The Shawshank Redemption

Rating:
Summary: Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins...
Review: What more could you want? Not heavy on extra features, but why would you need them with a film of this quality?

Rating:
Summary: Justice, injustice, redemption, depravity, despair, and hope
Review: Wow! No words can truly describe this incredible film. I had rated this film as the best film I had ever seen until I saw The Thin Red Line which is another overlooked film and the only film that in my mind surpasses The Shawshank Redemption. That these two films were passed over is reason enough to stop even having the academy awards.

This film explores many fundamental questions about man's human nature and our society in general. What is the purpose of our penal system? How do we cope with adversity? What is the measure of a man? What motivates us? What is beauty? The list goes on and on.

Prison life is harsh. From the spartan living conditions to sadistic inmates to cruel guards and administrators. But to me one of the ultimate truths that the film displays is that there is justice in the end for all although it may take a different form for each individual and circumstance.

The power of persistence to overcome adversity. The strength that we gain from each other. The necessity to risk and challenge our own assumptions. The choice to be miserable or positive.

The direction, acting, story, cinematography, and soundtrack are just phenomenal. This to me is one of very few truly devine films of all time.

NOT TO BE MISSED!

Rating:
Summary: "Hope is a Good Thing"
Review: this movie gave me an impression about how to face oppisite point of views by simply saying"hope is a good thing". i recommend such a movie for all kinds of movie fans.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Film
Review: I love THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. It easily ranks as one of my top 10 films of all time.

Robbins is fantastic, Freeman is (as always) perfect. Direction is magnificent. The opening fly-by shot of the bus arriving at Shawshank is a classic piece of cinemaphotography. Even the score is magnificent.

But I'm baffled by the editorial review by Jeff Shannon (above). Specifically, when Shannon writes "we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable," what on earth is he talking about?!?

Just for starters, the banker didn't commit the crime. And nowhere in the film is it even vaguely implied that it was a justifiable crime---JUSTIFIABLE DOUBLE HOMICIDE? HUH?!?

Rating:
Summary: POWERFULLY Emotional!
Review: Right from the beginning of the movie you get confused whether to believe or not to believe... but then so many events take place that you ignore your beliefs and sense the thrilling powerful struggle and injustice taking place.

The drama is very interesting and amazingly put together that you do not get bored at all but keep on living the changes and frequent ups and downs.

Tim Robbins, played a very cold character who managed to well to surprise you all along the movie.

Morgan Freeman, played with viewers emotions with his deep character who gave up hope but managed to survive in jail.

This is a great movie not to be ignored... to me it's a must see/buy for every library!

Rating:
Summary: DVD makers pay attention
Review: This movie was awesome! Great story, great characters an very good performances by Robbins and Freeman. You really get absorbed by it. The movie gets 5 stars from me.

The DVD however does not. When I buy a DVD of such a good movie I want to see beyond the film, I want interviews, documentaries, and specially audio tracks with commentary by the director and/or main lead. This sadly was not featured and while production notes are at least something extra it is not something that you couldn't find on the web.

So please DVD makers: in the future when making a DVD be sure to put real special features, otherwise it's the same as buying the VHS version. I know picture quality and sound are better on DVD but frankly that's not what I look for when I buy a movie.

By the way, "chapter selection" does not count as a special feature. A DVD by nature should have a chapter selection.

Rating:
Summary: The greatest movie of all time.
Review: You've read all the other reviews - this movie has everything: brilliant plot, top notch acting, great directing.

I predict in say, 40 years time this movie will be regarded as, just that - The Greatest film of all time. Ever since it's theatrical release in 1994, more and more people have been taken in by this underrated masterpiece. It's only a matter of time.

Rating:
Summary: We're All Innocent In Here Remember????
Review: Look,do yourself a tremendous favor and buy this movie. I went over my friend's house and she asked me to watch it. I didnt feel like it but i said ok. It ended up being such a great film, that i purchased it the next day. I thought it would be one of those long boring films but trust me there's is nothing boring about this movie. Tim Robbins plays his role fantasically and so does Morgan Freeman as always. The story is so good and the ending is so satisfying. Please you will not regret this purchase. MUST BUY NOW!!!!

Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorites
Review: Im only 14, but I happen to be very critical about movies, so I don't like too many of them.

However, "The Shawshank redemption" would have to be one the best movies I have ever seen in my short life, & believe me, I watch alot of movies.

This movie is set in the 1940's, and is about a banker called Andy Dufrense, who is wrongly jailed for the murder of his wife and her lover. On his arrival, we met Red, the only guilty man in Shawshank, who thinks Andy won't last in Shawshank.

When they meet for the first time, Red starts to think differently about him, and the two form a close friendship. Of course, life isn't easy in Shawshank. In his years there, Andy is repeatedly violated by a group of inhumane prisoners, while Red is refused parole over and over.

However, while there, they both come to learn a valuable lesson: Men and fear can hold them prisoner, but friendship and hope can set them free. And the ending is just beautiful.

This is simply a wonderful movie. The plot is simple, but the music, acting, and filming are amazing. I highly recommend this to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: A Decent Show, but Something is Missing...
Review: This film really perplexes me. With the hundreds of people I have interviewed and the thousands of surveys I have sent out to video store customers, who have seen The Shawshank Redemption, I must say, you either love or hate this film. There seems to be no gray area here.

There was obviously some disdain, hate, and indifference at the box office in the fall of 1994. Nobody saw it. Nobody cared to see it. According to Variety magazine, this film grossed domestically a total of $28.6 million and only lasted 9 weeks in the national theaters before it was yanked and shelved for good. For those of you keeping score at home that's an average of $3.17 million a week. That's a joke!!

Heck, "Charlie's Angels" made over $40 million in it's first day of release. According to Variety magazine, "Mission Impossible II" made $63 million in its first day of national release. Now that's firepower at the Box Office and the only true way to prove the artistic value and quality of a motion picture. Furthermore, that's the only way American audiences keep score!

Back to Shawshank. I must be the only person who found middle ground with this movie. It's a good movie, but not nearly a great one. There are a lot of flaws, annoying scenes, and very unrealistic occurrences that just unexplainably happen (a few times I almost wanted to get up and walk out).

Here are some of the things that are laughable and flawed in The Shawshank Redemption.

1.) Would or would a prison NOT keep a convicted murderer felon locked up at all times; especially in the presence of the prison Warden. EVERY scene Andy is in, he never has handcuffs on. Therefore the ending scene would never have taken place.

2.) Would someone please explain to me how they where going to get Rita Heyworth snuck into the prison? This happens to be one of the most ridiculous scenes in movie history and very laughable. When I was in the theater there were well deserved sneers and laughs of sarcasm and contempt. This was the movie theater scene when the inmates are watching the Rita Heyworth movie and Andy sneaks in requesting to have Rita Heyworth.

3.) The narration is weak and unjustified. Narration in films are always a sign of weakness in the story and plot. It is always used to cover up holes in the story; unless it conveys the protagonist's inner feelings and thought. Here, it conveys somebody (his friend) who is basically telling us what we are witnessing on the screen. It's like listening to a football play by play announcer describing the action on the field. This does not advance our involvement in the film at all.

4.) The acting of Tim Robbins is an embarrassment. He's too wooden and stiff. Furthermore, he mumbles too much in his Brando imitation of "On the Waterfront" and is barely intelligible.

5.) It's hard to believe the prison brutality in this film. I find it hard to believe that the Warden's 'right hand man' Hadley, would terrorize the inmates arbitrarily.

Here are some of the good things about this film:

1.) It's not a bad story and at times inspirational. The dramatic arc is right on target and there are plot surprises.

2.) The pacing by the director is very good. The suspenseful buildup is well timed and the scenes snap in place with good tempo and rhythm. 3.) If you can get by the dry, aloof, and uninspired performance by Robbins, you will really like the acting job by Freeman. This is a well rounded, three-dimensional performance by Freeman and he really saves the film's credibility.

4.) The villain is believable and more importantly sinister. We wouldn't expect the prison warden to be the villain, but here he is. It's well written and more importantly, played out realistically.

5.) The sound engineering is excellent. Put this movie on a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound System with 14 speakers running at 140 watts with 8 Ohms a peice for the front 5 speakers and 110 watts per channel for your surround speakers into 8 ohms from 20Hz to 20,000Khz with less than 0.07 percent THD and you'll be blown away. Also, try to keep your Digital-to-analog audio converter at 24-bit/96 kHz and your frequency response at (+/- 3 dB): 10 Hz to 100,000KHz to achieve the perfect sound for the DVD's soundtrack.

You wouldn't expect a film with plain sets and dull interiors to have exceptional sound, but the sound engineers really pulled off a miracle on this movie. Again, you've got to hear this on a Dolby 5.1, Dolby Pro Logic XDL342, Standard Dolby Digital, or Dolby VMXL38 Logic ACM 283 System.

Well, that's all folks. A movie you either love OR hate--could be LOVE TO HATE as so many of you have--but somehow, I found the middle ground and saw the gray lining. Ain't I really objective!