The Shawshank Redeption - 1994

After being begged and pleaded by my brother for many months, I finally saw The Shawshank Redemption, and I absolutely loved it. 

The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of a quiet man, Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) who is sent to Shawshank prison for the murder of his wife and her lover, even though he pleads innocent. Over a period of twenty years, he learns the prison system and wins the respect of the guards and governor by using his banking skills to do their tax returns. Accompanied by his friend Red (depicted by the brilliant Morgan Freeman), he wishes for freedom, which ultimately leads to a climactic and satisfying ending. 

When I first saw that this film was directed and written by Frank Darabont, I was overjoyed, as he also produced and developed one of my favourite television shows, The Walking Dead. Though I was aware this film was nothing like the zombie thriller, I knew that what I would see would be entertaining and well thought out. The careful piecing together of the narrative as well as frequent comic relief provided by the brilliant dialogue make this a film to watch. 

Andy Dufrense: Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

My one complaint about this movie was the ending, though while satisfying, did not sit well with me. A wide shot of a deserted island and the two companions, Andy and Red, finding each other again? While clearly not making any rational and logistical sense, it does follow along with the strong antiestablishment themes created throughout the movie. 

Overall, The Shawshank Redemption is a moving and engrossing tale, rich with characterisation and well deserved as a must-see movie. 

The Great Train Robbery - 1903

The Great Train Robbery, directed by Edwin S. Porter is widely regarded as the first Western, initiating a genre that, in a few short and eventful years, became the most popular in American cinema. This could have been largely due to the extreme success and imaginative storyline of this film. There are many different scenes that propel the storyline towards its ultimate heart-pumping climax, demonstrating a degree of sophistication, given the early release date. 

The Great Train Robbery tells the story of a group of bandits attempting to hijack a train, running into multiple problems along the way, eventually leading to the death of the robbers. The most famous shot of this movie is when one of the bandits points a gun directly at the audience, firing multiple shots. This effectively places the audience amidst the action, a revolutionary concept of the time. 

Overall this movie was quite engaging, and is able to tell a complete narrative in the space of ten minutes. I was entertained, mostly due to the interesting ways the director managed to capture certain feelings with so little technology.