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Notting Hill - 1999. Average nice guy meets beautiful movie star. Comedy, love, loss, regret and reconciliation in the most heartwarming way. In the busiest room in London two people only notice each other.

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The Prestige - 2006. The movie opens with a sweep across dozens of top hats laying on the ground. Then we get the voiceover 'Are you watching closely?', because we are about to witness one hell of a trick. I could show my favourite scene, but I don't want to spoil it for those lucky people who have yet to experience this amazing movie.

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The Shawshank Redemption - 1994. The warden stands in Andy's empty cell, shouting and throwing Andy's chess pieces. One goes through a poster. The warden rips it off the wall as the camera pans back down the hole that Andy has dug over the last 19 years of wrongful imprisonment, revealing the incredulous faces of the two prison staff, and the man who knew him best - his friend Red. Cue cutscenes to show how the characters, and us, were fooled. Pressure and time....

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Aliens - 1986. The colonial marines are facing a deadly foe in an area where they are not allowed to use weapons. When the shit hits the fan Vasquez disobeys her orders with a shout of 'Let's rock!'. When the toughest marine unleashes hell you follow.

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Iron Man 2 - 2010. After a decidedly average film (I've seen it 3 times though) we were treated to the wonderful sight of Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, at the bottom of a huge crater. I left the cinema very excited at the prospect of a Marvel cinematic universe.

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District 9 - 2009. Wikus is inside a very cool armoured fighting machine, taking on the mercenary soldiers brought in to take him out. He uses the anti-grav gun to pick up a pig and launch it full speed at a soldier. The Half Life 2 fan inside me went ‘squeee!’

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Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014. Our hero, Star-lord, stands silently in front of a ruined temple. He puts on a pair of headphones and proceeds to dance like a twat to a funky 70's tune. This is the kind of start you need to a film, where the filmmakers say 'Just relax and enjoy the ride'. Genius.

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Captain America: Winter Soldier - 2014. Cap chases the would-be assassin across the rooftops. After charging through doors and bouncing off crumbling walls, Cap unleashes his trusty shield to take his opponent out. The Winter Soldier caught it like it was a frisbee. I actually said out loud 'You give that back' in the cinema! Hands down my favourite Marvel film and possibly favourite action film as well.

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Inception - 2010. Arthur is left to watch over his team while they go deeper into the dream world. When the van in the dream level above them goes off a bridge and into slo-mo free fall the gravity in Arthur's level is dramatically affected, as can been witnessed in this fight scene. I'm getting dizzy just writing this!

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Alien - 1979. Dallas bravely sweeps the air ducts of the Nostromo hoping to lure the alien out. He is up against a seven foot tall killing machine and he has a flamethrower! His fear gets the better of him and he decides to get the hell out of there. Too late.

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Blade Runner - 1982. The replicant, Roy Batty, has come to the end of his lifespan. As he faces death a wave of confusing and new emotions come over him, the very reason a short lifespan was built into these models.

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Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith - 2005. Master vs student. Anakin previously boasted that he was more powerful than Yoda. Obi Wan tested that theory. Two warriors at the peak of their power.

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Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers - 2002. Grima Wormtongue is faced with the realisation of where his treachery has led. He is faced with an army with one purpose - to destroy Rohan and his former King, Theoden.

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The usual suspects - 1995 Verbal Kint has just left the police station after telling Dave Kujan about Keyser Soze. He left in tears, a pathetic simpering figure. Dave Kujan sits on his desk chuckling to himself about the sad little man who has just limped out of his office. He glances at his notice board as audio snippets are brought to mind. His face becomes serious. He suddenly drops his coffee cup as the realisation hits him…..

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The Empire Strikes Back - 1980 ‘No, I am your father!’ I remember reading the book before the film came out. I couldn’t believe they would actually go through with it! The most shocking movie revelation of all time, well at least it was to a 13 year old boy.

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300 - 2006 Stelios and his son Astinos take on the Persian hoards in a beautifully choreographed slo-mo ballet of violence. I remember being totally blown away by the trailer for this one.

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The Matrix - 1999 When you see an agent, you run! Neo has been told he is ‘The One’ and is faster and stronger than the agents. He decides to stay and fight, despite the odds.
This scene is possibly the best fight scene in the Matrix trilogy, and is a key moment where Neo starts to believe in who he is.