Why is The Shawshank Redemption considered so great?

[Benoco]

I've been watching a lot of chaplin, bergman, and tarkovsky movies lately, and I really wish I could say that I'm watching them for any other reason than just being able to say I've seen them. I mean, sure, my eagerness to learn about the history of film plays a part, but that's the only thing I feel like I get out of these movies: learning. it's like I'm just slogging through homework and, as you said, I'm waiting for it to be over.

That sums it up.

which is too bad. I wish I could experience the catharsis that some feel at the end of wild strawberries, but instead all I feel is gratefulness that it's over and the desire to watch a more recent movie.

Yeah, it's a shame

 

[SoulBrotherNo1]

btw Chris Paul is overrated

how can you overrate a god?

 

[SoulBrotherNo1]

Watch Bicycle Thieves if you haven't already; I don't think you'll have a hard time relating to that '40s movie, as it's very emotionally affecting.

holy shit Bicycle Thieves is awesome. Thats the oldest movie Ive rated 10/10.

 

[Benoco]

Would you agree with me if I say that there is no pretentions movie in the world? I honestly think so. Art, by definition, cannot be pretentios.

BUT!

There are tons of pretentious fans. Tons of them. And some of them who make me facepalm becuase they are arrogantly pretentios about the movies that I genuinely like.

BUT!

This isnt only true for european style art films from 50-60 years ago. This is true for fucking Batman! There are people who say that Dark Knight has some of the most complex psychological and philosophical questions in cinema history. Yet if you ask them to explain, they wont, because they dont really understand, it just sounds cool.

THATS what really pretentiousness is, and not studd like enjoying Tree of Life genuinely.

After all the philosophizing in The Dark Knight/TDKR I found them to be incredibly bloated and contrived. I do think Christopher Nolan was way too pretentious with those films, he stuffed every cheesy theme into them he could. While Bruce Wayne is pontificating about what type of hero Gotham needs I couldn't help think "Jesus, I came to see Batman kick some arse, nothing more". You start to wonder how Bruce Wayne gets his pants on in the morning.

The problem with Batman is that, unlike X-Men or The Matrix for example, it doesn't really lend itself easily to themes or philosophical questions. Anything too deep seems forced.

 

[Madmick]

I'm going to go ahead and guess that you think The Dark Knight is a fine piece of cinema that is going to be worshiped 50 years from now and my initial post belittling it somehow got your knickers in a twist.

Oh... and that's just my subjective opinion.

Not at all. I have no idea which films will be esteemed. But I think you drastically underestimate the power that TDK's popularity will influence its consideration. The Lives of Others or A Separation are arguably the greatest film of the past decade, but how many on here won't rank them simply because they've never seen even either? Time tends to amplify these disparities in most instances, not mitigate them.

And yet, exactly because of its subjective, you dont have to agree with any lists. Let alone worry about it. It seems like thats what most people do. Insecure as hell:
"OMG people love Persona, but I was bored by it. Ohh noooo, what a conflict, I cant live with it. I cant leave this topic alone, I have to go on the internet ad arrogantly shout "PRETENTIOUS ARTSYFARTSY DOUCHEBAG" in everyones face who has a different personal taste than mine."

Of course you don't have to agree. My point is that merely objecting to populism doesn't lend any validity to the opinions of the particular person objecting. That has to be earned. Meanwhile, populism, by definition of its very nature, will always bear weight.

 

[fingercuffs]

I will never watch that or The Green Mile again, too bloody sad.

 

[KOQ24]

I will never watch that or The Green Mile again, too bloody sad.

Brooks was here

 

[Thunderflash500]

I love the movie. Although it will bother me how at the end he crawled through the pipe and out of it. It was an open pipe. Yet when he smashed the pipe the shit sprayed up. That shouldn't have happened. But that's just a minor point, it was a great movie.

 

[Madmick]

how can you overrate a god?

By overrating the first round, I'd guess.

 

[BJJArsenal]

After all the philosophizing in The Dark Knight/TDKR I found them to be incredibly bloated and contrived. I do think Christopher Nolan was way too pretentious with those films, he stuffed every cheesy theme into them he could. While Bruce Wayne is pontificating about what type of hero Gotham needs I couldn't help think "Jesus, I came to see Batman kick some arse, nothing more". You start to wonder how Bruce Wayne gets his pants on in the morning.

I absolutely love The Dark Knight. I thought the rest of the trilogy was average.

But then, I never enjoyed TDK because of Batman. I think the Joker was incredible... and I'm not saying that just because Heath Ledger died, cause I didn't see the big deal about his death until I watched TDK.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

2001 was terrible, IMO.

holy shit Bicycle Thieves is awesome. Thats the oldest movie Ive rated 10/10.

Definitely tugs at the old heart strings every time I watch it. Even my pop-music-listening-Iron Man-loving ex gf managed to sit through the whole thing and liked it. Pretty timeless.

 

[buckeyenut]

Somewhat related to the topic, I've watched Shawshank at least 20 times, and just noticed what book of the bible Andy hid his rock hammer in:

I laughed for a good 15 minutes after that. Maybe the greatest smart-ass thing a character has ever done in film.

 

[faustian]

^

Wow awesome catch mang

 

[WinterSoldier]

The Count Of Monte Cristo and The Shawshank Redemption are two great movies, but I love the Evil Bong movie series.

 

[Gates of Janus]

Somewhat related to the topic, I've watched Shawshank at least 20 times, and just noticed what book of the bible Andy hid his rock hammer in:

I laughed for a good 15 minutes after that. Maybe the greatest smart-ass thing a character has ever done in film.

lol, i am actually reading that today

 

[Palooka]

Man, that scene where they drink the beers on the roof....That's it right there!!!!!

One of my favorite scenes of all time. I used to be a hard partying drinker and this puts it all into perspective for me. The importance of simple things in life. Not everything is some huge event, but every little thing can be something special.

 

[Problem Child]

Its not as good as Old School, not even close. I worked for a guy that loved Shawshank, I sent him a Blu Ray with a note that said" Think of me as the black guy".

 

[AncientEnemy]

I thought it was great the first hundred times I watched it, but then I watched it high, and found so much humor in the long melodramatic scenes that rendered it all so corny and therefore making it a movie I am unable to take seriously now.

 

[edco76]

Because the truth is you don't have to spend a billion dollars. Make political statements. Make a major physical transformation. Base the story on a controversial figure (or retard). You don't have to make every shot a work of aesthetic artwork.

Sometimes you just need to tell a good story, with likable characters, and let people enjoy it.

 

[Gates of Janus]

Its not as good as Old School, not even close. I worked for a guy that loved Shawshank, I sent him a Blu Ray with a note that said" Think of me as the black guy".

you also wrote him the same note when you sent him the complete series set for Oz