Synopsis:
This double feature contains two popular animated films sure to please the whole family.
MADAGASCAR: The friendship between a New York City lion and zebra is tested when fate brings them out to...
This double feature contains two popular animated films sure to please the whole family.
MADAGASCAR: The friendship between a New York City lion and zebra is tested when fate brings them out to the unforgiving wilderness in this computer-animated DreamWorks feature. Chris Rock does the voice of Marty the Zebra, whose longing to explore beyond his cushy Central Park Zoo boundaries is the impetus that ultimately strands him and his pals on the shores of savage Madagascar. Marty loves the new, edible scenery, but his best friend Alex the Lion (voiced by Ben Stiller) begins to starve since his diet of thick steaks has been cut off, and the rump of his friend starts to look mighty tasty. Their other friends, a hypochondriac giraffe (David Schwimmer) and a sassy hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), try their best to think of a solution as the call of the wild slowly turns the starving Alex into Marty's worst nightmare. Meanwhile the hilariously self-aggrandizing King of the Ocelots (Sacha Cohen) has a plan to use Marty to repel his own carnivore problem. This kid-oriented comedy stays adult-friendly every step of the way, thanks to a clever script that mixes New York humor and even some existentialism with the pratfalls and spit-takes. Jolts of comedic brilliance are supplied by some Arctic-bound escaped-con penguins and a couple of literary apes. It's not a musical, but classic songs from the likes of Louis Armstrong and Sammy Davis, Jr., keep the montages flowing loose and sassy.
CHICKEN RUN: Facing imminent death while laying eggs at Tweedy's English farm, a group of chickens, led by the determined Ginger (Julia Sawahla, BBC-TV's ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS), plan to escape their prisonlike coop. The situation goes from bad to worse when the sinister Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) decides to stop selling eggs and use the hens as the main ingredient in chicken pot pies. However, some hope literally falls from the sky in the form of Rocky (Mel Gibson), an American rooster who promises to teach the chickens how to fly. As the hens begin their struggle to get airborne, the monstrous pie-making machine arrives, giving the chickens precious little time to make their great escape. Aardman Studios' first full-length feature film is a stunning showcase of stop-motion animation. Utilizing the unique Plasticine designs of the acclaimed WALLACE & GROMIT and CREATURE COMFORT shorts, CHICKEN RUN features vibrant visuals and colorful characters who are immediately endearing. (The naive and constantly knitting Babs, voiced by Jane Horrocks, is particularly hilarious.) With its clever writing, witty film references, and pitch-perfect combination of comedy, drama, and romance, CHICKEN RUN is one of those rare movies that genuinely appeals to viewers of every age.
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