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Guermadillo
Apr 5, 2003

If I could go back and vote this a 5.5 (I voted before the system changed), I would. The most accurate on-screen portrayal of the human condition I've yet seen. Without a doubt, my favorite movie.

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PictishSexBomb
Mar 15, 2004

by elpintogrande
The interesting thing about this film is that there are no female leads or supporting cast whatsoever. I wrote my film class final paper on the masculine imagery in the film and what exactly Darabont was trying to say. I forget most of it now of course, and there is the fact that it's set in a prison so that is a logical construction. But every girl I know says "Yeah, it's a good movie." and most guys I know always state "BEST FILM EVER MADE, NO QUESTION." You can call it sentimental, but I think Shawshank is more macho than Rambo could ever be. I'm getting Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying tattooed across my back.

NokkonWud
Dec 26, 2003

quote:

PictishSexBomb came out of the closet to say:
You can call it sentimental, but I think Shawshank is more macho than Rambo could ever be.

That is so true.

Retarted Pimple
Jun 2, 2002

quote:

Captain Fwiffo came out of the closet to say:
It is, in my opinion, the best adaptation of King's work.

I agree, this is one of the few movies I can watch over and over.

5.5

Allahu Snackbar
Apr 16, 2003

I came all the way from Taipei today, now Bangkok's pissin' rain and I'm goin' blind again.

quote:

SpokkerJones came out of the closet to say:
This is one of those films I could just pop in and watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon despite seeing it a million times before.

I've run into this playing on TV probably two dozen times or more, and every single time I said "Oooh, Shawshank", and kept it on, no matter where it was in the movie.

I never get tired of the film, and its exceptionally well done. 5/5

Argh..hh...heh.
Feb 20, 2001
Ex-Supreme Overlord of Canada

quote:

PictishSexBomb came out of the closet to say:
You can call it sentimental, but I think Shawshank is more macho than Rambo could ever be. I'm getting Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying tattooed across my back.
That's brilliant.

This is one of my favourite movies ever, and I agree with the masculinity statement. I can watch red open the box under the rocks a thousand and still get excited.

Argh..hh...heh. fucked around with this message at 06:36 on May 10, 2004

Mannequin
Mar 8, 2003
I love this movie! The soundtrack is equally as good. (Thomas Newman was the composer). The only downside is that the lead character, played by Tim Robbins, is a left-extremist and I can't stand the guy. But he's a great actor. In fact, the overall acting in the film is great. The story is brilliant and engaging. I would show this movie to anyone. It's in the top 3 on IMDB - that should tell you something.

quote:

PictishSexBomb came out of the closet to say:
Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
This is one of the greatest quotes in the film.

5/5

Mannequin fucked around with this message at 09:32 on May 15, 2004

Cessna N333UM
Dec 7, 2003

Winning (and passing Check-Rides) is better than sex.
This was one of those movies that I always heard was soooo great, and when I saw it, it was far better than I could have ever imagined. Tremendous. One of the greatest movies ever made. The ending was perfect. One nice thing I have to say about Liberals (I'm to the right of the NRA and Robbins is to the left of Sen. Kerry) is that they sure as hell know how to make a great movie.

5.5 / 5

suddenlyissoon
Feb 17, 2002

Don't be sad that I am gone.
This is my favorite movie of all time and has grown to be the favorite of many others i know. Over the course of the movie you become so involved with the characters that by the end, you feel like you've actually escaped shawshank and been reunited with your best friend. one hell of a movie. 5.5/5

shadowbolt
Dec 1, 2003

Rubber Ducky, you're the one...
My absolute favorite film. Ever. Period.

Wow. 5.5

Ceritus
Jul 31, 2002

C'mon, all the cool kids are doing it.
This is one movie that I never get tired of seeing. I couldn't believe that Stephen King actually wrote the story for this film, given that I absolutely loathe about 98% of his published works and generally think of him as something of a hack.

Rating: 4.5, only because I don't belive in giving anything a perfect rating.

Captain Corny
Dec 16, 2000

This is the only King movie that manages to stick to the book completely, and be really good. Voted 5.0.

XarsonX
Oct 24, 2003

Phage love

quote:

Captain Corny came out of the closet to say:
This is the only King movie that manages to stick to the book completely, and be really good. Voted 5.0.
Well.. not completely, there was some stuff different, like in the book Shawshank went through a couple wardens while Andy was in, and a few other nit-picky things. I guess it must be kind of hard to translate most of King's work into movies though, since his books are so drat long. Definately one of the best book to movie translations ever though.
voted 5.5

Cold Fusion
May 27, 2001

This is one of the most touching and thought-provoking movie I've ever seen. It's just beautiful. I think I cried the first time I saw it. And maybe the second, I can't remember.

5

JamieMadrox
Feb 8, 2004
DON'T CLOSE SH/SC THREADS
one of my all-time favorites. the story is so touching and interesting, acted and directed incredibly well. i would say that this is perhaps the best film adaptation of a book and/or short story of all time.

5/5

Teeboner
Sep 19, 2003

My favorite film! Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman give two of the best performances ever. Tim Robbins sorta subdued but optimistic outlook on life while in prison was inspiring in spite of all the troubles he goes through in the movie. Morgan Freeman was equally impressive as Red, street-wise convict who befriends Andy and provides insightful narration for the movie. The plot is epic like - it follows Andy's life from his incarceration til years later when he is "released." The climax is just great story and the conclusion leaves you with a big freaking grin. 5.5

Dr. Gojo Shioji
Apr 22, 2004

I know this isn't a review or anything, but I just wanted to let those that weren't aware know that there are rumors going around stating that this movie will be re-released into theaters for the 10th anniversary. The 10th anniversary special edition DVD should be out a little later. Sorry if this is already widely known.

To stay on topic: This is seriously the greatest movie I have ever seen. If it doesn't have the best ending of all time I don't know what does.

5.5/5

Chompwad
Sep 3, 2002

>[
One of my absolute favorite movies of all time. I've had this running on loop in my theater system all summer.
5/5

Plom Bar
Jun 5, 2004

hardest time i ever done :(
This movie is quite possibly the only movie that I watched in High School that didn't have at least ONE guy complaining before and after class how much it sucked. Also, the scene in which Morgan Freeman's character gets parole for sassing the council (which my friends and I refer to as the "Morgan Freeman rolls doubles" scene) is nothing short of godly.

FIVE POINT FIVE

Plom Bar fucked around with this message at 01:25 on Jun 26, 2004

Horseface
Jun 29, 2003

Please put your hands together for Homosexuals the Gorilla!
After finally seeing this film after having it hyped up as the BEST THING EVER I really don't see what the big deal is. Yes it was very good, but it wasn't anything I'd call GREAT and there were only a couple truly memorable scenes (the entire jail yard silently listening to opera being the most indelible image). Keep in mind that I don't have cable, so I haven't seen it 29329035209458 times and don't really plan to.

4/5

British Pimp
Oct 20, 2002
I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO ANY THREAD. IGNORE.
I remember hiring this ten years ago when it was completely unknown. I was expecting something quite tedious but being the movie completist I am, I hired it anyway.

Quite simply the best movie I have ever seen and the benchmark by which I compare every other movie.

5/5.

Scrapez
Feb 27, 2004

One of my all time favorite films. Moves along fast enough not to get boring but supplies enough detail and background to get to know the characters that need to be known.

Enjoyed the foreshadowing of "Andy, those are just lovely pipe dreams" just before Andy crawls through the lovely pipe to freedom.

A definite 5/5...I haven't ever met anyone that didn't like this movie...

janklow
Sep 28, 2001

whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.
i, too, think this film is a little overrated. it was an enjoyable film, but i can't bring myself to give it more than a 4, for while i can't think of anything terribly wrong about this film, i just don't enjoy it the same way i do a film i'd give a 5.

quote:

This is the only King movie that manages to stick to the book completely, and be really good. Voted 5.0.
it would be hard for me to believe a statement like this in the face of Morgan Freeman playing the role of Red.

KimchiHead
Jan 10, 2004

The Shawshank Redemption is a movie that you can watch endless times.
It's not particularly brilliant in any respect but it manages to keep the viewer entertained and engaged with a good story and solid acting. The ending was one of the less cheesy 'heart-warming endings.'

4.5/5

Pilsner
Nov 23, 2002

Awesome movie, even though a tiny bit cliché in places. Heartwarming with great characters and story. 5.

Corkscrew
May 20, 2001

Nothing happened. I'm Julius Pepperwood. Let it go.
Easily in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. I can never get tired of seeing it.

5.0

DukeRustfield
Aug 6, 2004
5. Great great movie. I remember having a recap of the year's movies and which failed for why. Quiz Show was cited because no one could understand the poster. And Shawshank was cited because the title was too confusing. But then it went on to get a lot of awards nods and I suspect did pretty well. I saw it only made like $35MM in the theaters, so that ain't much. But t.v., dvd it's done well.

I love the concept of institutionalized. I think it's very true. There was a scene in the script that didn't make it to film (as I recall). Where Morgan was in the grocery store and had to escape to the bathroom and close himself in the stall. The open spaces were too intimidating for him and he needed the tiny space to feel okay.

One of the best prison movies in a long line of prison movies.

ample pantage
Dec 2, 2003
One of my picks for best movie in the last few decades, if not history of cinema.

The acting from both primary and supporting actors is fantastic--most especially Morgan Freeman, whose voice carries weight and beauty as he narrates the scenes inside Shawshank. It does an excellent job of showing the misery of prison while at the same time giving scenes here and there a comedic touch--scenes that might not have been funny outside of a such a movie, but which resonate well here.

The last forty or so minutes, in my opinion, are some of the best ever captured on film--from the plot to the acting to the score, the feeling it gives to the audience that suffered along with Andy and Red is incredible. Uniquely and ultimately satisfying, and a movie I could (and have) watched over and over.

5.5/5; best drama I've ever seen.

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

Intensely overrated. This is what passes for emotional depth among the 2 Fast 2 Furious crowd. "Great cinema" for those who revel in mediocrity. Clichéd, overwrought, and predictable. A well-done film, and nothing more. 3.5/5

DrScorp
Jun 21, 2000

Well, I don't know if it truly reaches the emotional depth of a great film like 2 Fast 2 Furious, but it's still one of my favorites if not my favorite movie of all time. Then again, I'm known to revel in mediocrity from time to time. I guess Ebert does too, since this is one of the most recent films on his Great Movie list.

5.5

DrScorp fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Dec 15, 2004

BoiledHand
Feb 10, 2001

quote:

Arm Unit 700 came out of the closet to say:
I know I already replied, but this is bugging me. What evidence could Andy have possibly amassed against the head guard in order for them to arrest him? I'm sure he went round being brutal because he could get away with it. Any ideas?

I'm not exactly sure what evidence Andy could have had, but he defintely did alert the authorities of the murder of the dude he was tutoring because the warden slams a newspaper down on his desk that says, "Murder, Corruption at Shawshank".

Anyway, this is easily my favourite movie of all-time, I must have watched it at least a dozen times now. Everything is perfect. The acting, plot, pacing, soundtrack, everything. It's already been said in this thread.

5/5

Jon Carbuncle
Sep 21, 2002


Soiled Meat
Like many others have said on here, I can see this movie come on TNT, and I'll stop what I am doing and watch it, no matter what part of the movie it is. Doesn't matter that I have seen it a hundred times before, I will stop and watch it. A weird benefit to this though is that when I actually do watch it on DVD its just that much better without the commercials and crap.

5.5/5

Marble
Aug 16, 2004
Ban count: 1
Voted 5.5, this is my favorite movie ever. I don't really think I have anything to say that hasn't been covered, this is just a totally awesome movie.

Jules24
Dec 25, 2004
Boy Howdy! What a great xmas present!
Shawshank is a good movie, but it does have some problems that need to be addressed. Many people believe it to be the best adaptation of a Steven King novel. I found Stand By Me and Misery both to be better conversions to film. I also felt that the film didn't really try for much. Nothing really new about it. Sure, the ending was great, but I could name two dozen other movies with better, stronger endings (The Usual Suspects, Paths of Glory, Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver, Hero, and High Noon come to mind), and fifty just overall better movies. There's a reason this one made AFI's list of 400 nominations, but couldn't cut it for the 100 best of all time.

4/5

Good, but overrated.

weekly font
Dec 1, 2004


Everytime I try to fly I fall
Without my wings
I feel so small
Guess I need you baby...



You're a horrible person without a soul if you don't like this movie. There's not a single bad thing about it and it was robbed of Best Picture by a truly mediocre movie.

5.5/5

ProdigalSon
Sep 15, 2003
Can't believe that I slept on such a fantastic movie for so long. I generally don't care much for dramas, but this one didn't seem to have even a single bad point or segment of the film that I can recall. Great story, excellent acting especially from Morgan Freeman. I must be about the 80th person now in this thread to highly recommend it.

5/5

bslatimer
May 21, 2002

quote:

Uncle Jesse came out of the closet to say:
You're a horrible person without a soul if you don't like this movie.

5.5/5
True dat!

<----------See my sig

This is without a doubt my favorite movie, and probably one of my ten favorite stories in print. The movie is capable in many different aspects, but the cinematography is what seals the deal for me. As with a lot of other movies I love (LOTR Trilogy, Apacalypse Now, Braveheart, Amelie) it is able to transport you to a different time and a different place through that *magic* of cinematography. Once you are hooked by the imagery, the humanity and the universal themes of freedom and friendship are easily digested... or I could just be a big sap.

5.5/5

Ivan Shitskin
Nov 29, 2002

I just finished watching this 5 minutes ago from this post and all I have to say is that it was incredible. My new all time favorite. I can't believe I've been putting off seeing it for so long.

5.5

®
Nov 20, 2002

This is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time, despite the fact that I just recently have seen it for the first time.

Thomas Newman's score is absolutely AMAZING, though. It is definitely worth listening to, even independent of the film istelf. It really helps make this movie what it is.

5.5/5

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BobTheCow
Dec 11, 2004

That's a thing?

quote:

LoungieMu came out of the closet to say:


I've run into this playing on TV probably two dozen times or more, and every single time I said "Oooh, Shawshank", and kept it on, no matter where it was in the movie
This, and everything else that has been mentioned, says it all. Everything about this movie is fantastic, and I always love watching it. 5/5

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