Why it's Number 1

Rating: 9/10 (18 March 1999)

The Shawshank Redemption is a wonderful film. It is one of the best films of 1994. It is one of the better films of the 90's. It most certainly is not one of the best films of all time, and in turn, obviously not the best of all time. I respect those of you who have put it at number one. At least it's better than calling Happy Gilmore number one, but I digress.
This is addressed to anyone who wonders how in all the world this film beat The Godfather, Citizen Kane, 2001, and even Pulp Fiction for best film of all time. Each of these films is celebrated, henceforth it is also "chic" to bad-mouth these movies. People hear that Citizen Kane is great so often that when someone sees it and is disappointed, they take it personally. Same with Pulp Fiction, so many loved it, that when somebody didn't like it all that much, their dislike becomes hate, relative to the passion some people have for the film.
Another prime example is Titanic. Where is it? It's not here on the Top 250. Yet upon its release (and the subsequent months it was out) you almost didn't hear a single negative word about it. Not until the people who were so sick of the raves went, minds already made up to hate it. Some people are so pretentious that they despise anything mainstream. Hence, the backlash against Titanic.
Now on to The Shawshank Redemption. The Shawshank Redemption is a film, like Titanic, that I have never heard one uncynical person say a bad thing about. Obviously then, its ratings will be high (well-deserved). However, also working in Shawshank's favor is the fact that it has never gone mainstream. The fact that it tanked at the box office may have been the best thing that happened to it. It never has become cool to knock Shawshank, therefore we rarely have people rating it 1 out of spite. With this lack of poor reviews, it is no wonder Shawshank shot to the top. It is a marvelous little movie, but certainly no Citizen Kane or 2001.