I finally understand why this is the #1 movie on IMDb

Rating: 10/10 (9 April 2013)

I've seen this film on IMDb so many times before on so many people's lists. But I just ignored it because I thought it was not what I was looking for. When I finally decided to see it, I immediately regretted not watching it any sooner.
The film is heartbreaking and frustrating from the start, but in the end, you would truly feel redemption. You could feel the pain and injustice brought upon Andy, the protagonist. As I watched the movie, I felt as if I was in prison with him; I felt as if I've gone through the struggles that he went through as well. You could see how time is irrelevant in prison; you feel minutes go by when it's actually days, weeks, months, and years. And then you'll feel disappointed at all those years where you could have done something different in the world outside.
The film is also an eye-opener. You open your eyes to what its like in prison; although, the prison in the movie seems more ideal than real life prisons. You get a glimpse of brutality and rape inside prison. You get to see how some prisoners become institutionalized and never seem to want to leave anymore. There is also a depiction of how rampant corruption is, and its sad to think that those involved are the ones who are supposed to be protecting and abiding by the law.
The cast is great. I couldn't ask more from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Even the other prisoners are good too. Overall, I think that the main point of this movie is never to lose hope; that hope is always a good thing. This movie is as equally good as Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction (movies that were made in the same year as this), but I can't understand why only these two movies got most of the attention. All in all, this movie certainly is the kind of movie to watch before you die.