MartinHafer Mark Lewis has made several quirky documentaries about animals--such as about dogs, cats, cane toads and in this case, the chicken. In the case of this chicken film, the show seems very episodic--with a wide variety of folks discussing chickens. Some are farmers, some are people who HATED that their neighbor suddenly started raising very LOUD chickens, some talk about the famous headless chicken ('Mike') owned by Olie, and some seemed just plain infatuated with them! One woman, in particular, has a pet chicken that she dotes over and adores--just like a puppy. I will make no comments about this lady--you just have to see her to believe her! In addition to all the odd stories and characters you also briefly take a trip to a HUGE egg-producing facility that was a bit disturbing--the chickens really were crammed together very tightly. You also, at a GREAT distance, see a guy beheading a chicken and discussing how this is something people don't want to think about--but we DO eat chickens! There's nothing exactly profound or deep about this film. Just an odd little celebration of this animal. Still, in a strange way, it's quite watchable. A decent time-passer.

tributarystu I wouldn't have expected such a strong, consistent and enticing show from a chicken documentary, just like most people here. Watching the tender tales of chicken love was a fun and, to some degree, beautiful experience. The connections that can be made between human beings and animal usually have this loving and innocent quality to them that eludes most relationships in life. To find these chicken stories and portray them in such a skillful way is surely a feat worth praising.Yet, while it is consistent with the world-view of this film, I resent the fact that industrially bred chicken - and their owners - are deemed to be inferior in passion and devotion. While the comments (or lack thereof) in presenting the larger chicken business do not go into blatantly manipulative affirmations against chicken products, they still spell out a very negative view of what is outlined to be exploitative behavior. I'm sure you can find interesting tales of care from farmers who happen to own large chicken housing establishments, because it's not easy at all to look after tens of thousands of chickens and ensure they live a healthy life. And while there is certainly a level of detachment involved in "the industrial chicken", it's necessity for basic and essential food products cannot be denied and should not be denigrated. To my mind, restricting the film to what it does best - establish the beauty of life - would've done it more good and would've conferred it a higher consistency and integrity, in a purely structural sense.Beyond this though, which is truly only a slight part of this documentary, I think it's worth a recommendation for its ability to encapsulate the specialness in this absolutely unique relationship people have with animals.

jbitt I have seen negative reviews of this very good film elsewhere that were the result of the title "misleading" viewers. While I'll grant that the title is a little quirky (just like the characters), the actual content is so interesting, funny and entertaining that all should be easilly forgiven. This is a type of documentary, but not a purely scientific study aimed at agriculture majors. There is definitely a point of view, but it is not heavy or negative.You will never feel the same again about chickens or some of their amazing owners. It will not stop you from eating the birds, except, perhaps, those unfortunate ones raised in today's horrible warehouse "farms." Don't chicken out -- watch this film!

Ellen This little film is honestly quite captivating. The cinematography is so artistic, and the content is quirky, interesting, and entertaining. I appreciate that it juxtaposes the free-range chicken existence with the mass marketed chicken hatcheries. Yet it doesn't hammer on the viewer that it's wrong to eat chicken. It simply shows the interesting characters that can be found in chickens, and the people who care about them. I think it gives a very healthy viewpoint regarding appreciating them as creatures, and yet allowing us the right to eat them as well. The editing is quite good, well paced.This film is wonderful! If you like the movie Babe (the first one), you will be fond of this project.