Perfectly written. Perfectly directed. Perfectly cast. Perfectly acted. Perfect

Rating: 10/10 (21 October 2008)

I have seen The Shawshank Redemption twice now, the second time being about a week ago. After the first time I saw it, I gave it a perfect 10 rating on IMDb, something I do very rarely (I've given out 20 ratings of 10 out of the 600+ movies I've rated). However, after just one viewing, I felt so impacted by this film that it immediately rocketed near the top of my favorite movie list. After a second viewing, I feel even more amazed by it than I was the first time I saw it.
The movie captures your interest in the first scene and unfolds new plot points and character developments slowly at first and then more rapidly as the movie goes on. The movie runs about 130 minutes long, but it never gets boring. While it is admittedly slow paced, this only serves into its greatness. It allows the viewer to get to know the characters of Andy and Red and sympathize with them; along the way, we also get to know and grow attached to the other prisoners trapped inside Shawshank. The movie flows perfectly from one scene to the next, never feeling forced or losing your interest. The movie is mostly dialogue driven, but there are some violent scenes which help convey the brutality of prison life.
Finally, the final 30 minutes are perhaps the most satisfying in any movie. I do not want to spoil the ending for those who have never seen it, but suffice to say, the final act of the movie leaves you floored. Both times that I saw it, I was rooted to my seat long after the credits rolled, just thinking about the brilliance of the ending and the entire movie as a whole. Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction are both great movies, highly entertaining. I particularly love Pulp Fiction; however, it is a travesty that The Shawshank Redemption did not win Best Picture. It was certainly the best film of the year in my opinion, arguably the best film of the decade, and perhaps one of the finest movies ever made. The even bigger tragedy, though, is that while Morgan Freeman earned an Oscar nomination for his great performance, Tim Robbins' turn as Andy Dufresne went without a nomination. Robbins carries the film, and his performance is truly one of the greatest I have ever seen.
The bottom line is that The Shawshank Redmption is a perfect movie. It takes you in from the opening scene and doesn't let you go until long after it comes to a tremendous close. Along the way, it will make you think, fear, wonder, and feel a number of other emotions. If you have not seen this movie, waste no time; go rent it today and see why this is the highest ranked film on IMDb.