I'm not that biased--ok, I am. Still worth reading, though.

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2001)

I realize that my screen name might belie my opinion of the film, but I have seen it several times and still find it difficult to forget. The Shawshank Redemption is the finest film I have ever seen, and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 13.
While there are some scenes that warrant an R rating, they are done professionally and are used to tell a story--not to simply shock the viewer. The plot is deep and twisting, but is not difficult to understand on a basic level.
What makes Shawshank better than most films, however, is the use of several sub plots (often metaphors) to enhance the tale of Banker Andy Dufresne and Ellis "Red" Redding (Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, respectively). Both do the finest work of their careers, in my opinion, in this film.
Even more amazing is the cinematogrophy. Director Frank Darabont made his debut with Shawshank, and captures old Mansfield Penitentiary wonderfully. I can't say that I enjoy watching any movie more than this one.