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Persall's Top Five

By STEVE PERSALL

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 9, 2000

Recent releases recommended by Times film critic Steve Persall

• Gladiator -- Sprawling, brawling Roman Empire epic, with Russell Crowe bidding to become the next great action star. Ultra-violent, but equally fun.

• Time Code -- Interesting experiment in digital cinema, with four screens showing simultaneous, unedited stories recorded in real time. Slim plot, richly creative.

• Shanghai Noon -- Martial arts comedian Jackie Chan continues his hot streak, this time in the 1880s frontier alongside a daft train robber (Owen Wilson).

• Dinosaur -- Computer-animated dinosaurs blend with real-life settings, making this an uncommonly convincing prehistoric adventure. Recommended for ages 8 and older, due to violence.

• Gone in Sixty Seconds -- Nicolas Cage puts the pedal to the metal as a master car thief on a larcenous binge. Slick summer fun. Angelina Jolie and Robert Duvall are among his a

ccomplices.