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When The Shawshank Redemption first released in the theaters in 1994, it was a massive commercial flop. Next to the testosterone-fuelled action titles of the Nineties, a gritty prison drama about a man’s indomitable human spirit didn’t feel sexy enough for the audiences. But the years have changed the film’s reception and how.
Based on Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name, The Godfather once reigned over The Shawshank Redemption on IMDb charts – and is either a very close second or still deserves to be on top, depending on whom you ask. The trilogy is a layered, expansive and intimate look at the Italian mafia family of Corleone.
Often recognized as the most influential superhero film of all time – director Christopher Nolan set an original example for shooting and writing blockbuster films. Nolan managed to not only give us one of the best Jokers of all time – Heath Ledger – but also made Gotham palpable in a way that it had never felt before.
The Godfather Part II is split into two parallel narratives. In the present, it continues to chart the rise of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). In flashback, it follows a young Vito Corleone (played by Robert De Niro this time) spending his childhood in Sicily and making his way to become the top warlord in New York City. Although the film did not surpass the first film’s commercial success, critics remain divided about whether it’s a better film than the first.
A slow, taut courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is a masterclass on tension and dialogue. A majority of the film takes place in a single room, with multiple characters sitting in the same place for most of the time. These are 12 jurors, contemplating between choosing acquittal or conviction for what initially seemed like an open-and-shut case