Episode 77 – The Shawshank Redemption

Explicit content warning

09/01/16 • 49 min

This episode focuses on one of the best films of the 1990’s (or any decade): The Shawshank Redemption! Alee Ellingsburg returns to watch this prison drama that is structured about as well as a movie can be structured. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star in this movie that was one of the first true home video phenomenons. Tim pretty much takes over this episode because he really loves the film. You’ll have to forgive him for that.

Our next film will be Bringing Up Baby.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Rating: 9.3/10 (3,042,120 votes)
Director: Frank Darabont
Writer: Stephen King, Frank Darabont
Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton
Runtime: 142 min
Rated: R
Genre: Drama
Released: 14 Oct 1994 Plot: A banker convicted of uxoricide forms a friendship over a quarter century with a hardened convict, while maintaining his innocence and trying to remain hopeful through simple compassion.

The post Episode 77 – The Shawshank Redemption appeared first on A Reel Education.

Our next film will be Bringing Up Baby.

The post Episode 77 – The Shawshank Redemption appeared first on A Reel Education.

Previous Episode

Episode 76 – Taxi Driver

This week, we take a look at one of the most iconic films of the 70’s, Taxi Driver! We are joined by movie know nothing Salsa Sterling as we explore Martin Scorsese’s dark masterpiece. We follow Jody Foster from The Silence of the Lambs to her breakout role more than decade prior. This film also established Robert DeNiro on the A list where he has remained there ever since. And, of course, it features one of the most iconic scenes in film. It is so well known, the odds are you have seen dozens of parodies even if you have never watched the original. Join us to explore this dark vision of psychosis.

Our next movie will be, surprisingly, more upbeat as we watch The Shawshank Redemption.

Taxi Driver (1976) Rating: 8.2/10 (977,068 votes)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Paul Schrader
Stars: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd
Runtime: 114 min
Rated: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 09 Feb 1976 Plot: A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.

The post Episode 76 – Taxi Driver appeared first on A Reel Education.

Next Episode

Episode 78 – Halloween

This week, Susanne Becker joins us to watch the horror classic Halloween! Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence star in a movie that pretty much served as the source for every masked killer horror trope from the 1980’s. Make no mistake, though, this film did them all first and, in many ways, it is still the best. While the film may not have aged as well as some of the other classic titles we’ve watched, it is still some very impressive work by Horror virtuoso John Carpenter.

Next up, we will be watching The Shining!

Note: You may be wondering where our episode of Bringing up Baby has gone. Sadly, we had severe technical difficulties with the recording and we were unable to salvage anything. Sorry.

Halloween (1978) Rating: 7.7/10 (323,265 votes)
Director: John Carpenter
Writer: John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Stars: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran
Runtime: 91 min
Rated: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Released: 27 Oct 1978 Plot: Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, to kill again.

The post Episode 78 – Halloween appeared first on A Reel Education.