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Chicken Run	RANK=674
Category : Comedy Description : A group of chickens at an egg farm don't want to be turned into chicken pies, and they enlist the help of a newly arrived rooster in their escape attempt. This movie is a clay animation in case you didn't know. Most Hollywood movies can't even dream of being this good. This film is so cute and funny and dramatic and engaging. The characters are solid and the motion is spot on. You can tell that the Brits (Aardman animation) retained creative control of the movie when they shacked up with Dreamworks because: + The only duplicitous character is an American. + The American pikes and runs away. + The voices are (nearly) all British. + There's a plot. + It's inventive. Burn, Hollywood, burn.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in 1/2001

Chopper	RANK=70
Category : Not Sure Description : I can't believe I wasted 2 hours of my life seeing this awful movie. Eric Bana is a decent actor trapped by passable vocabulary in a script that goes nowhere. Much like the character of Chopper Reid, the plot is imprisoned in dull grey walls of its own making. This artwork is too warped to be a dramatised documentary but too dull and stagnant to be a proper movie. Not only is this unpleasant to watch, but it's just a plain old BAD movie as well! Contrast this with unpleasant but excellent movies, such as The Cell, Event Horizon, Saving Private Ryan, etc. These are movies that have purpose, direction, engaging development - all of which Chopper lacks.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in 8/2001

Commando	RANK=417
Category : Action Description : Arnie stars as Major John Matrix, a US commando that thought he could retire and leave all the bad guys behind. Hahaha! For some reason, the bad guys come after him again, and his daughter is kidnapped too, so there's plenty of reasons for Arnie to get mad. :) There's some absolutely classic Arnie lines in here, with my favourite line being: Girl: "What did you do with him?" Matrix: "I let him go." :-D Just watch the damn movie - you'll see what I mean. Matrix: "I repected you, Bennett. That's why I'm going to kill you last!" Oh stop it! hahahah! Stop it, you're killing me! He's a one-man army as always.	Viewing Status #viewings=3 First seen in /1992

Con Air	RANK=91
Category : Action Description : Big action stunt movie with Nicholas Cage as an ex marine who is put on a plane with many other dangerous criminals for transport to a max security prison. The obvious happens.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in /1997

Conspiracy Theory	RANK=557
Category : Action Description : A cosy-weird movie about a guy (Mel Gibson) who develops all sorts of conspiracy theories for a gossip newspaper, but soon realises he knows something that someone else wants nobody to know. Julia Roberts does actually act OK in this, and it appears she is not just there for appearances. Good conspiracies. Keeps you guessing.	Viewing Status #viewings=2 First seen in /1997

Contact	RANK=952
Category : SciFi Description : It takes a special sort of intellect to appreciate this film, since it is high on ideas but low on action (until the end). I liked it very much, but others found the ending too much of a let down - we never actually see the aliens themselves in this movie, so don't wait for a really wicked CGI alien or anything. Like I said, it's all about ideas. Plot: Astronomer discovers a transmission from deep space. I won't spoil the rest of the story. This film was a tribute to the late Carl Sagan - a smart and dedicated physicist who founded the SETI League.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in /1997

Crimson Tide	RANK=570
Category : Not Sure Description : Rather like an old cop/rookie cop movie but with thermonuclear consequences. The wiry old sub captain is forced to take on a younger man as executive officer. During the voyage, a crisis (which we are told is really quite complicated) allows russian nuclear missles to fall into the hands of rebels. Suddenly we're at DEFCON 4 and guess whose boat is picked to go on patrol near the conflict? So the bull-headed captain gets his style cramped by the cautious Harvard-educated officer, and the big issue is whether their orders to start WW3 have been cancelled. Plenty of suspense and excitement to be had, especially when you consider that all of this really could have happened at any time. Excellent music and acting. It's directed by Jerry Bruckheimer, so unfortunately it includes a standard Jerry Bruckheimer patriotism scene - so get the sick bags ready. Apparently in 1996 the U.S. took authority for nuke launches away from sub captains and gave the final word to the President. Seeing who has just been "elected" to office there recently, I'm not sure if that was a wise move.	Viewing Status #viewings=3 First seen in /1995

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon	RANK=630
Category : Not Sure Description : Have you ever seen a film that you found to be . . . strangely attractive? I have, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is one of them. This is a Chinese film, subtitled in English, starring Michelle Yeogh and Chow Yun Fat. With these two well-known martial arts stars in the credits, you know there's going to be some excellent moves. Indeed, the fighting sequences are treated perfectly, with emphasis on motion, completely natural soundtrack, and short, sharp, lightning-fast moves. The film has a mixture of fast action, and stately dialogue. While I admit that the mix between words and swords was appropriate, I still found myself getting restless during the motivation-development talk. There are lots of feelings that the characters want to communicate, and this is compunded by the frequency with which allegiances and attitudes change. That's also a noteworthy point: the plot. This movie has one. More pointedly, the plot is not a simple matter of Good versus Evil as so often done in your typical yanky flick. It is more about each person doing, from moment to moment, whatever they think is best. Less story telling and more character-driven. In typical movies, the audience sides with the main characters simply because they get more time to justify their actions. In CTHD, the division of time is closer to even. There's also some funny moments: "First it is stolen, then replaced, then stolen again. My home is turning into a warehouse!" I came away from this film with the sense that it is beautiful in its scenery, costume, and visuals. It is also subtle in dialogue, plot, and general feeling.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in 3/2001

Cube	RANK=839
Category : Thriller Description : Awesome little independant release from Canada. I think they blew their effects budget on the opening scene, which isn't really saying much, but the opening scene really sets the tone for the rest. Mystery, suspense, mathematics, boobytraps, death at every corner! Does maths seems a bit out of place there? Not in this brave new world where the math geeks can mix it with the tough guys. A bunch of characters awaken to find themselves inside a huge maze of interconnected cubic rooms - some of which are booby trapped. THE CUBE. Don't think that the setting is monotonous and tacky, because the main focus is (naturally) on how each character reacts to this unique situation, how they deal with each other, and how they try to escape from THE CUBE. There's some funny lines and plenty of drama and intrigue. Sadly the anhollywoodity of the film meant that it was consigned to teeny trendy indie cinemas like the Dendy chain. Not that it really matters, but few people got to see this on the big screen. I doubt that it loses much impact in the translation to video, so go and rent it now.	Viewing Status #viewings=1 First seen in 3/1999

Dante's Peak	RANK=661
Category : Action Description : Pierce Brosnan is a vulcanologist who escapes from an exploding volcano called Dante's Peak. Very nice FX.	Viewing Status #viewings=2 First seen in /1997

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