The Shawshank Redemption [DVD] [1994]

Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940's, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner. Tim Robbins strolls through his scenes like a man in a park, at one with his surroundings but clearly engaged mentally with some deep secret. Morgan Freeman, over the course of his three parole hearings, goes convincingly from subservient to resigned. And director Frank Darabont wrings every bead of lifeblood from King's story, frequently elevating the material into something poetic and grand. PQ: 1080p VC-1 transfer to be practically faultless. Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is wonderfully broad, dynamic, and clear. The Special Edition Digibook packaging is great for a classic film like this. Many extras are included. This is a great film and should be in everyone's collection.

Not as grand a spectacle as such timeless classics like Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Star Wars, or more recent films like Titanic, Gladiator, T2, Jurassic Park and The Departed....but nonetheless a great movie experience. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman absolutely shine in the story and deliver top notch performances in this Stephen King adaptation from Frank Darabont. Their character interaction really invigorates the true heart of the story, and what a magnificent story it is. Its a powerful, thought-provoking & soul inspiring movie, but underneath it all, its simply a life lesson about the perseverance of hope & the testament of unwavering friendship, even in the most dire of circumstances. In watching the story unfold, you'll likely identify something very personal in your own life with a scene, a character, or a moment in this uncomplicated movie. Highly recommended to all. 5 Stars

This movie literally takes you into the past and lets you witness this story so beautifully, its just amazing. I can't explain how well the story flows. I like drama where there is actual substance that never lets you down, not a rehashed plot, or some gimmicks like lots of action and suspense just for the sake of such things. The story, the characters, the setting, the music score, all of it add up to this great experience that will leave you satisfied (unless you're one of those few that is supremely jaded). Sure, some may say this movie is depressing at points, but thats just part of the experience. I must say, it brings you up and down with, without leaving you down too long, and leaves you feeling inspired and emotional at the end (I don't like bad endings). I've watched other 'prison' movies, but none have had as rich of a story as this. For the Morgan Freeman fans out there, if you liked The Bucket List, I think you'll like this movie as well.

This is my favorite drama. There is so much you can take from this film and use throughout life's struggles. There is no greater friendship movie either. You can really feel the friendship between Morgan Freeman and Tim Robins. As for the other charcters, they do a great job in developing mainly Tim Robins but Morgan Freeman as well. For those who haven't seen it, it is not just another prison movie but it is a movie of hope, freedom, and the guys with you. This is also my favorite Stephen King's novel brought to life, and whenever you deal with such a talented author you are going to get a story that will draw you in and put you in that movie and experience it the way the actors did. For it not receiving any oscars, it was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen.

This is an unforgettable film experience. If you've never seen it, then buy it right now. If you have seen it, it's time to watch it again. I doubt anyone doesn't know this, but this is the story of Andy Dufresne, a Maine banker who is falsely convicted of killing his wife and her lover and is sent to serve a double life sentence at Shawshank Prison in Maine, where the warden is a religious sadist and Andy slowly befriends the inmates with his charm and optimism, including a cynical lifer named Red (Morgan Freeman, whose Oscar nomination but loss was one of the greatest Academy injustices since its initial conception). There is little to say except that few (or maybe no) films carry the sheer power of Shanshank. It has the power to change you, even if you, like Red, are wary of the concept of hope.

If you haven't seen this film, see it NOW! One of the best movies ever made. There is not a single moment that is boring or unnecessary. MUST SEE! As for the blu-ray, the transfer seemed decent enough. It was not a knock out, but certainly looked better than the DVD version. The sound left me a little wanting, as there didn't seem to be much separation in the channels. Seeing as this is mostly a quiet film, the sound mix didn't bother me too much, just had to keep adjusting it for the quieter moments. The extras seemed to be culled from the DVD and aren't even in HD. This is a solid release for the film itself and the price can't be beat for the HD experience. Highly recommended for those on a budget.

Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie. Morgan Freeman's stubborn and cynical character plays an excellent second to Tim Robbins' brooding yet hopeful and resilient character. The other supporting characters are all believable, and draw the viewer into the world of the repentant criminals trying to do their time and build some level of normality in their lives. Not only are the characters and acting excellent, but also the storyline is superb. This movie is a great adaptation of Stephen king's novella. Some good or great movies I can only watch once, but to become one of my favorites, the movie must have repeatability. Shawshank Redemption is one of those movies that I can watch many times and still not be bored.

I'll start off by saying that on my opinion the movie itself is 5 stars but I'm giving my rating based on the item itself. I've purchased steelbooks from other places numerous times and they've always included bluray,dvd as well as digital copy and ultraviolet copy well to my surprise when I received this steelbook it only contains one disc bluray and no digital copy's which is disappointing. I think that bestbuy needs more information in their movie descriptions because most movies I've purchased all you see is a picture of the cover and you are told if its dvd or bluray and thats about all