My #1

Rating: 10/10 (25 August 2000)

Low budget, weak at the box office, winless at the Academy Awards, and often considered a weak and clitched film. It's too bad that the greatest film ever made is also the most underrated.
The Shawshank Redemption is the story of Ellis Redding (Red), and his views on life, society, and an inmate named Andy Dufresne.
The story is flawless, the score is memorable, the cinematography is splendid, and the movie flows at a smooth pace all the way through its three hour length. While it often appears to be a weak film at first glance, it really just requires multiple viewings. After several viewings, anyone can begin to realize its greatness.
While movie critics can keep calling Citizen Kane the greatest, I realize it doesn't come close to so much as comparing to Shawshank. Citizen Kane doesn't let its viewers relate to its character, think his every thought, walk his every step, or breathe his every breath. Citizen Kane is a puzzling and riveting masterpiece, but like most "greats", it doesn't compare to The Shawshank Redemption.
The Shawshank Redemption is leagues away from any film I've ever seen in terms of greatness. It is timeless, memorable, original, and ultimately the best film I probably will ever see.