The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

We watched The Shawshank Redemption together and spent an hour talking about freedom afterward. That kind of conversation doesn't happen often. The film gives you something real to think about together.

Every actor brings something to The Shawshank Redemption, but the lead performance is genuinely extraordinary. The subtlety involved, the way the character changes without announcing it — it's a masterclass.

I didn't expect The Shawshank Redemption to affect me so deeply. The way Frank Darabont handles hope is unlike anything I'd seen before. I came out of it looking at the world differently.

Some elements of The Shawshank Redemption show their age, but the core of it — friendship, Morgan Freeman's narration — hasn't diminished at all. Films this good age better than almost anything else.

The Shawshank Redemption is technically accomplished and I understand its place in film history. But it left me cold. The hope element felt mechanical and I never connected emotionally. Maybe I'll try again someday.