The greatest film of all time

Rating: 10/10 (9 January 2010)

Great films stir emotions. They have an impact that lasts long beyond the trip to the cinema. They give you an opportunity to reflect on your life, to ponder on the moments and they can inspire. The often misnamed 'Shawshank Redemption' (Scrimshaw Reduction?) was a box office failure when it came out in the UK in 1995. It's a story about 2 men, in prison in the 1940s, 50s and 60s and what happens to them... and that sounds pretty dull. But actually there is a simple message to this film and that is that hope is a good thing and nothing good ever dies. It's about the harsh and violent injustices that beset the central character including one of my personal greatest fears – being locked up for something I didn't do. The enigmatic Andy Dufresne goes on a 20 year journey of triumph in the face of adversity – a metaphorical and literal crawl through **** There are some powerful messages at play: that we can all become institutionalised in jobs or relationships, but that if we stick with them and believe in ourselves we will get to where we are aiming in the end. My passion for this film is that it is about life changing friendships and bonds between men which we quite often find difficult to express. It leaves a lump in the throat every time. Having seen it with my girlfriend, I went to see it two days later with my best friend and when it came out on video I rented it and watched it with my dad. It's a life affirmation film and when I'm fed up it never fails to give me the reminder that "sometimes it all comes down to a simple choice – get busy living or get busy dying." In my humble opinion, this is the greatest film of all time.