Saturday night rant: "Shawshank"? Not that freakin' good.

[Pale Blue Dot]

I saw The Shawshank Redemption in the movie theater on its original release. I thought the acting was good, the story pretty engrossing, and I loved the "twist" - I thought the filmakers did an excellent job of misdirection. But after the "twist", there is nearly a half an hour of predictable nothingness. Unlike what has happened before, it's obvious what's going to happen to Morgan Freeman's character, and it takes forever for it to happen.

So I liked the movie. I was disappointed that it didn't do better at the box office. But I'm shocked that it has been been voted one of the two or three greatest movies of all time. (http://www.imdb.com/chart/top) Do people actually watch movies anymore?









And in case anyone asks, yes, I've got one or two more movie snob posts in me tonight. I feel like Rabrrrrr.

[graywarrior]

1. The book is WAY better.

[Mutley]

2. I agree. I always loved the book.

I'm not a big Stephen King fan, but that book is a good one.

I did like the movie, too, though.

[wildhorses]

3. go for it....post away...

I love the movies but, lists?!?!give me a break...

shawshank would not make mine either although I liked it...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Well, my dear Finnfan.......

I happen to love that movie.....and I also love the original story!

As I said in the thread about the best movies, this film was MY personal fav.......

I'm not sure why, but the movie really resonated with me, and still does.

I guess part of it is that I get caught up in the story, and I do not see what is coming next.

So the part at the end with Morgan Freeman caught me by surprise!

And of course, you are entitled to your opinion!

Rant away all you want!

:hi:

[Pale Blue Dot]

5. How can I argue with you?

:loveya:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. ......

Awww........you are a sweetheart, seriously! :loveya:

[susanna]

9. As do I...

I am not sure what it is, either; I usually hate King books made into movies, but I think that one was so well acted by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman that (IMHO) it overcame most plot or storyline glitches. If a good movie is one that, when you're channel surfing, you just HAVE to watch, well, Shawshank is definitely that for me. Of course that means I have wasted many a day off when I catch it, since it is pretty long. :-)

on edit: added IMHO since it's just my opinion

[RevCheesehead]

6. "I feel like Rabrrrrrr"

:rofl:

[jobycom]

8. I'll get the word out--Finnfan tells world it is wrong.

The world needs to hear it one day, might as well be today. :rofl:

[Pale Blue Dot]

13. Oh, I've got more opinions, too.

I'm releasing them little by little - one day the world will know the WHOLE truth. Until then, do nothing. Wait for instructions.

[jobycom]

14. Uh oh, not the whole picture yet? In the final picture do I have to like

Ferris Buehler's Day Off? Because I really hated that movie.

[Pale Blue Dot]

17. NO! I HATE Ferris Buehler!!!!

In fact, I think that John Hugues is the anti-Christ (even if he employed my grandfather).

You will be welcome at the gates of heaven, my son. O8)

[jobycom]

18. Hey, you just may be a worthy diety!

:toast:

[Pale Blue Dot]

10. OK, some movies that, according to the IMDB, rate WORSE than "Shawshank"

The Godfather: Part II
Casablanca
Schindler's List
The Seven Samurai
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Rear Window
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Citizen Kane
Goodfellas
North by Northwest
It's a Wonderful Life
Sunset Blvd.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Chinatown

... I could go on....

[valerief]

20. Sunset Blvd worse than Shawshank? What is this world coming to?

[wildhorses]

22. better than To Kill A Mockingbird???

I don't think so...

or One Flew Over The Cuckcoo's Nest

[Pale Blue Dot]

23. To Kill a Mockingbird is the best adaption of a book to screen

Hands down.

[Blue-Jay]

11. I loved the movie.

I wouldn't put it in my Top Twenty, however.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Over-rated? Yes. A very good movie that I enjoy a lot? Also yes.

[Pale Blue Dot]

15. That's pretty much my feeling.

You just used fewer words and less pretension to say it. :D :hi:

[GOPisEvil]

16. I guess I'm not feeling very Rabrrrrrr-like tonight.

:D :hi:

[Blue-Jay]

21. You should go see a doctor if you're feeling Rabrrrrrr-like.

:D

[valerief]

19. Uh, I have to totally agree and add that I thought it was a pretty

ordinary story. Didn't do anything for me.

[Hissyspit]

24. It was pandering and done much better in MANY movies before it.

The idea that it is one of the best movies ever is absurd.

[barb162]

25. You're right, it was good, but not that good

[nytemare]

26. It has a sort of "Return of the King" quality about it, doesn't it?

I loved both movies, but agree with you on the ending. In Return of the King, there was about an hour of wrapping up of loose ends after the main story concluded. It made for a long sit.

[TK421]

27. I was NEVER impressed by this movie....it was just O.K

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman did an excellent job portraying the characters, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don't like movies about guys in prison?:shrug:

[Iniquitous Bunny]

28. You are wrong!

Actually, did you know the original title (story, that is) was Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption (I mean, if you like trivia of sorts)? It's one of my favorite movies and well, I'm always right, so :P to you!!!!


p.s. What's a Finnfan? Do you like the Miami Dolphins, Finland, or a fan of flippy things on sea creatures?

[qnr]

29. Who cares? What do I, or you, care what other people like? None of my

concern at all... If I like something, that is all that matters to me. If I dislike it, the same applies.

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. You sonofabitch!! If you truly felt like me you'd've been more...uh...

energetic.

:eyes:

I agree with you - it was a wonderful movie, and certainly deserves its place in the pantheon of wonderfully creative, artistically made, meaningful movies: but it falls short of true greatness. Pretty damned close; and Morgan Freeman's performance IS in the realm of true greatness (hell, almost everything he does, even bit parts, are fucking genius)... but the movie doesn't quite make it.

But on the other hand, imagine how it would have sucked if Ron Howard had gotten hold of it - it's totally the kind of story I could see him interested in "doing" and then destroying.

[terrya]

31. It's one of the three films based on a Stephen King book or story...

that's half way worth a damn.

The other two being, of course, "The Dead Zone" and "The Shining"

[Dervill Crow]

32. Last night I saw "The Dark Half" for the first time

and it was quite good.