wasn't exactly what we'd call a hit with critics.

Grade: D

Tooth Fairy – Opens January 22, 2010

Like the squeakquel to Alvin and the Chipmunks, Walden Media's making it blindingly clear that I'm not the target audience for Tooth Fairy. (Come on, Dwayne Johnson is parading around in a baby blue kimono and wings). Even so, the same holds true for a movie like Night at the Museum, yet I at least could stomach that one. But Tooth Fairy? Nope... this one looks really terrible.

This fantasy mashup stars the former wrestling champion as a pro hockey player who fans dub Tooth Fairy because of his punishing ability to knock out other players' teeth. His nickname takes on a significantly stranger meaning when after revealing to his girlfriend's son that there's no such thing as the tooth fairy, he's ordered – by, ahem, Julie Andrews – to serve as the real thing for two weeks.

Such a premise could work in certain instances. A big dude like Dwayne running around collecting childrens' teeth? Could be funny. Yet the trailer just doesn't work. It's painful, really. What's probably its only redeeming quality is an appearance by Billy Crystal, who sprinkles "amnesia dust" on Dwayne's character, which causes him to forget what's just been said. But even that is a stolen gag from Men in Black.

Grade: F

The Crazies – Opens February 26th, 2010

The Crazies is your typical bland, Hollywood horror movie. Average people suffer from some inexplicable disorder. They raise hell. Some people die. And then the remaining sane ones (in this case, chiefly Timothy Olyphant) jump in and try eradicating the town from the mysterious craziness. It's... familiar. Yet maybe The Crazies can get away with it, since it is based on George A. Romero's 36-year-old movie of the same name. Funnily enough, the trailer to the reimagining makes no mention of the 1973 film. Hmm.

The sneak peek doesn't exactly get around to telling us what's causing the problems, but a little light researching says a toxin contaminating the town's water supply is to blame. Like it really matters. The main thing is the population has gone all 28 Days Later on us, and that's all you need to know.

Though The Crazies gets points for being the one horror film I'm reviewing this week that doesn't have Saw in the title, it's not anything better than average.

Grade: C-

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