An almost perfect film

Rating: Null/10 (3 September 2000)

It's fun to watch this movie a second time and pick up some things you never noticed the first time. So many things simply went unnoticed (Andy writing into the wall, his little geology tool, the "sex symbols throughout the decades" posters) and suddenly wind together to grab our attention and make this a wonderful movie. The film was fascinating in the fact that it showed us how "lifers" could only witness the change of culture in the outside world by observing the prisoners that come and go over the years, and this being the only glimpse on how the world is changing, they become institutionalized, and actually fear their freedom. I actually found myself feeling sorry for murderers, and I debated with myself on whether or not they should be released if they truly become rehabilitated. The determination and hope transpired by Andy brought our hopes up: Most movies bring our hopes up only to bring them down, but when we see him running through the pond and standing in the rain with his arms raised and the great music accompanying the scene, our hopes our fulfilled. This is one of only about three or four films that had great smarts and left me completely satisfied. 10/10.