Poll: Is The Shawshank Redemption the best movie of all time?

Be advised that this is a public poll: other users can see the choice(s) you selected.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 37

Thread: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

  1. #1
    Arena Senior Member Crazed Rabbit's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Between the Mountain and the Sound
    Posts
    11,074
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    So one thing that's been bothering me is the fact that over at IMDB.com The Shawshank Redemption is rated as the best movie, above every other one in existence. That is not right. But I've noticed that the movie has a legion of ferociously devoted fans who seem to think it really is the best. I recall a funny summary of the movie posted by Sasaki (something along the lines of pointing out the weirdness of Morgan Freeman's gentle narration while the protagonist gets it, shall we say, in the bum?) making light of all the silliness in the movie.

    But I want your opinion, so I'm posting this poll.

    EDIT: If you disagree with me, please share why.

    CR
    Last edited by Crazed Rabbit; 05-20-2009 at 18:49.
    Ja Mata, Tosa.

    The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail; its roof may shake; the wind may blow through it; the storm may enter; the rain may enter; but the King of England cannot enter – all his force dares not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement! - William Pitt the Elder

  2. #2
    Mr Self Important Senior Member Beskar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Albion
    Posts
    15,930
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    There is no poll, but it is a very good movie and is one of the best.
    Days since the Apocalypse began
    "We are living in space-age times but there's too many of us thinking with stone-age minds" | How to spot a Humanist
    "Men of Quality do not fear Equality." | "Belief doesn't change facts. Facts, if you are reasonable, should change your beliefs."

  3. #3
    Peerless Senior Member johnhughthom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Looking for the red blob of nothingness
    Posts
    6,344

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    It's a very good movie but I certainly wouldn't call it the best of all time.

  4. #4
    The very model of a modern Moderator Xiahou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in the cloud.
    Posts
    9,007

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    It was a great movie- but not the greatest movie ever.
    "Don't believe everything you read online."
    -Abraham Lincoln

  5. #5
    Stranger in a strange land Moderator Hooahguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    The Fortress
    Posts
    11,851

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Xiahou View Post
    It was a great movie- but not the greatest movie ever.
    QFT
    On the Path to the Streets of Gold: a Suebi AAR
    Visited:
    A man who casts no shadow has no soul.
    Hvil i fred HoreTore

  6. #6
    This comment is witty! Senior Member LittleGrizzly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    The wilderness...
    Posts
    9,215

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Not the greatest movie of all time perhaps... but one of the greatest than can be enjoyed by a slightly wider audience ?

    Perhaps that has something to do with its high rating, me and my mum both love the movie and we have hugely different tastes... whereas a classic like idiocracy would appeal to a smaller audience and so get more bad ratings...

    Not the greatest ever... but certainly great!

    Edit: couldn't you have included a poll option for lovers of the film who want to compliment it but have other favourites...
    Last edited by LittleGrizzly; 05-20-2009 at 19:24.
    In remembrance of our great Admin Tosa Inu, A tireless worker with the patience of a saint. As long as I live I will not forget you. Thank you for everything!

  7. #7
    Senior Member Senior Member Ser Clegane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Escaped from the pagodas
    Posts
    6,606

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    To join the choir - a very good movie, but certainly not the best ever.

    Of course I cannot think of any movie of which I could say that I consider it to be the best movie ever, but somehow I would expect the "best movie" to be somehow really extraordinary along at least one dimension. Shawshank Redemption just seems to "mainstream" to get such a spotlight.

    I guess that is what is to be expected in broadly voted rankings - sometimes there are TV shows that show the top 20 or 50 of whatever (books, songs, refrigerators) ranked by public vote.
    As you get into the top 10 there are always those entries were you happily nod, thinking - yes that's a classic ... and then, when it comes to the #1 it's always
    "doh - how anticlimactic - that one is good, but certainly not the greatest ever"

  8. #8
    Needs more flowers Moderator drone's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Moral High Grounds
    Posts
    9,276

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit View Post
    I recall a funny summary of the movie posted by Sasaki (something along the lines of pointing out the weirdness of Morgan Freeman's gentle narration while the protagonist gets it, shall we say, in the bum?) making light of all the silliness in the movie.
    This one?

    Great movie, but it would be a stretch to call it the best.
    The .Org's MTW Reference Guide Wiki - now taking comments, corrections, suggestions, and submissions

    If I werent playing games Id be killing small animals at a higher rate than I am now - SFTS
    Si je n'étais pas jouer à des jeux que je serais mort de petits animaux à un taux plus élevé que je suis maintenant - Louis VI The Fat

    "Why do you hate the extremely limited Spartan version of freedom?" - Lemur

  9. #9
    Spirit King Senior Member seireikhaan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Iowa, USA.
    Posts
    7,065
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Certainly not the "best" movie ever. That one could even attempt to quantify any movie in all of cinema history as "best" is absurd. I don't personally care for comparing movies to each other- I would rather simply enjoy the movie for what it is.
    It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then, the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.

  10. #10
    Illuminated Moderator Pogo Panic Champion, Graveyard Champion, Missle Attack Champion, Ninja Kid Champion, Pop-Up Killer Champion, Ratman Ralph Champion GeneralHankerchief's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    On a pirate ship
    Posts
    12,544
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Top ten? Definitely. Top five? Possible. Best ever? Absolutely not. That title belongs to The Godfather. It's an amazing story with great characters, and some scenes are appropriately epic (the opera, after he climbs out of the sewer pipe), but it just doesn't compete with the best of the best.
    "I'm going to die anyway, and therefore have nothing more to do except deliberately annoy Lemur." -Orb, in the chat
    "Lemur. Even if he's innocent, he's a pain; so kill him." -Ignoramus
    "I'm going to need to collect all of the rants about the guilty lemur, and put them in a pretty box with ponies and pink bows. Then I'm going to sprinkle sparkly magic dust on the box, and kiss it." -Lemur
    Mafia: Promoting peace and love since June 2006

    Quote Originally Posted by TosaInu
    At times I read back my own posts [...]. It's not always clear at first glance.


  11. #11

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Too sentimental for me. Can't really identify with any of the characters.

    And yes, morgan freeman had that voice over during the prison rape scene... "Things weren't always easy for Andy...

    here:

    Quote Originally Posted by Morgan Freeman voice over
    I wish I could tell you that Andy fought the good fight, and the Sisters let him be. I wish I could tell you that - but prison is no fairy-tale world. He never said who did it, but we all knew. Things went on like that for awhile - prison life consists of routine, and then more routine. Every so often, Andy would show up with fresh bruises. The Sisters kept at him - sometimes he was able to fight 'em off, sometimes not. And that's how it went for Andy - that was his routine. I do believe those first two years were the worst for him, and I also believe that if things had gone on that way, this place would have got the best of him.

    And the best movie is Fight Club of course.
    Last edited by Sasaki Kojiro; 05-20-2009 at 22:01.

  12. #12
    Oni Member Samurai Waki's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Portland, Ore.
    Posts
    3,925
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    I didn't want to make the other guy feel lonely. Its a great movie, I'm not sure about the best.

    Edit: Best Movie: Con-Air. haha
    Last edited by Samurai Waki; 05-20-2009 at 22:41.

  13. #13
    Old Town Road Senior Member Strike For The South's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Between Louis' sheets
    Posts
    10,369

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Leave the gun, take the canolis
    There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford

    My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.

    I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation.

  14. #14
    Peerless Senior Member johnhughthom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Looking for the red blob of nothingness
    Posts
    6,344

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Strike For The South View Post
    Leave the gun, take the canolis
    Gotta love Clemenza.

  15. #15
    Member Senior Member Proletariat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Far up in the Magnolia Tree.
    Posts
    3,550

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    It's maybe a top fiver like GH said but nothing has or will be better than The Big Lebowski.

  16. #16
    Useless Member Member Fixiwee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    509

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    I'll take the Redemption, the Lewboski and Fight Club into my "best movies" box.

  17. #17
    Horse Archer Senior Member Sarmatian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Novi Sad, Serbia
    Posts
    4,315

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Great yes, but definitely not the best, not in the top 10 for me, or even top 20. I could squeeze it in top 50...

  18. #18
    Nobody expects the Senior Member Lemur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin Death Trip
    Posts
    15,754

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Proletariat View Post
    [...] nothing has or will be better than The Big Lebowski.
    Amen and hallelujah. I don't think Shawshank would even be in my top ten, although it's a good movie. Who can compete with The Dude, though?

  19. #19
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    YU-ESS-AY
    Posts
    6,667

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lemur View Post
    Amen and hallelujah. I don't think Shawshank would even be in my top ten, although it's a good movie. Who can compete with The Dude, though?
    The Dude abides.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wakizashi
    Edit: Best Movie: Con-Air. haha
    I think you meant Waterworld.

  20. #20
    Oni Member Samurai Waki's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Portland, Ore.
    Posts
    3,925
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Monk View Post
    I think you meant Waterworld.
    I take offense to that sir. Waterworld happens to be the best movie since No Way Out

  21. #21
    Needs more flowers Moderator drone's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Moral High Grounds
    Posts
    9,276

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wakizashi View Post
    I take offense to that sir. Waterworld happens to be the best movie since No Way Out
    I beg to differ. The best movie is Gigli.
    The .Org's MTW Reference Guide Wiki - now taking comments, corrections, suggestions, and submissions

    If I werent playing games Id be killing small animals at a higher rate than I am now - SFTS
    Si je n'étais pas jouer à des jeux que je serais mort de petits animaux à un taux plus élevé que je suis maintenant - Louis VI The Fat

    "Why do you hate the extremely limited Spartan version of freedom?" - Lemur

  22. #22
    Speaker of Truth Senior Member Moros's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Belgium
    Posts
    13,469

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Well I find it more frustrating that the dark knight is in the top 10 of best movies. It's not because a rising actor dies that movie is so great? At least The Crow was decent.

  23. #23
    This comment is witty! Senior Member LittleGrizzly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    The wilderness...
    Posts
    9,215

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    I thought the Dark Knight was pretty good... possibly in my top 10, top 20 no problem... im not really all that soppy about dead people i don't know (personally) so that didn't factor into it...

    I did quite like Heath Ledger though... i think its because one of me ex's was really into him.... because of his smile apparently... it was quite a nice smile...
    In remembrance of our great Admin Tosa Inu, A tireless worker with the patience of a saint. As long as I live I will not forget you. Thank you for everything!

  24. #24
    Bureaucratically Efficient Senior Member TinCow's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    13,729

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    No, definitely not. That said, I consider the IMDb Top 250 to be one of the best 'top' lists I've ever seen. The actual numerical order is certainly open to a massive amount of debate, and there are several movies that are grossly over-inflated due to internet fanboyism (e.g. Anything Star Wars or LOTR), but taken as a whole I very much agree with the general trends noted on that list. I especially like that it properly weighs both classic and non-English films, which many lists ignore


  25. #25
    Stranger in a strange land Moderator Hooahguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    The Fortress
    Posts
    11,851

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    i dont think any movie can be called "the best" since tastes vary from person to person. its like the Grammys. the judges dont listen to all the contestants, they just vote for the song they know of, or at least thats what a friend tells me.
    On the Path to the Streets of Gold: a Suebi AAR
    Visited:
    A man who casts no shadow has no soul.
    Hvil i fred HoreTore

  26. #26
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    YU-ESS-AY
    Posts
    6,667

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by LittleGrizzly View Post
    I thought the Dark Knight was pretty good... possibly in my top 10, top 20 no problem... im not really all that soppy about dead people i don't know (personally) so that didn't factor into it...

    I did quite like Heath Ledger though... i think its because one of me ex's was really into him.... because of his smile apparently... it was quite a nice smile...
    Let's put a smile on that face.

    I believe Ledger's performance was quite good actually. The Joker seems to be a character that flip flops back and forth from silly to psychotic depending on who is portraying him. I am very glad to see that Ledger was able to capture both aspects of the Joker's psyche relatively well. Though, for my money the best joker is Luke Skywalker... (Batman The Animated series, the Joker voiced by Mark Hamil. That laugh is lodged in my mind for all time)

    As far as The Dark Knight goes I have to say I really enjoyed it, almost as much as i did the original 1989 Batman, it (TDK) and Batman Begins were both returns to form after the dreadful Batman and Robin but I personally wouldn't call it better than the original. TDK has a horrible habbit of explaining itself rather than showing us things and leaving it to interpretation.

    However, having said that I do find myself engaged in the film's own insisting and enjoy watching it. If someone wants to put it in their top 10 i fully understand, it's just not in mine.
    Last edited by Monk; 05-21-2009 at 17:51.

  27. #27
    Peerless Senior Member johnhughthom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Looking for the red blob of nothingness
    Posts
    6,344

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    The 1966 Batman movie is by far the best, the "Shark repellent bat-spray" bit is the funniest moment in any movie ever.
    Last edited by johnhughthom; 05-21-2009 at 18:00.

  28. #28
    The Usual Member Ice's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Northville, Michigan
    Posts
    4,259

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    It was a very well made movie, but I'm not sure about the best. It is up there with the Green Mile.



  29. #29
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    In my own little world....but it's okay, they know me there.
    Posts
    8,257

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    The Shawshank Redemption has been -- and remains -- my favorite movie of all time. It just....resonates with me, although I couldn't say exactly why that is. It simply does.
    Last edited by Martok; 05-22-2009 at 08:10. Reason: forgot italics
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

  30. #30
    Member Member Tratorix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    1,784

    Default Re: The Shawshank Redemption - Best movie of all time or not?

    Like everyone said, good movie, well made, enjoyed it. Not the best movie ever, however, because movies are subject to the taste and opinion of whoever is viewing it. Best movie ever is a silly thing to call any movie.


    Quote Originally Posted by Wakizashi
    Edit: Best Movie: Con-Air. haha
    Why couldn't ya have just put the bunny back in the box?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO