The common consensus on this generationology Reddit thread about why “Millennials and Gen X know more about pop culture that was before they were born than Gen Z” seemed to surround how various generations grew up watching TV (and movies on TV). As Wooden-Muffin-3981 wrote:

This is true, for a long time, I haven't watched movies on a TV channel, and no, I didn't spend my childhood watching films like Shawshank Redemption and My Cousin Vinny because they were casually on. I've had to make an effort to watch flicks like Fight Club, The Silence of the Lambs, Fargo and more on streaming in my 20s. There's no casual cable watching for me anymore; it's an active choice to watch '90s movies.

Plus, when I use my Netflix subscription or click into my Hulu subscription to watch something, almost always it's new titles flooding my screen. So, if I’m casually surfing for something to watch, I’m more likely to pick a project on the 2026 movie schedule because it’s what’s being advertised. On top of that, ultimately, while these services push programming, I’m the one who decides to watch something. It's not up to the TV Guide. So, as riotalk wrote:

Riotalk went on to say that newer generations “have the ability to choose and tailor” what they watch thanks to streaming. Therefore, that could explain why it seems like they aren’t exposed to more movies from the past. To put this statement in a shorter form, crew_hour posted:

As someone who spent a lot of my childhood channel surfing, I did grow up on certain movies and shows that ran in syndication, like Friends – yeah, that’s right, I watched it on Nick at Nite, not with an HBO Max subscription. However, I almost always chose to watch Disney Channel or Nickelodeon over an old movie. That plays into the point FedoraPG made, as they wrote:

I watched my fair share of Hannah Montana, High School Musical and iCarly growing up. Disney Channel and Nickelodeon defined my childhood watching habits.

However, since my parents grew up in the 1980s, I also was schooled in the best ‘80s movies (we’re talking Top Gun, Back to the Future, The Princess Bride and more). So, that explains why I haven’t seen some ‘90s movies, and proves that maybe all generations do get exposed to what their parents love, which is something brokemillionaire572 wrote about:

Now, these days, I’m admittedly backtracking to catch the best movies of the ‘90s. However, it is an active mission I’m on; it’s not something I’m just casually doing when I turn on the TV and start channel surfing.

So, I see the points here, and I can point to myself as an example of this happening. However, have no fear, Gen Xers, Millennials and the generations who came before, there are members of Gen Z who still love movies and are doing the good work to watch the classics (myself included).

Roughly a bazillion people watched the first four episodes of Stranger Things’ final season set the stage for a catastrophic conclusion, at least for certain evil-mongering characters who use alter egos to kidnap children. The fourth installment, “Sorcerer,” shockingly brought back Season 2’s Kali/Eight, finally gave Sadie Sink’s Max some screen time, and turned new fan-fave character Derek Turnbow from dipshit to delightful. You know what didn’t happen, though? A Shawshank Redemption reference that I’d have bet money on being in the ep.

The prediction? I’ll get to that more in full lower down, but I basically thought Finn Wolfhard’s Mike would get covered in shit at some point, which I realize sounds like random and unhealthy guesswork for a TV series. In hindsight, it does seem a bit silly, but that doesn’t diminish my ongoing feelings of dismay. Not so much that I was wrong, but that nobody took advantage of this clear path to an icky easter egg. Let's look at the evidence!

Clue #1: Frank Darabont's A Major Part Of Stranger Things Season 5

There wouldn't be any reason to bring up The Shawshank Redemption in reference to Stranger Things if it wasn't for the directorial efforts of the great Frank Darabont. The genre master not only helped bring The Walking Dead to TV (before a major falling out), but he also directed three of the best Stephen King adaptations out there, with Shawshank high on that list.

Notably, he hadn't helmed any films or TV episodes since 2013's one-and-done season of Mob City, but Matt and Ross Duffer coaxed him into getting behind the camera for not just one, but two of the lengthy Season 5 installments. Beyond the Duffers and producer Shawn Levy, Darabont is the only other director who was utilized for the final run.

To be clear, Frank Darabont did not direct "Sorceror," and was responsible for the third and yet-to-stream fifth episodes, with the Duffer bros. taking on Ep. 4. But to me, that just makes it more likely that the reference would have happened, since Darabont is probably too classy, non-dorky to reference his own work in such a way. Much easier to imagine the Duffers doing it themselves.

Clue #2: It's A Tunnel Escape In A Show That Vibes Hard On Stephen King

To be sure, this prediction is nothing without Frank Darabont, but he wasn't involved with the past four seasons, and Stranger Things' creators have never shied away from the idea that Stephen King was a major influence on their lives and the show itself. Granted, the more horror-based inspirations are clearer than others, but it doesn't break reality to think the Duffers also like King's more dramatic fare like the novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," which was released to the world at large through Different Seasons.

Plus, this episode involves something of a jail break, even if it's not an actual jail, as well as tunnels. I do realize that Robin made the very clear connection to The Great Escape and explained those ins and outs directly. That still didn't sway me though, for I just assumed that was meant as a distraction from the true movie reference waiting to be made.

Clue #3: Mike's Reaction To Multiple Incidents Was Some Form Of "Shit"

For whatever reason, Finn Wolfhard seemed to have been given a quota for Stranger Things' four-letter words, and his reaction to seemingly every moment that went awry in "Sorceror" was to say some version of "Shit." It occurred at least three times, and possibly more, and I don't recall that over-usage happening in the previous episodes.

One of those utterances came after Mike and Lucas started getting kids into the tunnels and out of the government's stronghold, when Wolfhard's character realizes that the bathroom's pipes are in danger of bursting. This should have been the smoking gun, as it were.

My Misguided Prediction: Mike Would Get Covered In Poop During The Escape, Andy Dufresne-Style

With all of the above details at play, I was fully expecting some Beetlejuice-esque logic where "shit" being said enough times causes reality to manifest it. I thought that there would be a slew of pipe-related malfunctions that would leave Mike, and possibly all of the other escapees covered from head to toe in gunky fecal matter.

The climax of The Shawshank Redemption sees protagonist Andy Dufresne having to crawl through shit-infested sewer pipes before he's able to get a true taste (and whiff) of freedom, where all of the filth is washed from him during a storm. It's catharsis incarnate for the character, which couldn't readily be replicated with Stranger Things' characters, but I still thought the Duffer brothers might get a kick out of covering some of their longtime stars in fake poop.

At this point, I will blindly assume that the Duffers wanted to put that reference into the show, but Frank Darabont warned them against it. If not that, then I'll assume there's a deleted scene where that was filmed and then removed from the final cut. Otherwise, there's just the idea that I was completely wrong, and we just can't have that.

Closing out the 2025 TV schedule in a huge way, Stranger Things' final season returns with the next three episodes on Thursday, December 25.

Now, if I just heard a few people say this, then cool. Love what you love. But, no, I’ve seen it on multiple “best of” lists. For example, IMDB users have ranked it as the number one movie out of 250, putting it above movies like Schindler’s List (no), The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (NO), and The Godfather (HELL NO!). I mean, even this very website called it the best movie of the ‘90s. (I love you all, but NO!)

So, here’s why I think a good - and possibly even great - movie still doesn’t deserve all the love that it gets.

First, I Don't Even Consider It The Best Adaptation Of A Stephen King Story

For those who don’t know, The Shawshank Redemption is actually based on a Stephen King novella titled, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It’s part of King’s Different Seasons book, and every novella in it, besides The Breathing Method (Though filmmakers haven’t given up hope!) has been adapted into a movie. Yet, here’s the thing: I don’t even think Shawshank is the best movie that came out of Different Seasons.

I’m not going to say it was Apt Pupil, because that could have been a lot better. I’m actually going to say I much prefer Stand By Me as an adaptation, which was based on the novella, The Body. I feel the setting, character development, and pacing are superior there when compared to Shawshank, and I also think it’s a way more re-watchable film.

Not only that, but if we’re going to talk about the greatest movie to ever be adapted from a King story, then it has to be The Shining, which is not only one of Stanley Kubrick’s best films, but also one of the greatest horror movies of all time. How is The Shawshank Redemption anywhere near as good as The Shining? How?

In Fact, I Don't Even Think Shawshank Was The Best Film Of 1994

Should Forrest Gump have won Best Picture in 1995? I mean, it’s debatable, but I say no, and I know a lot of other people would agree with me. In the year it was released, which was 1994, we got both Quiz Show AND Pulp Fiction, and I think either one of those films should have beaten it (I mean, hell, Pulp Fiction is Tarantino’s best movie, bar none).

However, I still think Gump is a better movie than Shawshank. In fact, here’s a list of other movies from 1994 that I would put above that MAYBE great movie: Ed Wood, Interview With the Vampire, The Lion King, Cemetery Man, Leon, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, and Drunken Master II.

I would, in all seriousness, call all of those movies better than Shawshank. And no, I’m not joking. Especially when it comes to Godzilla. I love Godzilla!

Finally, I Get That It's A Crowd-Pleaser, But Still. There Are Better Crowd-Pleasing Films!

Forrest Gump is mawkish and sappy, but it’s also a crowd-pleasing film! So is Singin’ in the Rain (Crowd-pleasing. Not mawkish and sappy). As are Groundhog Day, The Princess Bride, and Babe (but, strangely, not Babe: Pig in the City). What I’m getting at is that the reason I think people love Shawshank so much is because it’s such a crowd-pleaser. When Red finds Andy on the beach, I’m sure many people get a lump in their throat.

And, cool. Again, love what you love. But, there are other, I’d say better crowd-pleasing films that still have themes of hope, friendship, and redemption. Like Toy Story 3! That is better than Shawshank, and I will die on that hill.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

For this week’s edition of The King Beat, Reiner’s thoughts about making a new Stephen King adaptation is the lead story, but it’s one of multiple treats, as I also have some wonderful trivia for you about the making of the modern classic The Shawshank Redemption and how it very nearly had Tom Cruise in the lead role. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!

Rob Reiner Declines The Idea Of Completing A Stephen King Trilogy Following Stand By Me And Misery, And I Would Love For Him To Change His Mind

I could make the argument that the number three has a special place in Hollywood. The rule of thirds is part of the basic curriculum when it comes to cinematography; there is a long-held superstition about celebrities dying in threes; and in the development of franchises, creating trilogies is the typical go-to – a reflection of the “beginning-middle-end” story structure. When only two of something exists, it can generate a nagging feeling that something is missing… but if you’re holding out hope that Rob Reiner will someday direct a third Stephen King movie, you may want to let that dream die.

Last week, CinemaBlend’s Mick Joest had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down with Rob Reiner at San Diego Comic-Con, and while the majority of their conversation concerned Reiner’s work on the upcoming Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, I sent him into the interview with a special request that he raise the subject of Stephen King. Specifically, I wanted to know if any of the author’s other books or stories might appeal to him as a project to take on – but that’s evidently something that the filmmaker is not interested in pursuing at this point in his career. Said Reiner,

Said company is Castle Rock Entertainment – which is actually named for the fictional town that frequently serves as a setting for Stephen King’s stories – and there is no denying that the studio has made massive contributions to King’s legacy on the big screen. Reiner and his colleagues are responsible for making some of the best adaptations ever, and that doesn’t even include Stand By Me, which was made before Castle Rock was founded. The list of seven includes:

• Misery
• Needful Things
• The Shawshank Redemption
• Dolores Claiborne
• The Green Mile
• Hearts In Atlantis
• Dreamcatcher

Admittedly, it’s not a case of finishing out on top, as Dreamcatcher was notoriously panned by critics and was a bomb at the box office when it was released in 2003 (for what it’s worth, the book it’s based on isn’t very good either). Still, I can’t help but feel a touch disappointed that there isn’t another Stephen King story that has personally piqued Rob Reiner’s interest. His output as a director has slowed in recent years, with Spinal Tap II being his first narrative feature since 2017, but I have kept my fingers crossed for a long time wishing that he would make a personal follow-up to Stand By Me and Misery, and I’m sad to hear that door is apparently closed.

The good news: while there won’t be a third Rob Reiner Stephen King movie, his previous efforts are classics that can be watched an infinite number of times without getting old, and they are terrifically easy to watch. In addition to physical media releases and digital rental/purchase options for both, Stand By Me is presently available instantly with a Paramount+ subscription (including the Showtime add-on).

Rob Reiner Shares The Story Of How Castle Rock Entertainment Basically Chose Frank Darabont Over Tom Cruise In The Making Of The Shawshank Redemption

For those who don’t know the history behind how Frank Darabont came to direct The Shawshank Redemption, it’s actually a pretty cool tale. The filmmaker first caught the attention of Stephen King in the early 1980s when he made a Dollar Baby based on the short story “The Woman In The Room.” King was so impressed by the work that he granted Darabont the option to his novella “Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption” a few years later upon request, and the filmmaker’s script ended up earning him a fantastic offer from Castle Rock Entertainment: as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 1994, he could have sold the script for $2.4 million and let Rob Reiner direct, or he could direct it himself and make $750,000 plus a percentage of future profits. He chose the latter, and he ended up making one of the most beloved movies ever made.

There is, however, another wrinkle to the story that you might not know: Darabont’s determination to direct was challenge a second time in development when Tom Cruise expressed an interest in making the movie with Rob Reiner, and the young writer/director stuck to his guns.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Reiner told the full story to CinemaBlend. According to the filmmaker, the script for The Shawshank Redemption ended up in the hands of the A-lister after it had gone through a bit of development at Castle Rock Entertainment, and he liked it enough that he inquired about taking on the lead role. As genuine as his interest was, however, he apparently balked at the idea of the Stephen King story being in the hands of a first time director. Said Reiner,

I don’t really have to explain that this was a big deal, right? Tom Cruise obviously has no shortage of star power today between the success of Top Gun: Maverick and the Mission: Impossible franchise, but the mid-90s was the golden era for the actor – with movies like The Firm, Interview With A Vampire, and the original Mission: Impossible (and he also worked with Reiner on the 1992 critically acclaimed hit A Few Good Men).

Thus, the developing feature found itself with a sizable conundrum. Hiring Tom Cruise would have been a massive deal that could have perhaps saved The Shawshank Redemption from its ultimate fate of being a flop at the box office… but Castle Rock Entertainment had made a commitment to Darabont and the studio ethos regarding relationships with directors was kept at front of mind. Reiner continued,

So what could be done? The answer was ultimately pretty simple: the studio heads had a conversation with Frank Darabont and let him determine what would be the best course of action for the project:

As alluded to, the decision didn’t yield great short-term results, as The Shawshank Redemption failed to do any business at the box office, and while it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, it failed to take home a single trophy. But as noted by Rob Reiner, it is now considered by many to be one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history… even though it doesn’t star Tom Cruise.

That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but I’ll be back next Thursday with another new column examining all of the latest happenings in the world of Stephen King, so be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend!

This is a "me problem" most of the time, but still, I wanted to put this list together to talk about movies everyone loves, but have never done anything for me, so without further ado, let's get into it!

The Shawshank Redemption

Let's just get this big one out of the way. The Shawshank Redemption is generally considered one of, if not the, best movies of the 1990s by many people. The Frank Darabont-directed prison movie, based on a book by Stephen King and starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, is beloved by many, especially those people (like me) who watched it on cable all the time in the '90s. The thing is, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because of the prison element, or that it's a little too... I don't know... cheesy to me. It doesn't work for me.

The Deer Hunter

Where to start with The Deer Hunter? Often cited as not only one of the best war movies ever, it's even thought of as one of the best films of all time. I couldn't disagree more with those assessments. This might be a hot take, but I find it boring. Do we really need to see a Russian-Orthodox wedding as it happens? The history is dubious at best. There is nothing that ties Russian Roulette to POW camps in Vietnam in actual history. While the performances are amazing from the entire cast, the movie, with a runtime of 184 minutes, is about 3 hours too long.

Avatar

The first time I saw Avatar, I was on a double date, and my girlfriend and I spent the whole movie snickering about how silly we thought it was. The other couple on the date loved it (as most seem to), so again, we snickered about how silly the movie is, and how much the other couple loved it. The special effects achievements in Avatar are rightfully lauded, but everything else... I can't take it seriously.

300

People were so excited when the graphic novel 300 got a film adaptation in 2006. While I'm often a stickler for good history in a movie about historical events, that's not what bothers me about this one. For me, the movie just looks and feels incredibly cheesy.

Magnolia

Paul Thomas Anderson is a polarizing director, at least in my own head. I tend to either really love his movies (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Hard Eight, and Inherent Vice are all movies you can watch over and over) or I really don't like them at all, like Magnolia. I remember being so excited to see his follow-up to Boogie Nights in the theater and walking away disappointed and, honestly, pretty bored by the movie.

Scarface

Scarface has to be one of the most dated movies of all time. Talk about cheesy! Everything from Miami in the '80s to the score by the legendary Giorgio Moroder all feels like they are trapped in time - and not in a good way. Though some might disagree, it's also a really boring movie for most of it. Sure, the action scenes are classics, but Al Pacino's weird accent ruins even some of the best lines for me.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

I'm the perfect age for someone who loves Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, as I was a preteen when it came it. It is a movie directed right at the audience I was a part of when it became a smash hit in 1980. I never really liked it, even then. The humor doesn't land for me at all. I do like the animation, but other than that, it's just not for me.

Sin City

I don't read a lot of graphic novels, and that might be why I don't like adaptations like 300 or this one, Sin City. Both are adapted from works by Frank Miller, some of whose adaptations I do really like, like the third season of Daredevil, then on Netflix, now part of the MCU on Disney+. The style of Sin City does little for me, and I just couldn't get past that.

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid is a movie I really want to like. I love both stars of the movie, Robert Redford and Paul Newman, and The Sting, which I first saw years before seeing Butch and Sundance, is still one of my all-time favorite movies. I'm also a huge fan of Westerns, and despite this being considered one of the best Westerns of all time, I've never been able to connect with this one. I've tried over the years to get into it, but I end up turning it off every time.

Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino is a director, like some others on this list, who is always a little hit-or-miss with me. Reservoir Dogs is one of my all-time favorites, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is an example where I think Tarantino nailed the alternate history in the story he was telling. Inglourious Basterds is the opposite of that. Outside of the incredible opening scene with Christoph Waltz's amazing performance, the movie is just too silly for me, and the ending drives me nuts. I do secretly love Brad Pitt's wacky accent.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Time for me to come clean: I'm not a big fan of any of the Mad Max franchise. Although I'm the perfect age to have grown up with it, I've never been able to get into it. Mad Max: Fury Road is widely praised, and visually, it is really awesome, but seeing it once was enough for me. I have no desire to watch it again.

Titanic

I know I'm not alone here in my dislike of Titanic. That's not to say I hate everything about the movie. I actually really love the set design and the special effects. Visually, it's an amazing movie. It's the story that does absolutely nothing for me. Frankly, it bores me, and now, by no fault of the movie itself, it's been so meme'd and quoted over the years, it leaves me with no desire to watch it again.

Top Gun: Maverick

The original Top Gun is a near-perfect action movie in my opinion. Its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, was disappointing because it's basically a beat-for-beat remake. That's not why I really don't like it, though. It's that silly ending, which is essentially the exact same idea as Luke blowing up the Death Star in the first Star Wars movie, and that left me really bummed out when I finished watching it.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

When people rank the MCU movies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is often near the top, or at least in the top third of all the movies. For me, though, it's way down the list. But what do I know? I love Iron Man 2, and everyone else hates that one.

Chariots Of Fire

I'm convinced that the reason people love Chariots Of Fire is solely for the incredible score by Vangelis. I love a good period piece, and by all accounts, I should love this movie, and yet, I don't. It's a movie that somehow won Best Picture over Raiders of the Lost Ark, and that never should have happened!

Heat

Another movie that I think I should really love, but just can't buy some of the ridiculous dialogue is Heat. The epic shootout is amazing, and I remember all too well what a huge deal it was that Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were appearing in scenes together in a movie for the first time. That novelty has worn off, and all we're left with is some silly dialogue now.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This is where Wes Anderson lost me. I was excited for The Grand Budapest Hotel when it was released, as I was a huge fan of Anderson's earlier work, but this one left me feeling flat and, frankly, a little annoyed at the directing. I love that Anderson has a clear vision and style in his movies, but I'm just not into them anymore.

American Hustle

I once had a friend comment that American Hustle should really be called "American Hair and Makeup." The wardrobe and make-up departments more than earned their money on this one; it's all fantastic. The movie could have been so much better, though.

Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America is one of those movies that has what feels like dozens of different versions. The directors cut, the theatrical cut, the USSR cut... it goes on and on, but I have yet to find a version of the movie that makes me love it. Maybe one day a Redux cut will finally make it click.

The Big Chill

I'm pretty outspoken about my feelings about Gen X nostalgia, and that's my generation. I had to grow up in an America drenched in Baby Boomer nostalgia, and no movie represents that quite like The Big Chill. That said, I will always be grateful for the movie introducing me to Motown with its fantastic soundtrack.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is a movie that never fails to annoy me. Yes, it has a great soundtrack, and I actually love Tom Hanks' performance in it. But it's just dripping in saccharine Boomer nostalgia, and that will always annoy me about it.

Driving Miss Daisy

I remember what a huge deal Driving Miss Daisy was when it was released, and I'm almost positive it was the first movie I ever saw with Morgan Freeman, so it does get points for that. It loses points for everything else.

The Shape Of Water

Let me get this straight... Is The Shape of Water is a better movie than Dunkirk, Get Out, Darkest Hour, Call Me By Your Name, and The Post? That's what the Academy thought when it named the movie Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars. There's just no way. I don't get it. Maybe it's me, but of all the films directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water is by far my least favorite.

Grease

I get, Grease is a beloved movie for generations of kids and teenagers. The musical is one of the most popular movies ever made, and that popularity has never waned. Except with me. It never did anything for me. Except for the song "Greased Lightnin'." That's a great tune.

Harold And Maude

I love a great dark comedy, and Harold and Maude should fit that bill for me, but it just doesn't do anything for me at all. I mean, I kind of appreciate that Maude lives in an old train car; that's fun.

The Iron Giant

The Iron Giant is the perfect example of a movie that just came out at the wrong time for me. I was too old to care about kids' movies and too young to appreciate kids' movies as an adult. It's a movie that I finally watched about 20 years after it came out, simply because it was referenced in Ready Player One, but it still just wasn't for me.

American Sniper

I love a good movie about the military, and American Sniper is a very intense one of those, for sure. This is a case where I don't totally hate the movie, but I don't like it enough to ever watch again. I'm not going to get political here, so I'll leave it at that. Also, the fake baby totally took me out of the movie, and I never really recovered.

Easy Rider

I'm a huge fan of late '60s music and, by extension, the hippie culture. I love literature from the era, and so, by all accounts. I should love Easy Rider. Except... I don't. Like other movies on this list, it feels really dated, as do a lot of movies from the era. The motorcycles will always look cool, though.

Brazil

Terry Gilliam is a genius. I love his work with Monty Python, and I'm a big fan of a bunch of his movies, like Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Fisher King. I'm a huge fan of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, as well. But I just don't like Brazil. I can't put my finger on exactly why I don't, but I find it a little boring, and while I generally appreciate anything weird, this one may just be a little too off-kilter for me.

Moneyball

I read the book Moneyball years before the movie came out, and I have the same issue with the book as I do with the movie. As a baseball fan, it bugs me that the movie completely downplays the epic pitching staff the A's had in this era and gives far too much credit to Billy Beane's rethinking of player evaluation. It's something that I just can't get out of my head whenever I try to watch the movie.

The Fifth Element

I get why people love The Fifth Element. It's visually stunning, and the cast is amazing. It's missing something that I can't put my finger on. Maybe I need to try this one again, but I'm not sure I'll like it anymore than I used to.

Terms Of Endearment

For me, Terms of Endearment isn't one of those movies that is so good, but so brutal to watch that you can never watch it again; it's just a bland movie that I'll never understand how it won so many awards or was so popular at the time. It's a stellar cast, to be sure, but it seems only to serve one purpose: to make people cry. That isn't my kind of movie.

All The Dude wanted was his rug back. That simple rug, micturated upon by Woo, drives all the action in the movie, and while the audience doesn't see much of the rug that The Dude (Jeff Bridges) is trying to replace, we do see the one that he (briefly) gets from the millionaire Lebowski in the Big Lebowski.

The DeLorean Time Machine

Admit it, you wanted a DeLorean time machine. We ALL wanted one. Heck, most of us would settle for a regular DeLorean. Ever since we all went back in time with Marty and Doc in Back To The Future, we've longed for the same ability, in the same machine. Now those cars are as lost to time as Biff's Sports Almanac.

Wilson

When the only star who appears in most of a movie only has one friend and that friend is a volleyball, it's bound to be a famous prop. Wilson the Volleyball is the only companion Chuck (Tom Hanks) has in Cast Away, and just like Chuck, the audience gets pretty attached to that silly ball with a face made of Chuck's blood.

The Briefcase In Pulp Fiction

Another cool MacGuffin on this list is the briefcase from Pulp Fiction. We never actually see what's inside, just that it is glowing gold. Maybe that's why the prop has become so famous. If we knew it was just like a stolen Oscar statuette or something, we'd feel differently.

The Red And Blue Pills

While the Blue Pill and the Red Pill in The Matrix have since taken political connotations in recent years, they were famous way before that. One will wake Neo (Keanu Reeves) up, and one will put him back to sleep. Honestly, I don't care which is which, and any political connections are weird, so let's leave it at that.

One Ring To Rule Them All

Not only is The One Ring one of the most famous props in movie history, it's one of the most famous in literature these days. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a masterpiece, and without this one ring to rule them all, it wouldn't exist.

Indy's Whip

You might say Indiana Jones' hat is the most famous prop in the Indiana Jones movies, but the whip that Harrison Ford's character is just as iconic and let's be honest, a little more interesting than a hat. So the whip gets the nod here.

The Giant Piano In Big

Any kid lucky enough to visit the FAO Schwartz in New York after Big was released, their first mission was to find the giant piano you could walk on and even play. It's one of the most iconic scenes in any movie from the era, and while I learned firsthand it was impossible for me to recreate the scene, I still dream about getting a big enough piano to make it work.

Thor's Hammer

There are a lot of famous props in the MCU, like ranking the MCU movies, we could almost do a list of props all its own. Things like the Infinity Gauntlet, or the stones that go into it, are iconic, but is there anything as iconic in the whole franchise as Thor's hammer? Heck, it's one of the famous objects in world mythology, much less Marvel's corner of it.

The Leg Lamp

After the dad in A Christmas Story wins a fragile, major award, it turns out to be a lamp in the shape of a woman's leg. He's so proud of it that he wants to display it in the window, much to the chagrin of his wife. It doesn't make it to the end of the movie, and there is another prop, the Red Ryder BB Gun, that is equally famous, but we just had to go with the leg. After all, it must be Italian.

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

Of all the famous props and wardrobe pieces on this list, none, not a one, are as famous or as iconic as Dorothy's Ruby Slippers in The Wizard of Oz. It's a prop that is so famous that they are in the Smithsonian along with Fonzie's jacket and Archie Bunker's chair.

The Heart Of The Ocean

Sure, the boat in Titanic is probably the most famous non-character in the movie, but that would be a little on the nose. Instead, we went with the necklace that the crew led by Bill Paxton's character is searching for, The Heart of the Ocean. It ends up down with the boat, though.

The Batmobile

Pick your favorite Batmobile. Any Batmobile works here. You could go with the great one from the '60s TV show (my favorite), or the one from Tim Burton's Batman, and get even more tech with one of Christopher Nolan's versions. You can't go wrong.

Maverick's Jacket

Maverick (Tom Cruise) has one of the most iconic pieces of wardrobe ever. That bomber jacket, covered in patches, is legendary. It's such an important part of the character that when Top Gun: Maverick dropped its first teaser, it was simply a close-up of the jacket and Maverick putting it on.

Freddie's Glove

There are a lot of famous props in horror movies, many of them masks. Freddie's glove in the Nightmare on Elm Street is among the most famous, maybe the most famous. It's a terrifying weapon that has given fans nightmares for decades.

Lightsabers

Okay, so how much do we really need to say here? Of all the props in all the world, is there one more famous than the lightsabers in the Star Wars franchise? No matter what color, there is no weapon in any other franchise that has nearly the same cache as the elegant weapon of the Jedi knights.

Wonka's Golden Ticket

Without the Golden Ticket in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, none of the kids (or their parents) would get the tour of Willie's wild factory. They wouldn't have gotten in any trouble, either.

The Red Swingline Stapler

Stephen Root's character, Milton, in Office Space is one of the weirdest characters in any comedy of the era. Not only is his mumbling disturbing, but his love for his red stapler is downright scary.... and hilarious. It became so famous that Swingline made a special red version of their stapler based on the prop.

Proton Packs

According to Ray (Dan Aykroyd), each Ghostbuster is "carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back." Those proton packs have since become a key part of every kid who dressed like our heroes in Ghostbusters for Halloween for decades. Hopefully, the ones the kids wear are a little safer.

The Maltese Falcon

This is a prop so famous, they named the movie after it! Or maybe the prop is named after the movie? I don't know. It could be either way, I suppose. It's one of the most famous MacGuffins ever, the statue in The Maltese Falcon.

Vote For Pedro Tee Shirt

Long after the hype for Napoleon Dynamite faded, we were still seeing people with "Vote For Pedro" shirts walking the streets. The shirts were so popular, it almost eclipsed the movie. Now, they still might be more popular.

The 2001 Obelisk

Obelisks are so cool that people are still randomly building them in the desert (look up Las Vegas Obelisk). That all stems from the Stanley Kubrick classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Even people who have never seen the legendary film know the scene(s) with the obelisk.

Ghostface's Mask

There are a few very famous masks in horror history, so of course, a movie like Scream, which is essentially a love letter to the classic '70s and '80s slasher films, would end up with one of the most famous. The masks, like the franchise, have been incredibly enduring and probably will be for the next 100 years.

The Sorting Hat

In the world of Harry Potter, there are a few famous props, like the flying car and the various wands. Still, every fan of the franchise secretly has dreams about being sorted by the Sorting Hat into their favorite house at Hogwarts.

Mary Poppins' Umbrella

Every kid dreams of a flying nanny like Mary Poppins, if not having Poppins herself as their nanny. The umbrella has become one of the most recognizable props in the movie over the years. The scene where we first see Julie Andrews as Mary gently guiding herself down is one of the most famous scenes in Hollywood history.

Rita Hayworth Poster

CinemaBlend has called The Shawshank Redemption the best movie of the '90s. The Stephen King story on which it is based is called, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. That's how important the poster is that Andy (Tim Robbins) hides his escape tunnel. The moment when the warden tears it down is one of the most fun moments in any movie, ever.

The New Bluesmobile

The Bluesmobile in The Blues Brothers is not, actually, the original Bluesmobile, according to Jake (John Belushi). The original was a Cadillac, not the former Police Car that Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) shows up in to pick Jake up from prison. Elwood explains that he had to trade it for a microphone, which Jake understands. No matter what, the car is one of the most famous cars of the 1980s.

Reese's Pieces

Oh, what a mistake Mars Candy made when they reportedly didn't want Steven Spielberg to use M&M's in E.T. That opened up an opportunity for the folks over at Reese's Pieces, who did license their product, and now they are one of the most famous food items in any movie, ever.

Jason's Hockey Mask

Of all the famous masks in slasher films from the '70s and '80s, there is none more iconic than Jason's mask in the Friday the 13th franchise. We're not going to get into who was actually wearing it in the original movie, because it doesn't matter. It's the mask that matters.

The Burn Book

Ahhhh, the "Burn Book" in Mean Girls. It's the ultimate downfall of the titular click in the classic comedy written by and starring Tina Fey. It's filled with all the evidence anyone would ever need to take those terrible people down, and eventually, they are dramatically brought down.

The Box In Seven

"What's in the box?" is one of the most disturbing questions ever uttered in any movie, ever. Brad Pitt's performance in the moment is some of the best acting work of his career. We certainly don't want to go into detail with the answer to that question, but if you know, you know.

The Red Balloon In IT

Some people are scared of clowns. Some people are scared of balloons. IT finds a way to freak both groups out and in the process creates one of the most iconic props of all time. No words are needed to scare people, either. Like so many props on this list, one quick glance is all it takes to know exactly what movie it comes from.

The Martian

Matt Damon plays an astronaut exploring Mars when he is accidentally left for dead on the red planet and is forced to find a way to live with no food and limited resources. The Martian has been praised for the science in (most) of the movie, but it's the survival aspect of the movie that really draws fans in.

The Bridge On The River Kwai

How dedicated are you to your country, and what will you endure to keep your pride? The legendary The Bridge On The River Kwai explores just how far a person will go in pursuit of both of those. In extreme conditions, the British prisoners of war go through the worst of everything, extreme heat, fatigue, disease, and torture, cannot keep them from that stiff upper lip attitude of the era.

28 Days Later

Plenty of movies show the extreme and terrifying nature of surviving a dystopian future or a zombie apocalypse. Few do it better than Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. The zombies are the things of nightmares, but somehow the characters keep living in whatever way they are forced to.

12 Years A Slave

There may be no better example of surviving under the most extreme conditions than the era of chattel slavery in 19th-century America. 12 Years A Slave is one of the hardest movies you'll ever watch, and it's also one of the most important movies of the last half century on the subject. Survival doesn't even begin to describe just how hard it was.

Society Of The Snow

The Oscar-nominated Spanish film Society of the Snow tells the now-infamous story of the Uruguayan rugby team who survive a plane crash in the Andes only to be forced into committing cannibalism to survive in the barren wilderness. It's as terrifying as it is inspiring.

Apollo 13

There are only three people in the history of the world who can really understand what it's like to survive a disaster in space. Tragically, most astronauts who have, didn't live to tell the tale. The three astronauts on the Apollo 13 mission did survive, and the 1995 movie starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon brings the story to the big screen in amazing fashion.

127 Hours

The true story of Aron Ralston, played by James Franco in 127 Hours, is one of the most visceral ever shown in a movie. It's a story that basically can understand just how harrowing it is. We can all imagine ourselves in a similar situation and wonder just how far we would go to save ourselves. Ralston goes further than most even dream possible, but he made it, and set an example of human endurance few have ever matched.

Schindler's List

Schindler's List is the kind of movie you are amazed by, but might not want to ever watch again. Of course, history is known to everyone who has been to school in the last 80 years, but that doesn't make the movie about the horrors of the Holocaust any easier to take in. It's an amazing movie and one of the scariest stories of survival by an entire group of people ever told. And it's told in honor of the six million who didn't make it.

The Revenant

Being left for dead in the wilderness, getting attacked by hostile people, and surviving a bear mauling certainly qualify a survival story for this list. Those things all happen in The Revenant, the movie that finally won Leonardo DiCaprio the Oscar he's been so deserving of.

Dunkirk

Dunkirk is not just about the survival of the British soldiers on the beaches of the titular town at the outbreak of World War Two, it's about the survival of the whole nation. Had the army not been evacuated, the entire war would likely have gone very differently, not to mention the history of the United Kingdom. Christopher Nolan's masterpiece tells a number of stories of survival, and every one is important.

Cast Away

You knew this one had to be here. It's a story as old as time: a man surviving on a tropical island. It's been in myths and stories for centuries, and there is no better example in modern times than Cast Away. From making fire to building a raft to escape on, this one has it all.

The Shawshank Redemption

Being wrongly accused and convicted of a crime you are not guilty of is a nightmare that many people share. One of the best movies of the '90s, The Shawshank Redemption lets everyone see just how scary and emotional something like that could be. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are amazing in this enduring movie that people will still be watching and relating to for many more generations.

Alien

"In space, no one can hear you scream," is the tagline for one of the most celebrated sci-fi horror movies of all time. Ridley (Sigourney Weaver) in Alien is a survivor on her own level throughout the franchise, and it all started with her surviving this movie.

First Blood

Sometimes, survival comes at the expense of the people trying to hunt you, like the cops in First Blood who make the mistake of forcing Green Beret John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) into the woods. Rambo knows how to survive, the cops never stand a chance.

The Pianist

Surviving the Holocaust has rarely been shown on screen as emotionally as it is in The Pianist. Adrien Brody's Oscar-winning performance is as powerful an example of survival as has ever been put on film.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games may not seem like it belongs on the list, but it certainly does. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) has to endure a lot to survive the games, and she thrives when she has to. The movie may be fiction, but the reality doesn't seem impossible, as scary as that is.

A Quiet Place

Surviving is hard enough. Surviving in total silence? Wow, that is truly another level. In A Quiet Place, we learn just how terrifying the silence can be, or really how scary it is when that silence is disturbed. A budding franchise shows just how viscerally people feel the quiet.

Rescue Dawn

Prisoner of war movies are pretty common in Hollywood history. Each brings their own nightmares of survival. Some of the most terrifying come from the Vietnam War, even when the camp is not in Vietnam, as is the case in Rescue Dawn. Christian Bale stars in this movie based on the true story of a pilot shot down over Laos and the horrors he must endure as a POW.

The Road

Cormac McCarthy's excellent (and bleak) book The Road was turned into an even bleaker movie starring Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee and set in a dystopian future. Human endurance is incredible, as even in the worst kind of situation, some survive. Never underestimate the love a father has for his son.

Unbroken

Angelina Jolie directed one of the most incredible stories of POW survival ever in Unbroken. The true story, about Louis Zamperini surviving multiple ordeals, including a plane crash, 47 days in a raft in the middle of the ocean, and two years in a POW camp. At the camp, he was tortured and used as forced labor. How he survived is nothing less than astonishing. The movie has mixed reviews, but the story is incredible, no matter how it's told.

Lone Survivor

Peter Berg directed Lone Survivor, based on the incredible true story of Marcus Luttrell, who was, as the name of the movie implies, the only survivor in a group of Navy SEALs on a mission in Afghanistan. Mark Wahlberg plays Luttrell, and Taylor Kitsch plays one of the members of his team who was killed. Though the account has been disputed, the movie still serves as a shining example of survival.

Into The Wild

Sometimes, it's human hubris that puts us in a position where we have to survive. Such is the case in the book and the movie Into the Wild. Alexander Supertramp, aka Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch), made his own choices that led him to the desperate situation that eventually, tragically killed him as he tried (and failed) to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.

Gravity

Surviving space is hard enough when you have other people with you. On your own, it's downright impossible. That's the situation Sandra Bullock's character finds herself in in Gravity. It's science fiction, but it's so believable. It's not like Alien or even The Martian, it's much closer to home.

The Diary Of Anne Frank

Maybe the most famous example of survival during the Holocaust is the story of Anne Frank and her family in German-occupied Holland during World War II. The incredible diary the young girl kept has inspired countless people and put a real face on the victims of the Third Reich. The book was turned into a movie nominated for eight Oscars, winning three.

Deliverance

It was supposed to be a relaxing and exciting canoe trip that instead turned into a harrowing story of survival after a group of friends, led by Burt Reynolds in Deliverance, are terrorized by a nasty group of locals who don't want them on the river. The incredibly popular movie is part action/adventure, part horror movie as the campers deal with some really scary actions from those out to kill them.

Alive

A few decades before the Society Of The Snow brought the story of the Uruguayan Rugby Team, who survived a plane crash and weeks on top of a mountain, to the big screen, Ethan Hawke and company told the story in Alive. It's not as visceral as the newer movie, but it's still an incredible telling of the story.

The Great Escape

To be fair, The Great Escape is as much a "boys adventure" movie as it is a story of survival. Still, there is no question that there are some sad, harrowing moments for the POWs in a German camp during World War II. People do die, and there are real stakes (at times) in this classic movie from old Hollywood with an all-star cast.

Children Of Men

Alfonso Cuarón's 2006 movie Children of Men is, in a world, incredible. It may be overshadowed by his more recent work, like Gravity and Roma, but it's my favorite movie of his. It's also a unique look at survival, not just by the main characters in the movie, but humankind as a whole.

The Is The End

We had to include one comedy on this list. There are a few examples of funny takes on survival, but none are quite as ridiculous as This is the End. The all-star cast of Hollywood stars playing ridiculous versions of themselves is both funny and actually pretty scary at times.

Into Thin Air: Death on Everest

Into Thin Air: Death on Everest, a television movie based on the book Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. It depicts the true story of one of the deadliest seasons of climbing the world's highest mountain. Not everyone survives, but those who do, like Beck Weathers (Richard Jenkins), endured some of the most harrowing weather conditions ever seen on Earth.

The Swiss Family Robinson

One of the most famous stories of "surviving" has to be The Swiss Family Robinson, as told by Disney in a couple of different versions, including one in 1960. It's hardly harrowing, and it's pretty luxurious and therefore unrealistic, but it sure does seem like fun! Survival doesn't always have to be a nightmare in movies, apparently.

Man Friday

It's sort of surprising that the story of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe hasn't been made into more movies. Man Friday is probably the best adaptation of the enduring novel, so it'll stand in for all of them.

North By Northwest (1959)

Many of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies followed people who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, with North by Northwest being a prime example. The awesome spy movie stars Cary Grant as an advertising executive who is suddenly forced to go on the run when he is mistaken for a government agent.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

The set-up for writer and director Shane Black's fun crime thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a good example of how being in the wrong place at the wrong time can sort of work out in one's favor. Running away from a job gone traumatically wrong, thief Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) accidentally walks into an audition for a movie role, has a breakdown on the spot that is mistaken for a dynamite performance, and is sent to Hollywood where he shadows a private investigator (played by Val Kilmer) as research.

Holes (2003)

Based on the award-winning novel by Louis Sachar, Holes tells the story of 14-year-old Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf), who comes from a long line of men known for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, as part of a mysterious curse. For instance, Stanley happens to be standing right where a pair of missing shoes fall on his head and, in turn, is accused of stealing them, which is how he ends up at the brutal Camp Green Lake.

No Country For Old Men (2007)

There are many reasons why Joel and Ethan Coen's No Country for Old Men is considered one of the best Western movies of all time, including its brilliant use of themes like "decision and consequence." In the Best Picture Oscar winner, Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin) comes across the aftermath of a drug deal turned deadly and decides to take $2 million left behind. His second and worse mistake is returning to deliver water to one of the dying victims at the scene, where he is spotted and soon forced to go on the run from the sadistic Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).

Collateral (2004)

The tagline for director Michael Mann's gripping thriller, Collateral, points out that the plot "started out like any other night" before exploding into one of panic and violence. Had Max (Jamie Foxx) not apologized for accidentally ignoring Vincent (Tom Cruise) when he first approached his cab, it could have saved him from driving around Los Angeles with a sociopathic contract killer in his backseat.

Green Room (2016)

The acclaimed A24 movie, Green Room, put writer and director Jeremy Saulnier on the map as not just a master of heart-pounding tension, but of crafting compelling stories of ordinary people trapped in terrifying situations. The thriller follows an up-and-coming punk band forced to barricade themselves in the backroom at a bar crawling with Neo-nazis after witnessing a murder.

Blue Velvet (1986)

One of David Lynch's best movies, Blue Velvet, is a cautionary tale about the potentially dangerous lure of curiosity. Kyle MacLachlan plays a college student who stumbles upon a severed ear in the middle of a field, convinces himself to investigate the matter on his own, and ends up crossing paths with a menacing group of people.

Psycho (1960)

Just about any of the best horror movies are an exercise in characters being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Psycho has to be the ultimate example of the theme's unexpected nature. Of all of the places where she could have stopped on a stormy night, the on-the-run Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) chooses to take shelter at the Bates Motel, run by the criminally unhinged Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins).

First Blood (1982)

I believe anyone who has seen First Blood would agree that Brian Dennehy's angry, prejudiced Sheriff William Teasle is to blame for the trouble that soon plagues his town at the hands of John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone). Had the lonely, traumatized, and highly-skilled Vietnam veteran walked into any other town, he would not have been caught up in a war with local law enforcement.

Die Hard (1988)

The phrase "wrong place, wrong time" is practically personified by Bruce Willis' John McClane, who becomes the only hope to save his wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), and her co-workers when Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) takes them hostage on Christmas Eve in Die Hard. For this reason, the New York-based cop should be considered a godsend, but if given the chance, he would willfully pass on the responsibility onto someone else.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

At the beginning of The Shawshank Redemption, Frank Darabont's adaptation of Stephen King's novella, the evidence is stacked against Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) regarding whether or not he murdered his wife and her lover. Considering he was at the scene of the crime with a revolver in hand, one would understandably assume he was guilty, until it is revealed that his cellmate, Elmo Batch (Bill Bolender), is the real killer, making this a case of unfortunate coincidence.

Donnie Darko (2001)

The bizarre, perplexing high school movie favorite Donnie Darko presents a unique reversal of sorts on the "wrong place, wrong time" theme, as Jake Gyllenhaal's titular teen is spared from a tragic death by the rabbit-suited Frank (James Duval). However, avoiding this grisly fate proves to have catastrophic consequences for his family, his peers, and, potentially, the world.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Technically, in the opening scene of the Coen Brothers' worshipped comedy, The Big Lebowski, The Dude (Jeff Bridges) is in the right place (his own home). However, he is definitely there at the wrong time, when Jackie Treehorn's goons broke into his apartment, assuming he is the wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, which is why they "soil" his rug, leading him to become involved in "a very complicated case."

After Hours (1985)

After Hours is a rare comedy from director Martin Scorsese, but a certainly dark comedy movie, at that. It stars Griffin Dunne as computer data entry worker Paul Hackett, who becomes embroiled in a series of uproarious and deadly situations that stem from a seemingly innocent conversation with a woman (played by Rosanna Arquette) at a cafe.

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Admittedly, I'm cheating a little bit by adding Lucky Number Slevin, because it only seems like Josh Hartnett's title character is in the wrong place at the wrong time when he is mistaken for Nick Fisher and becomes caught up in two aging gangsters' rivalry. SPOILER ALERT: It is revealed that this case of mistaken identity is all part of a vengeful scheme against the mob bosses for murdering Slevin's parents when he was a child.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much, a remake of his own 1934 film, is a classic film noir starring James Stewart and Doris Day as a married couple on a holiday in Paris when they happen to witness a murder. Making matters worse, soon after, their young son is suddenly kidnapped.

Breakdown (1997)

Kurt Russell stars in Breakdown as Jeff, who is on a trip with his wife, Amy (Kathleen Quinlan), when their car breaks down in the middle of the desert. A truck driver stops for them and agrees to take Amy to a nearby diner where she can call for help. However, when he can't find Amy at the diner and the trucker he met claims to have never seen either of them, Jeff begins a desperate search to find her.

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

In Jennifer's Body, Megan Fox's eponymous teen makes the mistake of agreeing to leave a local bar with struggling indie rock band Low Shoulder, who, under the impression she is a virgin, intend to sacrifice her to achieve mainstream success. As it turns out, she lied about her "innocence," and the sacrificial ritual ends up turning her into a deadly succubus.

Enemy Of The State (1998)

From director Tony Scott, Enemy of the State stars Will Smith as a lawyer who is out shopping for his wife when he unwittingly intercepts evidence of a political crime. As a result, his life begins to unravel when he becomes a target of the NSA.

Innerspace (1987)

In director Joe Dante's criminally overlooked '80s movie Innerspace, a scientist makes the spur-of-the-moment decision to save Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid), who has been miniaturized and placed into a syringe, by injecting him into the first person he sees. That person is anxious supermarket clerk Jack Putter (Martin Short), who is forced to ignore his doctor's orders and embark on an adventure to help get his new friend back to his normal size before it is too late.

Taken (2008)

Taken is the film that made Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson, as retired CIA agent Brian Mills, one of the top action stars in Hollywood. The thriller's inciting incident occurs when Mills' teenage daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), is abducted while on a European vacation, motivating him to take drastic measures to find her himself.

Nick Of Time (1995)

From director John Badham, Nick of Time is a fun '90s thriller told in real time that deals with the concept of average people embroiled in above-average situations. Johnny Depp stars as an accountant approached at a train station by sinister individuals who coerce him into committing an assassination in exchange for his daughter's life.

Nobody (2021)

Nobody is a John Wick-style action thriller starring Bob Odenkirk as a family man harboring long-dormant violent tendencies, which he even chooses to hold inside when intruders break into his house. He is finally inspired to let out his true self when he happens to board a city bus where he spots a young woman being harassed by a gang and unleashes his own brand of justice.

Blow Out (1981)

From director Brian De Palma, Blow Out stars John Travolta as a movie studio recording artist who overhears evidence of a murder. While the film was a box office flop in the '80s, it has since been reevaluated as a taut suspense thriller by many, including Quentin Tarantino, according to Far Out.

Game Night (2018)

Imagine being invited to what you assume would be a night of innocent, if not elaborate, game play until unexpected circumstances force you and your friends to be embroiled in a deadly situation. Such is the premise of directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein's Game Night, starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as a highly competitive couple who must rely on their party game skills to solve a real mystery.

Lucy (2014)

In writer and director Luc Besson's Lucy, Scarlett Johansson's title character, while living in Japan as a student, is forced to be a gangster's mule for an experimental drug inserted in her stomach. When the bag of the mysterious substance leaks out while still in her stomach, it begins rapidly evolving her brain chemistry and granting her superhuman abilities.

Pineapple Express (2007)

Writers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Judd Apatow envisioned Pineapple Express as what would happen if Tony Scott directed a raunchy comedy. The result is the story of a process server named Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) who witnesses a murder and his forced to go on the run with his dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco).

Frantic (1988)

From director Roman Polanski, Frantic is an international mystery thriller starring Harrison Ford. The Academy Award nominee plays a man vacationing in Paris with his wife when she suddenly goes missing, embroiling him in a deadly mystery.

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

In Jeepers Creepers, Trish (Gina Phillips) and her brother, Darry (Justin Long), are driving home for spring break on a country road when they witness a mysterious trucker (Jonathan Breck) dumping his victims' bodies down a homemade chute. When he notices them, the siblings become a special target of the trucker, whom they soon discover is a being of otherworldly origin.

The Collector (2009)

The Collector is a wild, underrated horror movie that almost plays like Home Alone in reverse. It stars Josh Stewart as a former thief-turned-handyman who breaks into his current employers' house, not realizing a sadistic killer has beaten him to it, subjecting the owners to torture and littering the place with deadly traps.

Clerks (1994)

While nothing truly tragic happens to Dante in Clerks (at least in the final cut after Kevin Smith nixed the tragic original ending), Dante (Brian O'Halloran) repeatedly makes it clear that he "is not supposed to be here today" after being called into work at Quick Stop.

Death Sentence (2007)

Had Kevin Bacon's Nick Hume not stopped at a gas station on the way back from his teenage son's hockey game, the boy would still be alive, and he would not be motivated to wage a war against a violent gang in director James Wan's thriller, Death Sentence.

Meditations on The Monkey’s excellent tagline – “Everybody Dies, And That’s Fucked Up” – lead this week’s edition of The King Beat, but this week also brought us news about the author tackling a classic fairy tale, and all of you Shawshank Redemption fans out there will also be pleased to learn that Clancy Brown recently did a nice bit of reflecting on the epic, beloved film (which celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2024). There’s a whole lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!

Osgood Perkins And The Monkey Cast Reflect On The New Film’s Philosophy About Death

Death is coming for us all, and there is nothing we can do about it. None of us know when our number is up or how we will go, but the end is inevitable. It’s a terrible reality that haunts us, and thusly, most try not to think about it… but that’s part of what makes Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey a special movie. It’s extreme and absurd, comically filled with all matters of insanity and gore, but it’s also designed to have audiences confront their own mortality.

It’s an aspect of the new Stephen King adaptation that I adore, and as captured in the video above, I felt compelled to talk about it when I did the virtual press day for The Monkey last week. Speaking with Perkins as well as stars Theo James, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Sarah Levy and Rohan Campbell, I asked about not only the funny, blunt approach to the subject matter in the film, but also how the story caused them to reflect on the reality of death.

In his response, Perkins noted that what the new King movie does is basically a more direct version of what any horror film does: with the degree of distance and safety that comes from fiction, it allows us to recognize that none of us are here forever. While we spend much of our lives not trying to think about the inevitability of the end, Perkins believes that it’s something we should all perhaps give a little more consideration:

Following up the writer/director’s comments, Theo James added that it was the aspect of the film that drew him to the project. In The Monkey, James plays a pair of estranged twin brothers who find themselves forced to reunite when a supernatural toy that caused all matters of death and mayhem in their childhood resurfaces a quarter-century later. The actor notes that while we as humans make every kind of effort to avoid and slow death, there ultimately is no escape. Said James,

It may all sound exceptionally macabre, but there is a positive flip side: while we know that we are going to die (some of us in absolutely horrific circumstances), that makes every moment we have alive that much more precious. Death is terrible, but life is incredible.

As noted earlier, The Monkey arrives in theaters everywhere this Friday, May 21, and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend, as I have plenty more material coming your way from my interviews with the writer/director and cast of the new film.

Stephen King Has Written A New Reimagining Of Hansel And Gretel, And You Can Pre-Order It Now

When people discuss the surprise darkness of some classic fairy tales, Hansel And Gretel is a perfect example. Even before you get to the part about an old witch who likes to eat kids, the impetus of the narrative is a pair of parents who don’t feel they can care for their children so they decide to abandon them in a forest. It’s a story that can easily kick start a young person’s interest in the horror genre, which is why it’s terrifically exciting that Stephen King is publishing his own version of the classic legend later this year.

It was announced this week by Harper Collins Publishers that a new version of Hansel And Gretel will be arriving in stores later this year, and it features a team-up of literary legends. Not only will the classic story be retold by King, but the tome will feature artwork from the late, great Maurice Sendak (best known for the classic Where The Wild Things Are). According to the Associated Press, Sendak produced a bunch of costume and set design sketches in the late 1990s for a production of the Engelbert Humperdinck opera adaptation of the fairy tale, and King has taken inspiration from those illustrations for the new book.

In an official statement, the author noted that he was particularly wowed by a pair of Sendak’s drawings and felt compelled as a result to take on the project. Said the legend,

From The Shining to IT to The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, King has a long history telling stories about young protagonists who find themselves in perilous circumstances and must find courage and fortitude in order to survive, so there is no doubt that a match between the author and the material is perfect.

Hansel And Gretel will be the second King book published in 2025, as this fall will see the release of Never Flinch – the latest novel featuring the delightful detective Holly Gibney. A hardcover edition of the fairy tale will be available in stores on September 2, and you can now place pre-orders at outlets including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, and Amazon

Clancy Brown Reflects On His Time Making The Shawshank Redemption

Did you know that the actor who played the sadistic Captain Byron Hadley in Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption took a hiatus from the production of the film to get married? Have you ever wondered if the uplifting final scenes of the modern classic could all just be a dream sequence? If the question to either of those questions are “no,” you should really do yourself a favor and check out the brand new interview with Clancy Brown that dropped online this week.

Considered by many to be one of the greatest movies of all time, The Shawshank Redemption celebrated its milestone 30^th anniversary last year, and Brown recently spoke about his experience making the movie during an interview on The Rich Eisen Show.

In addition to talking about the memorable ending and how he took a break from his performance to get betrothed to his wife, Jeanne Johnson, Brown also discusses his time revisiting the Ohio prison where the film was shot and shares a funny story about Morgan Freeman’s agent – who didn’t fully grasp what the feature was about when they learned it was an adaptation of the King novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.”

You can check out the discussion of the film in the embed below:

Regarding Clancy Brown’s comments about the final scenes of the film, I will say that I am in total agreement with the actor. While the novella features an open-ended conclusion that doesn’t say whether or not Andy and Red ever find each other again (the ending of the film was actually crafted in reshoots), I personally hate the idea that their reunion is merely a dream.

Not only is that thinking just far too cynical for my taste, but there is nothing in the movie that suggests that might be the case. I generally have no problem with bleak and depressing fan theories, but I also don’t think that this one holds any water.

That brings us to the end of this week’s edition of The King Beat, but all of you Constant Readers can enjoy my column here on CinemaBlend every Thursday. With at least four more upcoming Stephen King adaptations set for 2025 along with two new King books, you can be sure that there will be plenty to learn about and discuss.

I’m Kind Of Surprised Andy Dufresne Was Even Convicted

I know if Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) doesn’t get convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, there’s no Shawshank Redemption. But between our protagonist’s profession, and the infidelities being visited upon him, do you seriously mean to tell me a 1950s jury wouldn’t side with these implied actions?

I Can’t Think Of Anyone Else Playing Andy Or Red

Here’s a piece of Shawshank Redemption trivia you may not have known: Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford were among the potential pairs considered to play Andy and Red. I’m all for considering “what if…” scenarios when it comes to classic films, but I honestly can’t think of anyone else matching the chemistry of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman’s friendship on screen.

The Shawshank Redemption’s Casting Game Has Always Been Strong

Every time I watch this movie, I swear I notice new actors that I either forgot or hadn’t noticed were part of the cast. This time around I “discovered” that Robocop and E.R. vet Paul McCrane was one of the guards, and was reminded that 24’s Jude Ciccolella was also a screw at Shawshank. Meanwhile, every go-round reminds me how I'll always recognize Jeffrey DeMunn after his short but powerful turn as the lawyer who sends Andy up the river.

Stephen King Knows How To Write Grounded Adult Fairy Tales

While Red (Morgan Freeman) delivers the line “Prison is no fairy tale world” in The Shawshank Redemption, I still consider it an example of realism meeting such morally tinged fables for adults. The fact that Stephen King would not only go on to write The Green Mile as a sort of “Shawshank meets magical thinking” heartbreaker, with Frank Darabont returning for its 1999 adaptation, only proves my point.

Bob Gunton’s Introduction Is So Subtly Chilling

Throughout the entirety of this prison drama, we see Bob Gunton's Warden Samuel Norton barely raise his voice, except for when he discovers Andy’s escape. Revisiting his chilling introduction through Andy Dufrense’s arrival at Shawshank, I was reminded that vocal hysterics are no match for wielding a bible, and knowing how to hurt someone with just a nod.

Jake Is One Of The Many Clever Ways The Passage Of Time Is Shown At Shawshank

Most movies show time passing with either obvious dialogue or handy title cards. There are moments in The Shawshank Redemption where dialogue helps contextualize when we are in the story, but it’s never clunky. Also, with the added device of Jake the crow growing from a baby to a full-grown buddy, we’re shown progress without needing to put a calendar right under our noses.

Clancy Brown Plays The Line Between Menace And Authority To A Tee

When your kids are old enough, show them The Shawshank Redemption, then a random episode of Spongebob Squarepants. It’ll blow their minds by connecting Mr. Brown’s roles of Byron Hadley and Mr. Krabs, and it’s only another example of versatile performers filling Frank Darabont’s cast. While he’s not always turned up to 11, the shifts between unchecked menace and simple authority are so seamless.

I Wish I Could Tell You Andy Dufresne's First Encounter With The Sisters Wasn’t Tragic

One of the emotional moments that never fails to maintain its tragedy is when Bogs (Mark Rolston) and the rest of The Sisters gang up on Andy in the prison laundry. We don’t see the brutality, relying on Morgan Freeman’s narration to confirm that the worst had indeed happened. Each time that scene comes on, expect your heart to sink.

The Roofing Crew Scene May Be The Best Scene In The Shawshank Redemption

If there is one scene that ties all of The Shawshank Redemption’s perfection into a subtle package, it’s when Andy and his fellow prisoners enjoy that cold bohemian beer after tarring a roof. It’s idyllic, visually stunning, and gives the audience the same temporary moment of unbridled joy as Andy Dufresne. Other moments may be more pronounced, but the joy truly sneaks up on you every time, even if it’s a consequence of Brooks Hadley threatening to cause Andy “accidental” harm.

Thomas Newman Really Poured His Heart Into The Shawshank Redemption Score

Andy's escape into the rain. Red's arrival on the beach in Zihuatanejo. Brooks' sad end. All of those moments are cinematic history in The Shawshank Redemption, and their perfection is aided by composer Thomas Newman's emotionally charged musical score. Good luck trying to drive if "Brooks Was Here" comes up on shuffle.

The Shawshank Redemption Helped Me See Beyond Stephen King’s Horror Writing

Growing up, I was introduced to Stephen King as “The Master of Horror.” That image only grew through my eventual initiation through watching miniseries like 1990’s IT. But when I saw that The Shawshank Redemption was written by the same man who masterminded such frights, it was a watershed moment that helped me look past the stereotype and love the man’s work even more.

If Anyone Should Have Remade The Stand, It Should Have Been Frank Darabont

Mick Garris’ 1994 miniseries adaptation of The Stand, in my mind, has never been topped. I’ve slowly slogged through the 2020 Paramount+ remake, and with all due respect to the talent involved, it pales in comparison. But now that I’ve rewatched The Shawshank Redemption, I can’t help but wish that Frank Darabont’s Randall Flagg easter egg led to an alternate universe where he got to do his thing with the epic clash between the disciples of The Walkin’ Dude and Mother Abigail.

Brooks’ “Easy Peasy” Line Holds Up, Even If It’s Of Questionable Taste

“Easy peasy, Japanese-y.” I know it’s not a terribly offensive line, but hearing the sweet Brooks Hadlen (James Whitmore) utter that line always gave me pause. Upon this most recent viewing, however, I realized that this line is another clever way of showing character. Thanks to the institutionalization of Brooks, we get a window into what the world was like when he was a free man; back when that sort of phrase was probably more prevalent.

Andy’s Story Doesn’t Forget To Include Moments Of Levity

I’ll never look at a copy of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo without thinking of William Sadler, Tim Robbins, and Morgan Freeman debating where to file it in the prison library. Humor and warmth go hand in hand with tragedy and tears in The Shawshank Redemption, allowing for organic breaks from the harsh realities of incarceration. Frank Darabont’s sensibilities as the writer/director of this film are sharp as the rock hammer Andy uses to get his freedom, knowing when to lean into either extreme.

No Letter Writing Campaign Could Ever Beat Andy Dufrense’s Quest For Books

A former friend of mine and I used to love referencing the moment when Andy Dufrense petitioned his local government officials for better resources in Shawshank’s prison library. As someone who loves a good story where a dedicated fanbase gets something done through letter-writing, I have to say that Dufrense’s triumph is probably the greatest example of this time-tested form of protest winning the day.

How In The Name Of Castle Rock Did The Shawshank Redemption Bomb At The Box Office?

The weekend of September 23, 1994, had some pretty decent movies in the box office top 10…and somehow The Shawshank Redemption wasn’t one of them. That’s right, the only reason we’re still talking about this picture is thanks to video rentals and constant airings on TNT in the years that followed. How did people let this happen?!

Shawshank Is A Masterclass In Patient Storytelling

In a little under two and a half hours, you really feel like you’ve gotten to know Andy Dufresne and some of his pals at Shawshank State Prison. It consistently amazes me that I can still feel this way about a movie I’ve watched frequently over its three decades of existence. There’s never a moment where it feels like you could either skip or fast forward to the next, putting the pacing in that sweet spot where you don’t want it to end, but can’t think of anything to add.

William Sadler Really Is One Of The Best Actors We Have

I originally thought that The Shawshank Redemption proved that William Sadler was one of the best character actors on the scene. Upon further thought, I'd say he's one of the best performers out there, period. The dude's range has seen him hang with the Crypt Keeper, tangle with John McClane, and try to reap the souls of Bill and Ted. Watching him as Heywood always puts a smile on my face, because how can you begrudge a man just listening to his Hank Williams records?

Brooks’ Epilogue Still Crushes My Heart Every Single Time

You don't even have to show a person the entirety of this film to bring them to tears. While having the background on Brooks' character does make his eventual fate all the more tragic, you could merely show them his final scenes on the outside of Shawshank. No matter how many times I see James Whitmore play the end to his arc, I always hope that Jake found Brooks somehow, somewhere far away from that pain.

This Movie Pivots Perfectly Between Emotional Ups And Downs

In the span of a handful of minutes, The Shawshank Redemption goes from Brooks’ tragic suicide to Andy’s triumphant book delivery, which then turns to our humble bank manager’s solitary confinement. Just those moments piled on top of each other are an emotional roller coaster, but they all land perfectly, without losing a step to any potential tonal whiplash.

Frank Darabont Truly Understands Stephen King’s Work

Adapting The Green Mile into a Tom Hanks-starring tear-jerker was the next step in Frank Darabont’s King canon journey, but giving The Mist its soul-crushing ending was probably the greatest sign that Darabont truly understands Stephen King’s work. Especially because according to his own account, Frank Darabont was inspired by King’s original text to get to that traumatizing finale.

You Could Frame That Shot Of Andy Escaping The Tunnels

The moment that Andy Dufrense escapes those tunnels of…waste in The Shawshank Redemption, he bathes in the rain of liberation in a moment you could practically frame and hang on your wall. Considering it went on to become the original poster art for the 1994 release campaign, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought so.

How Is This Picture Only 142 Minutes?

There is no way that The Shawshank Redemption is only a couple minutes short of two and a half hours. It never feels anything shorter than perfect, which is honestly thanks to the pacing of the storytelling and every factor being top-shelf. Honestly, this is probably why The Green Mile would eventually be allowed to slightly exceed the 3-hour mark when it was released.

The Shawshank Redemption Counts As A Heist Movie

I never really thought of Andy Dufresne’s antics as a secret heist movie, but that’s exactly what I came away thinking this time out. Years before Danny Ocean and his ten friends would knock off Las Vegas, Andy used accounting, knowledge of the banking system, and some geological know-how to make his great escape. Is it too late to give Andy a role in the Ocean’s Eleven prequel?

Tommy Williams’ Fate Is Even Crueler Than That Of Brooks Hadlen

If anyone got a worse deal than Brooks Hadlen, it had to be Tommy Williams (Gil Bellows). Sent to prison for burglary, he wasn’t nearly as hardened as some of the criminals who walked the halls of Shawshank State Prison. Yet thanks to his ability to exonerate Andy Dufresne, the young man who could have had a bright future was taken out with another one of Warden Norton’s patented nods.

Roger Deakins’ Cinematography Helped Make This A Timeless Classic

Everyone knows that cinematographer Roger Deakins is a GOAT when it comes to his craft. The Shawshank Redemption is a key piece of proof as to how he’s maintained such a reputation, as his eye helps this picture evade any sort of signs of aging. It looks timeless, and feels just as preserved through never being approached as a “‘90s movie.”

Without Question, Shawshank Is A ‘Remote Drop’ Movie

Thanks to Christopher Nolan’s love for Talladega Nights, the world now knows to call something you can never turn away from on TV a “remote drop” movie. The Shawshank Redemption is absolutely such a gem, as no matter what point in the story you’re at, no matter how many times you’ve seen it before, you’re in for the duration once it’s caught your eye.

Frank Darabont Might Actually Get Me To Watch Stranger Things Season 5

I haven’t cared about Stranger Things since completing Season 2, but have kept up with the series as a responsible journalist. I’ll do the same when its final season debuts, but knowing that Frank Darabont came out of retirement to direct a Season 5 episode has given me a smidgen of incentive to finish the journey.

I Can’t Believe The Shawshank Redemption Almost Didn’t Show Us Andy And Red’s Reunion

It took notes from a test screening, and the reluctance of Morgan Freeman, to give The Shawshank Redemption an ending where we actually saw Red and Andy reunite on the shores of Zihuatanejo. I refuse to accept a world where that true moment of redemption doesn’t exist.

The Shawshank Redemption Is Still A Perfect Movie

A little over a decade ago, I wrote about perfect Shawshank moments in a bid to show that I felt it was a perfect movie. I stand by my feelings to this day, and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.

How Did Forrest Gump Win Best Picture In 1995?

The 67th Academy Awards in 1995 saw Tom Hanks’ bittersweet nostalgia trip Forrest Gump winning Best Picture. The rest of the field was occupied by Pulp Fiction, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Quiz Show, and The Shawshank Redemption. Is anyone else ready to send someone to Shawshank for letting this happen?

This Is One Of The Most Rewatchable Films In History

If The Shawshank Redemption was a storybook, I imagine I’d have several copies that are worn to varying degrees. It’s something you can always return to and enjoy freshly while reflecting on those peaks and valleys of emotion that pop up along the way. Which reminds me...I'm long overdue to pick up the 4K disc, even if the cover art isn't the gorgeous Drew Struzan poster that adorned the Blu-ray set.

Fight Club

It's really hard to believe that Fight Club wasn't really a hit when it was released in 1999, especially given the epic ending. Not only does it tie up a disturbing bow on the whole movie, but the visual, of a city collapsing is simply stunning. If those two things are not enough, having The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" play over the exploding city is one of the best uses of music in a movie, ever.

Oppenheimer

Director Christopher Nolan pulled off an amazing trick in Oppenheimer. With his trademark use of time in a movie, he managed to tell the whole story of Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), including what happened after The Manhattan Project but still managed to bring the film to a climax with the big boom of the first nuclear bomb test. All of that set the end, with a focus on Oppenheimer himself internally debating if it was all the right thing to do.

Psycho

Leave it to Alfred Hitchcock to end a movie with a quiet bang that leaves the audience freaked out and thinking about days and even years later. The end of Psycho, with Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) staring into the camera as we hear his internal monologue, is about as perfect an ending as a movie can have.

Dead Poets Society

You simply cannot think about Dead Poets Society without thinking of that iconic ending first. As John Keating (Robin Williams) walks out of his classroom after being fired, all of his students stand on their desks in tribute, reciting "O Captain! My Captain!" from the famous poem by Walt Whitman. It is guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye every time you see it.

The Breakfast Club

Over the 90 or so minutes of The Breakfast Club, audiences all get to know each one of the characters intimately. Vice Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason) reads Brian's words as the audience hears Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) explain how each student is unique, but how they have to appreciate each other. They may be a brain, an athlete, a basket case, and a criminal, but they all have the problems of any teenager.

The Truman Show

The Truman Show is one of Jim Carrey's best films and the ending is a big part of that. The emotion of his sailing trip across "the ocean" and the moment he arrives at the door is harrowing. The joy of seeing Truman finally escape captures the audience perfectly and Truman waving goodbye as he walks out the door ends the movie in the best way possible.

The Silence Of The Lambs

The worst part about the end of The Silence Of The Lambs is that you find yourself actually rooting for a psychopathic serial killer. The movie, if you don't remember, ends with an escaped Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in disguise tracking his nemesis, Dr. Chilton (Anthony Heald) as he gets off a plane in a tropical location.

Thelma & Louise

There really isn't a more epic ending to a movie than Thelma & Louise. After being chased across multiple states after committing a justified crime, the two titular characters decide to literally ride off into the sunset - or off a cliff - as the police are closing in on them. In it together to the end.

The Godfather

There is nothing in cinema quite like The Godfather saga. There are some amazing scenes all throughout the two...okay, three... movies. None are more arresting than the final scene of the first movie when Michael (Al Pacino) fights with, and lies to, Kate (Diane Keaton) before leaving the room to greet his other family members. The door closing in Kate's face is tragic, but incredible.

Chinatown

Despite the last line of dialog in the movie, it's impossible to forget Chinatown, especially its tragic ending as Evelyn (Faye Dunaway) is killed attempting to finally escape the clutches of her domineering and, frankly, evil father played by John Huston. Jake (Jack Nicholson) is understandably distraught, yet all he can do is forget about it.

Planet Of The Apes

With one of the best twists in film history, the ending of Planet Of The Apes is so unforgettable that it has become a part of pop culture. Even people who have never seen the movie, starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut stuck on what he thinks is a distant planet, know how it ends when he discovers he's been on Earth the whole time.

Field Of Dreams

The premise of Field of Dreams is that if he (Kevin Costner) builds it "he" will come. The "he," of course, is Costner's character's father. The movie ends with the two characters having a catch on the baseball field as the camera pulls out to reveal a line of cars headed to watch a game at the magical field. Finally, they come.

The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects has one of the most beloved twists ever and the way it ends, with the reveal that Kevin Spacey's character is Keyser Söze, and with that final breath...poof, one of the most epic final scenes ever.

Dr. Strangelove

You can't really end a movie in a more epic way than having nuclear weapons exploding over and over. From the moment Korg (Slim Pickens) hitches a ride on one of his bombs, to the montage of actual nuclear explosions, the end brings to a point the absurdity of nuclear war.

Casablanca

There aren't many movies that have multiple quotes that have become part of the lexicon like Casablanca. Playing it again, hills of beans, looking at you... the list goes on and on. The final shot of Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Renault (Claude Raines) walking off into the fog is right up there with the greatest endings ever, with that iconic quote from Rick to Renault about the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Sunset Boulevard

There are few ending scenes as uncomfortable (and wonderful) as the final scene in Sunset Boulevard. Norma Desmond's slow walk down the stars, with the over-the-top facial expressions by actor Gloria Swanson is sooooo disconcerting, and when the camera comes to a stop on Swanson's face and she delivers that famous line, "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" is spine-tingling.

Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino's debut movie is one of the best movies by a first-time director ever. His brilliant script ends as tragically as a movie can with virtually all the characters dying. The last two, Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) and Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) are the most heartbreaking.

Whiplash

The only way to end a movie as intense as Whiplash is with a scene befitting that intensity and the final drum solo of the movie when it all comes together for Miles Teller's character. The movie is hard to watch and tension built up until that final release is felt by audiences as much as it shows in Teller's face. It's brilliant.

The Graduate

The best thing about the ending to The Graduate is just how unsure both Benjamin (Dustin Huffman) and Elaine (Katharine Ross) are when they take their seats on the bus. Sure, on the surface it's a pretty standard ending to a Rom-Com, with the two lovebirds facing the future together. But as the shot lingers, it's clear both are nervous about that future, unsure that they've made the right decision. It's an excellent ending.

The Thing

The thing about the ending of The Thing is that it really is all about one line. One iconic line. After all MacReady (Kurt Russell) and Childs (Keith David) have been through, they are left by themselves in the cold. When Childs asks what they should do, MacReady can only say, "Why don't we just wait here a little while...and see what happens."

There Will Be Blood

The final act of There Will Be Blood is one of the most intense scenes in any movie, ever. The physical and metaphysical battle for Daniel Plainview's soul is violent. In the end, after Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Eli (Paul Dano) are finished, and Eli is dead, Plainview can only turn to his butler and say, "I'm finished." He is finished in almost every way

Inception

Much like the rest of the movie, the ending to Christopher Nolan's Inception is left open to interpretation by the audience. When Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) spins the top at the end to determine if he's in the real world, he never actually looks at it, leaving him, and us, to wonder just where he is.

Primal Fear

Edward Norton's character (or characters) in Primal Fear are terrifying and the end, with its nod to Hitchcock's Psycho, leaves the audience with a most uneasy feeling. What did we all just watch and what is real? Those are the questions we are asked and we don't have all the answers.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is one of the most unconventional romances in film history. It asks the question we all ask sometimes, are we destined to be one other person in our lives? The ending doesn't really answer it, but it is clear that two souls can be connected whether we want them to be or not.

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

Sure, it's the "Hollywood" ending to a kinda true story in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. In the end, in classic Western style, our heroes are surrounded with no chance to escape, they choose to go out guns blazing. Of course, in real life, the fate of the real Butch and Sundance has been open to a lot of conjecture. Did they survive? Well, the movie freezes just as they burst out of their hideout, and we never see the final gunfight, so maybe they did. It's part of what makes it one of the best Westerns ever.

Se7en

It doesn't get more disturbing than the end of Se7en. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) is in control the whole time and he proves it with the delivery of "the box," getting exactly what he wants from Mills (Brad Pitt), and the audience is left with that pullback from the camera on the helicopter as we hear radio chatter about what's happened. It's one you just can't stop thinking about for days.

The Shawshank Redemption

The end of The Shawshank Redemption could be subtitled "Red's Last Journey" as he makes his way across the country, and across the border to reunite with Andy on the beach. It's a touching ending to the best movie of the 1990s.

Citizen Kane

Obviously, Citizen Kane is one of the most iconic movies of all time, and the ending is no small part of why people love it so much. The image of the burning sled called "Rosebud" at the end not only answers what Kane (Orson Welles) hinted at in the first scene of the movie, but it leaves the audience to ponder just what life, even one like Kane's, really means in the end.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

For much of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, we don't really see just how important Big Chief is. In the end, though, it's Big Chief who not only sets McMurphy free by suffocating him, but he frees himself of the hospital and all his internal baggage that he's found so hard to let go of. It's a tragically beautiful ending to a wild movie.

The Bridge On The River Kwai

So much of war is futile and no movie expresses that more succinctly than The Bridge On The River Kwai. The whole movie is a battle between the Japanese guards and the Allied prisoners, and it's a battle with nature, and the titular bridge, which, in the end, of course, is blown up. What is the point of it all?

Schindler's List

The raw power of the final scene of Steven Spielberg's masterpiece Schindler's List is undeniable. The black-and-white movie turns to color as the real-life survivors place stones on the real-life grave of Oskar Schindler. It brings even more weight to the cost of the Holocaust than you could possibly expect and it's as powerful a moment as has ever been in any film, ever.

It's A Wonderful Life

The Christmas classic It's A Wonderful Life has become a bit of a trope in recent decades, but you still can't deny how sweet and wonderful the ending is as an angel finally earns his wings.

Margot Robbie is well-acquainted with smashing records at the box office thanks to last summer’s Barbie. However, when it comes to looking back on her leading role in Babylon, she doesn’t understand why people didn’t connect with it. In her words:

Robbie made these comments while on a recent episode of Talking Pictures Podcast. The host told her he had not seen the movie when it came out initially, but when he finally got to it he couldn’t understand the hate around it. Robbie agreed, of course admitting she was biased, but also suggesting that perhaps it will earn its stars in a decade or so.

While talking about this, she mentioned The Shawshank Redemption, which famously flopped in theaters when it came out before becoming well-known as one of the best movies of all time.

Sometimes it’s not the movie itself, it’s the marketing, what else is playing in theaters at the same time and a movie just coming out at the wrong time. Funny enough, Stephen King, who wrote the novella The Shawshank Redemption and is a public fan of Babylon, said he thought it would become a cult classic months after its release, calling it “utterly brilliant, extravagant, over the top, hilarious, thought-provoking.”

Not only does Babylon have an incredible cast, but it also has a captivating story to tell about Hollywood’s transition from silent films to “talkies” in the late 1920s. I know I missed the movie in theaters as well, and stopped myself from watching it for a while due to its 189-minute runtime. However, since watching it, I think about it often. The movie about moviemaking really changed my perspective on Hollywood, even though it made some strange choices.

It’s also one of Margot Robbie’s best movie roles ever. The actress certainly has a point, and she’s not the only one saying it either. Since it hit streaming, tons of people have been praising her Babylon performance, and the film has a passionate following of fans.

So, if you missed it like so many people, you can stream Babylon now with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Jaws

Never bet against Steven Spielberg, especially with John Williams providing what turned out to be an Oscar-winning score! The 1975 thriller Jaws is widely considered to be one movie that's at least as good as its source material. Spielberg cut out a lot of side plots from Peter Benchley's 1974 novel, and the actors really elevated the book's largely unlikeable characters, particularly Robert Shaw as Quint, turning the film into a classic you can watch over and over.

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

There are some pretty big differences between Roald Dahl's 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 1971 classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder (not to mention the 2005 remake and 2023 prequel). That means it's probably a matter of personal preference regarding which is "better," but it's hard to argue with Mel Stuart's musical fantasy.

The Thing

While John W. Campbell Jr.'s 1938 novella Who Goes There? is considered a classic for its deeply developed characters and an alien that's smarter — and therefore possibly scarier — than its movie's equivalent, John Carpenter's The Thing from 1982 is considered one of the best horror movies of all time. Its truly repulsive monster and effective special effects hold up even decades later.

Stand By Me

Lots of Stephen King novels have been adapted for the screen, and not all of those projects have been great. Stand By Me, however, which was adapted from "The Body," from the Different Seasons collection, is considered one of the best movies from the '80s. Some people prefer the movie, if only for the nostalgia kick provided by its phenomenal casting of Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell.

The Ring

Both the Americanized 2002 horror The Ring and Koji Suzuki's 1991 novel are highly acclaimed, but the book simply can't match the movie in terms of the creepy imagery from the cursed video.

Fight Club

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are simply incomparable as a dynamic duo in 1999's Fight Club. Not only is the movie considered one of the best of the '90s, and Chuck Palahniuk — author of the 1996 book of the same name — has spoken positively about David Ficher's film.

The Lord Of The Rings

I don't think anyone's arguing the talents of J. R. R. Tolkien here, and indeed many do prefer the world-building and lore of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings saga. However, other fans argue that the films are more inviting, bringing emotion to the characters and cutting through all of the author's descriptive text.

The Hunger Games

There's no question that Suzanne Collins' The Hunter Games books could stand on their own, but it was thrilling to see those terrifying games portrayed on the big screen. From the worlds built for the youngsters' trials to The Hunger Games' ridiculous outfits, it's no wonder many hold Jennifer Lawrence's movie trilogy in such high regard. To me, it was worth it all to see Katniss' red carpet-worthy "Girl on Fire" dress.

The Shining

The Shining is one of Stephen King's best books, and — thanks in large part to Jack Nicholson's unforgettable turn as Jack Torrance — the horror movie of the same name also remains a time-honored classic. Both will scare the daylights out of you, and there are enough differences between Stanley Kubrick's film and the book that The Shining is totally still worth reading after you've seen the movie.

Requiem For A Dream

Hubert Selby Jr.'s 1978 novel Requiem for a Dream is a good read, but you just can't beat the performances turned in by the cast of Darren Aronofsky's 2000 film. Whether it's the heartbreaking tailspin of Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans' characters into addiction, Ellen Burstyn's obsession with being on television or Christopher McDonald's haunting Tappy Tibbons leading a chant about JUICE, this movie elevates the already-harrowing text into something that you won't be able to shake.

Room

Emma Donoghue's 2010 novel Room is told from the perspective of 5-year-old Jack, which gives a different POV to the story of a mother and her son escaping after years of captivity than the 2015 film adaptation. The book is undoubtedly gripping, but the movie holds its own, earning four Academy Award nominations, including a win for Brie Larson for Best Actress.

The Silence Of The Lambs

It doesn't matter how good Thomas Harris' 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs was — and it was definitely good — the 1991 film adaptation won the Academy Awards' "Big Five," which includes the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Talley). Since its release there have been three more movies and two TV series based on these characters, so I'd say that paints both the film and the novel in a phenomenally successful light.

Mean Girls

It's not really fair to compare 2004's Mean Girls to the source material that inspired it. That's because Tina Fey adapted one of the best high school movies of all time from Rosalind Wiseman's self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes, which is a guide for parents to help their teenage daughters survive in a world of cliques, gossip and boyfriends. While moms of teens (myself included) could probably use all the help we can get, there's no way Queen Bees and Wannabees could stand up to Mean Girls' most quotable lines and pop culture references.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been a staple in schools since it came out in 1960 for its exploration of themes like race and stereotypes. It wouldn't be fair or correct to say that the 1962 film was better, but Gregory Peck and Mary Badham gave performances that earned them Oscar nominations as Atticus and Scout Finch, respectively. Overall the movie won three of the eight awards it was up for (including Best Actor for Peck), which should make it worthy of being considered as good as Lee's novel.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

While many still prefer Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the 1975 movie made Randle Patrick McMurphy's crimes more palatable for the moviegoing audience and ultimately won five of the nine Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Actor for Jack Nicholson and Best Actress for Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratched).

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch, but the movie proved why Hitchcock was the master of suspense, with that infamous shower scene likely inspiring audience members to start double-checking the locks on their bathroom doors. While the 1960 film may be as good (or better than) the book, the same can't be said for 1998's Psycho, which is considered one of the worst remakes in Hollywood history.

The Shawshank Redemption

Adapted from Stephen King's novella from Different Seasons, The Shawshank Redemption was turned into a classic movie that many think surpasses its source material. Frank Darabont's 1994 film adds a lot to the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman) and their decades together in prison. The film garnered seven Oscar nominations but did not win any.

Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton set the stage with his 1990 novel Jurassic Park for how dinosaurs could come to exist in the modern era and Steven Spielberg got hold of the idea and ran with it, creating a world for the big screen that we'd only ever dreamed about. As good as the book is, there was just something about seeing the prehistoric beasts walking amongst the humans with our own eyes, and that idea has since inspired two trilogies and several TV series.

Forrest Gump

A lot was changed in the story of Forrest Gump between the 1986 novel by Winston Groom and the 1994 Robert Zemeckis film, but for many, it was Tom Hanks' heartbreaking portrayal that got us, along with plenty of quotes still being repeated today. The six Academy Awards from 13 nominations also speak to it being a pretty good movie adaptation.

The Hunt For Red October

The 1990 spy thriller The Hunt for Red October cut out quite a few subplots and a lot of technical language from Tom Clancy's best-selling debut novel, making it more approachable for a wider audience. Without the popularity of this movie, would we still live in a world with three dozen Jack Ryan novels, a handful of films and a TV series? Thankfully we don't have to consider the alternative.

The Notebook

Nobody tells an epically sad love story quite like Nicholas Sparks, and that includes his 1996 novel The Notebook. However, seeing Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams' chemistry as they brought Noah and Allie's story to life in the 2004 drama was what really stuck with fans over the years.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is one of the funniest and most quotable movies of the 1980s, and it's considered just as good as its source material, though the two are very different. William Goldman's 1973 novel is highly praised amongst those who have read it, with many fans suggesting that people who have only seen the movie would still enjoy the book.

A Clockwork Orange

Stanley Kubrick's 1971 adaptation of A Clockwork Orange is a fairly loyal interpretation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel, save for a few changes to make Malcolm McDowell's Alex more palatable. Many prefer the film's darker ending, as well, to the more optimistic conclusion Burgess wrote.

Little Women

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women has been adapted twice in recent decades — the 1994 version starring Winona Ryder as Jo March and Greta Gerwig's 2019 film. Because each iteration alters the March sisters' stories to better reflect the societal roles and priorities of a woman in that day, it only makes sense that audiences connect more with the updated material.

The Wizard Of Oz

No matter how classic L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is — and there are plenty who are staunch defenders of the book — there's nothing quite like seeing Dorothy step from her sepia-toned Kansas farmhouse into the fantastic Technicolor world of Oz in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The film adaptation remains a beloved children's movie all these decades later.

Shutter Island

Both the 2003 psychological thriller by Dennis Lehane and Martin Scorsese's 2010 adaptation of Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio are highly regarded by fans, with many choosing to experience both, despite knowing how it ends. The movie stays loyal to the novel and can be considered at least as good, if not better.

The Devil Wears Prada

In Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, her fictionalized account of working for Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is undoubtedly fascinating, but Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly on top of the performances of Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and the rest of the cast elevate the story.

The Godfather

Mario Puzo's 1969 bestseller The Godfather was arguably made even better by Francis Ford Coppola by focusing his film on Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone and his relationship with son Michael (Al Pacino), thereby streamlining the novel's grand story.

A Simple Favor

In the movie adaptation of A Simple Favor, many find Anna Kendrick's Stephanie more likable than the blogger in Darcey Bell's 2017 novel of the same name. To that point, Blake Lively makes her own character Emily feel even more dangerous.

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is considered one of the best sci-fi movies of all time and many think it's even better than its literary counterpart, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? From Harrison Ford's portrayal of android hunter Rick to the book's bleaker ending, this is the rare film that surpasses its source material in many fans' eyes.

City Of God

Fernando Meirelles' celebrated 2002 crime drama City of God expands on the 1997 novel by Paulo Lins in its performances and how it illustrates gang life in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Respect and homage are paid to the people of the region, and the cinematography shows the beauty that exists amidst the tragedy.

Drive

Many fans seem to prefer Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 movie Drive to the 2005 book by James Sallis, crediting the director and Ryan Gosling with further developing the Driver and other themes in Sallis' work.

It goes without saying, but there are major spoilers ahead!

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Over the first 22 MCU movies Tony Stark/Iron Man was the heart of the franchise. Robert Downey Jr.'s character started the whole thing off in the original Iron Man and in a lot of ways, the Infinity Saga (the first three phases of the MCU) should have ended with Avengers: End Game and the death of Tony Stark. We all knew something like this was likely, but it didn't make it any easier when it came.

Thomas J. - My Girl

There is nothing harder in life than children dying long, long before their time. The fact that no one saw it coming in My Girl makes it doubly tough. What seems like a sweet, innocent childhood romance comes to a crashing halt with the death of Macauley Culkin's character Thomas. It's just brutal, but props to Anna Chlumsky who does an amazing job as Vada.

Ricky - Boyz In the Hood

Of all the characters in Boyz In The Hood that you most want to see get out of the cycle of poverty and despair in the movie, Ricky tops the list. You always have the sense that Tre (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is going to make it and you always sense Doughboy (Ice Cube) won't. Ricky (Morris Chestnut) is in the middle and could go either way. That's what makes his death so heartbreaking. He's so close to getting out, but just can't escape the violence.

Mufasa - The Lion King

How much detail do we really need to go into here? Mufasa's death is the catalyst for Simba's growth, but that doesn't make his untimely death any easier to watch. Disney really knows how to tug at the heartstrings, don't they?

Jenny - Forrest Gump

Jenny (Robin Wright) never really treats Forrest (Tom Hanks) all that well in Forrest Gump. Most of the time, she kinda treats him like dirt. In the end, she does come around, and when she does, you feel the pain right along with Forrest. It's even harder than watching his mother (Sally Field) go earlier in the movie.

Marley - Marley And Me

Pets dying. We all know it's coming, yet, we're never fully prepared for it. Not in life, nor on the big screen. Marley's death in Marley In Me is inevitable, but that doesn't make it any easier at all.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

In Frank Darabont's 1999 classic The Green Mile, we know that Michael Clarke Duncan's character John Coffey is locked up for a crime he didn't commit and is facing a punishment not of his own making. Not only do we feel for Coffey for his wrongful conviction, but because Duncan plays the role with such sweet sincerity that we can't help but love the guy. His execution is like our own, it hurts way too much.

Shelby - Steel Magnolias

Julia Robert's first big break came in Steel Magnolias and like all her work, her infectious smile and great attitude endear us to her quickly. Her death, though part of life, is excruciating as a result.

Neil - Dead Poets Society

When someone dies by suicide, especially a teenager, there is an extra level of sorrow and frustration. Such is definitely the case with Neil (Robert Sean Leonard) in Dead Poets Society. It's so unfair for everyone, and you even feel for his domineering father who drove him to it. Robin Williams gives one his best performances in the movie, but it's Leonard's role as Neil that really sticks with you.

Jack Dawson - Titanic

Say what you want about Titanic, love it or hate it, but you can't deny the impact of Jack's death at the end. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in the movie made him one of the biggest stars of all time, and his death takes our breath away every time.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing is one of the best debuts by a director ever. Radio Raheem's death isn't like most of the others on this list because it doesn't just make audiences sad, it makes them mad. It's the anger part of grieving that hits the hardest here.

Guido - Life Is Beautiful

The director, writer, and star of Life Is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni, is wonderful in the movie. He makes us laugh throughout and then, near the end, he crushes our hearts with his death. Like others on this list, we sense the dread from the outset, but when the end comes, it leaves us shattered.

Old Yeller - Old Yeller

There is no one who can stop a tear from rolling down your cheek at the end of Old Yeller when Travis (Tommy Kirk) is faced with doing the inevitable after his dog is infected with rabies. Most of us see the movie as kids and the trauma lives on with us far into adulthood.

Goose - Top Gun

It's not often that a big summer blockbuster hits you as hard in the guy as Top Gun does when Goose (Anthony Edwards) is killed in a training exercise. You see it on Maverick's (Tom Cruise) in the aftermath, but when Goose's widow (Meg Ryan) tells Mav how much Goose loved flying with him, turn on the waterworks and let it all out, because you're going to need to.

Brooks - The Shawshank Redemption

If you know anything about prison movies, you probably know that someone is going to get killed. One of the many things that sets The Shawshank Redemption apart and makes it one of the best movies of the 1990s, is that you don't expect the death you get in it or how it happens. The affable Brooks seems like a good guy, and that makes his suicide in the end just brutal to take in.

Johnny - The Outsiders

Johnny (Ralph Macchio) goes out as a hero in The Outsiders and that's something even he can't believe. It's a brutal moment, as he is in the hospital after the fire when he tells Pony Boy (C. Thomas Howell) to stay golden and it's stuck with audiences forever.

Maximus - Gladiator

Given the circumstances, Maximus' death is as satisfying as it is tragic in Gladiator. Russell Crowe's character's vengeance is what drives the movie and when he finally gets it at the end, there is nothing more left to do in this world. It doesn't make it easy though.

Maggie - Million Dollar Movie

Maggie's (Hillary Swank) death in Million Dollar Baby isn't easy to ever watch. You spend so much time rooting for her, that while her death doesn't feel like a waste, it sure feels like she had so much more left in her. It's not just the injury that leads to her death, but it's her tragic desire to see things through to their natural (or unnatural) end that makes it so hard to watch.

Father - The Road

There is nothing about The Road that is easy to watch. It's not a movie you really ever want to want a second time, despite how fantastic it is. Viggo Mortensen is fantastic as the character simply known as "Father" and his death is really hard to take, because he and his son are the only hope in the movie.

Jack - Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain is a classic love story with a twist that changed cinema forever and even if Jack's denial is in some ways a predictable event in this kind of story, it doesn't make it any easier for audiences.

Dobby - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Dobby may just be a side character in the Harry Potter series, but his death in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is still one of the hardest to take to in the whole franchise. Dobby's innocent nature and good heart quickly made him a fan favorite and watching him die is heart-wrenching.

William Wallace - Braveheart

"Freedom!" Or something like that. Setting aside just how historically inaccurate Braveheart is and looking at it as a stirring movie with some awesome action scenes, it makes William Wallace's death brutal at the end. It crushes Scotland's dreams, sure, but it's also the tragic end of a love story and that's what makes it so heartbreaking.

Brian Piccalo - Brian's Song

James Caan played a lot of tough guys over his brilliant career, but it was the softer side of a tough guy, the real-life Brian Piccalo, whose death haunts us the most. The true story about the tragic life of Piccalo and his wonderful friendship with Gale Sayers, played by Billy Dee Williams, is meant to rip out the audience's hearts, and boy oh boy does it.

Apollo - Rocky IV

Like a few others on this list, if you weren't prepared for it, Apollo Creed's death in Rocky IV is a serious blow. It's not the kind of thing you'd ever expect from a big summer popcorn-chomper of a movie. It brilliantly raises the stakes in the movie and is, in the end, what makes it such an enduring movie, despite being a relic of the Cold War.

Captain Miller - Saving Private Ryan

Audiences really come to love and respect Tom Hanks' Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan and after all he'd been through, and all he'd done, to see him not make it to the end of the movie, or the end of D-Day for that matter, really stings. We hope Ryan made it worth it, and we think he did, aside from the cheesy ending.

Bing Bong - Inside Out

How is it that a cartoon's death can bring anyone to tears? Let alone one that isn't even "real" in the movie? Yet here we are, wiping our faces as Bing Bong sacrifices himself in Inside Out. The power of cinema indeed.

Wolverine - Logan

For decades we watched Wolverine over the entire life of the X-Men franchise. Hugh Jackman's performance was perfect every time, right up until the end when the seemingly immortal anti-hero becomes as mortal as the rest of us at the end of Logan. Deadpool may have celebrated his death, but we don't.

Rosie - JoJo Rabbit

Even the most absurd films, like Jojo Rabbit, can have devastatingly heartbreaking moments in them. Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) dying, despite the movie being about the subject matter it is about, is still a little shocking and very sad. Jojo finding her the way he does makes it even tougher to watch.

Gwen Stacy - Amazing Spider-Man 2

When you watch a superhero movie, you really never expect the hero to suffer any real heartbreak that you aren't ready for. Batman's parents are always going to die, for example, but you know that going in. Spider-man failing to save Gwen (Emma Stone) in Amazing Spider-Man 2 is shocking and completely heartbreaking.

The Iron Giant - The Iron Giant

There is, at least, some respite from the death of the Iron Giant in The Iron Giant - we know in the end that he's going to be okay. That doesn't make the initial moment of his destruction any easier though. Once again cartoons break out hearts.

Bambi's Mother - Bambi

Disney is responsible for some of our favorite cinematic moments as kids. And some of our most traumatic. There is a very good chance that everyone reading this was deeply traumatized by the death of Bambi's mother in Bambi, no matter what age you are now.

Donny - The Big Lebowski

Donnie was a bowler. He also loved to surf, probably. the Steve Buscemi character's death at the end of The Big Lebowski is not what anyone would have ever expected from the shaggy dog story we enjoyed for the previous two hours. It turns out that Donnie really tied the movie together and no one liked seeing him go.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards and currently sitting at #1 on IMDb’s Top 250 Movies (as voted by users), the drama is widely considered to be one of the best movies of the 1990s (if not the best) and some of the most essential reasons why are the powerful performances by its talented ensemble. Let’s take a look back at the Shawshank Redemption cast, who they played in the classic Stephen King movie, and what they have been up to since they were released.

Tim Robbins (Andy Dufresne)

Leading the Shawshank Redemption cast as Andy Dufresne, a banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, is Tim Robbins. Two years later, he received his first Oscar nomination for directing Dead Man Walking and later won for 2003’s Mystic River.

Other notable credits since Shawshank include Arlington Road, the funny spoof movie Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me (as the President), and the classic music movie High Fidelity with friend John Cusack. Robbins more recently returned to the world of Stephen King with a role in Season 2 of the horror anthology TV show, Castle Rock, and revisited themes of isolation as part of the Silo cast for Apple TV+.

Morgan Freeman (Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding)

Playing contraband smuggler and Andy’s friend, “Red,” earned Morgan Freeman his third of five Academy Award nominations. The rest were for 1987’s Street Smart, Best Picture Oscar winner Driving Miss Daisy, 2004’s Million Dollar Baby (which he won), and Invictus in 2010.

Some of his many other acclaimed post-Shawshank performances include playing two iconic Black detectives (Somerset in Se7en and Alex Cross in two films), portraying God in Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty, Lucius Fox in three live-action Batman movies, and narrating the likes of March of the Penguins and Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds (which also starred Robbins) in 2005. Freeman recently starred in director Zach Braff’s A Good Person and is set to star in the upcoming Now You See Me 3, reprising Thaddeus Bradley.

Bob Gunton (Samuel Norton)

The corrupt, sadistic warden of Shawshank is played by Bob Gunton, who starred in an adaptation of King’s Delores Clairborne the following year. Some of his most notable cinematic credits since include 2000’s The Perfect Storm, The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey, and Argo in 2012.

You may recognize him from the small screen for his recurring role on Desperate Housewives, playing Ethan Kanin on 24, and the first season of Daredevil. Gunton more recently filled in for the late Harold Ramis as Egon in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, starred in a new horror movie in 2024 called The Inheritance, and has a couple of other spooky titles in the works called Purgatory Station and Ghostkiller.

William Sadler (Heywood)

Starting with his role in Shawshank as fellow longtime inmate Heywood, William Sadler (whose ad-libbing had major effects on the role) has starred in multiple Stephen King adaptations, most of which were helmed by Frank Darabont. He would portray Klaus Detterick in the 1999 adaptation of The Green Mile, later starred in Darabont’s devastating take on The Mist as Jim in 2007, and plays Constable Parkins Gillespie in the new Salem’s Lot movie, which will be available with a Max subscription on October 3, 2024.

He would also earn Scream King status for flicks like Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and his starring role on Roswell, became part of the MCU as President Ellis in the 2013 Marvel movie Iron Man 3, and also appeared in several made-for-TV Jesse Stone adaptations opposite Tom Selleck. Sadler more recently reprised the Grim Reaper in 2020’s Bill & Ted Face the Music, played Michael Flynn in Showtime’s The Comey Rule that same year, and was in a Max original miniseries called Full Circle in 2023.

Clancy Brown (Byron Hadley)

One of Warden Norton’s most brutal guards is Byron Hadley, played by Clancy Brown, who has played his fair share of villains outside of Shawshank. He was The Kurgan in 1986’s Highlander, voiced Lex Luthor in several animated DC adaptations, was Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok (one of two MCU roles he played), and joined the Dexter: New Blood cast as the main antagonist, Kurt Cadwell.

Modern audiences probably know the actor best, however, as the voice of Mr. Krabs on SongeBob Squarepants. Some of Brown’s most notable recent credits include the Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman, the fourth John Wick movie as The Harbinger, and the fact-based dramedy Dumb Money. He is portraying another comic book villain, Salvatore Maroni, in the upcoming DC TV show, The Penguin.

Gil Bellows (Tommy Williams)

Young, doomed Shawshank prisoner Tommy Williams was one of the first major movie roles for Gil Bellows. He would go on to star in films like 2005’s The Weather Man, the fact-based Parkland in 2013, and the 2019 horror anthology movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

The Canadian actor would become even better known for his small screen work, such as playing Billy Thomas on Ally McBeal, his recurring role on Patriot as Lawrence Lacroix, and earning an Emmy for producing the HBO movie, Temple Grandin, in 2010. Bellows most recently earned stints on hit series Alert: Missing Persons Unit and Chucky.

Mark Rolston (Bogs Diamond)

Another one of Shawshank’s most notorious villainous faces is Bogs Diamond, which is one of the best known roles of Mark Rolston, which is really saying something. He had previously played Private Drake in Aliens and Hans in Lethal Weapon 2, for instance, and went on to work in hit films like Rush Hour, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, and a few installments of the Saw movies.

Some of Rolston’s other most notable credits include cop shows like FX’s The Shield, several voice acting gigs in shows like Young Justice and video games like PlayStation’s Spider-Man franchise, and an episode of the recent Star Wars TV show, Ahsoka, in 2023. Rolston is set to voice James Gordon in the upcoming video game, Batman: Arkham Shadow.

James Whitmore (Brooks Hatlen)

One of Shawshank’s longest-serving inmates, librarian Brooks Hatlen, was played by James Whitmore. The veteran actor had previously earned two Academy Award nominations for this performances in 1949’s Battleground and as Harry S. Truman in 1975’s Give ’em Hell, Harry!

After appearing in the 1997 horror flick, The Relic, he would work with Darabont again when he starred in 2001’s The Majestic but most of his acting work since was appearances on TV shows like The Practice and the short-lived Mister Sterling. He gave his final performance in a 2007 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before he passed away in 2009 at the age of 87.

The Shawshank Redemption is rightfully considered a movie that will effectively inspire you to stay out of jail. However, it also makes prison life look somewhat tolerable if you have people like Andy, Red, or Heywood by your side. Be sure to also check out what other movies like The Shawshank Redemption are available to stream now.

Also topping our list of the 100 best '90s movies, The Shawshank Redemption is the kind of emotionally mesmerizing masterpiece that audiences tend to watch multiple times on end, in spite of its lengthy runtime of two hours and 22 minutes. However, if you are curious to seek other great movies about prison (or, at least, films that feature the same sort of tone and themes as this classic Stephen King movie) on streaming, look no further.

Midnight Express (1978)

Caught trying to smuggle drugs out of Istanbul, American student Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is sentenced to a Turkish prison.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Writer Oliver Stone (whose screenplay won an Oscar) and director Alan Parker's adaptation of Billy Hayes' memoir, Midnight Express is another classic film following a man's struggle to endure a lengthy prison sentence as he plans his escape.

Rent or buy Midnight Express on Amazon.
Buy Midnight Express on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Papillon (1973)

A French criminal (played by Steve McQueen) forms a friendship with a fellow inmate (played by Dustin Hoffman) at a South American penal colony who the joins him in a bid to break out.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: While not quite the hopeful story that Shawshank is, director Franklin J. Schaffner's adaptation of Henri Charrière autobiographical novel, Papillon, is still an engaging prison escape story with two investing protagonists.

Stream Papillon on Tubi.
Rent or buy Papillon on Amazon.
Buy Papillon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

After being moved to a World War II-era concentration camp, Jewish-Italian restaurant server Guido (Roberto Benigni) uses humor and other tricks to keep his young son, Giosué (Giorgio Cantarini) blinded from their treacherous surroundings.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Co-writer and director Benigni gives an Academy Award-winning performance as a dad we would be proud to have in Life is Beautiful, which is one of the most essential films about maintaining your hope when all is lost.

Rent or buy Life is Beautiful on Amazon.
Buy Life is Beautiful on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (2008)

Asa Butterfield stars as a young, naive son of a German commandant (played by David Thewlis) who befriends a Jewish concentration camp prisoner his age (played by Jack Scanlon).

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Based on the novel by John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is another Holocaust drama that, like Shawshank, focuses on a friendship that serves as the one silver lining for the title character.

Stream The Boy in the Striped Pajamas on Amazon Prime.
Buy The Boy in the Striped Pajamas on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Dead Man Walking (1995)

Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon, in an Academy Award-winning performance) offers convicted killer Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) the empathy and guidance he needs while facing death row.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Another essential theme of Shawshank is, obviously, redemption, which is also the main theme of Dead Man Walking — a fact-based drama set mostly in a prison that is written and directed by Tim Robbins.

Stream Dead Man Walking on Pluto TV.
Rent or buy Dead Man Walking on Amazon.
Buy Dead Man Walking on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

Convicted of vandalism, laidback Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) winds up on a Southern chain gang, where he comes at odds with those in charge.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: There are many similarities between Andy Dufresne and the title character of Cool Hand Luke, who becomes an influential figure among his fellow incarcerated community despite the pressures and corruption of the prison authority... and tries to escape multiple times.

Rent or buy Cool Hand Luke on Amazon.
Buy Cool Hand Luke on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Last Castle (2001)

A court-martialed U.S. Army Lieutenant General (played by Robert Redford) leads a revolt against a cruel warden (played by James Gandolfini) at a prison for criminally charged military personnel.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: The corruption that Andy and Red face in Shawshank is relatively tame compared to what Redford's John Irwin and other incarcerated soldiers face in The Last Castle — an underrated drama also starring Mark Ruffalo and Delroy Lindo.

Stream The Last Castle on Amazon Prime.
Buy The Last Castle on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Green Mile (1999)

Disillusioned prison guard Paul Edgecombe (Academy Award winner Tom Hanks) begins to suspect that death row inmate John Coffey (Academy Award nominee Michael Clarke Duncan) is innocent after learning an unbelievable secret about him in the 1930s South.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: The 1999 adaptation of The Green Mile is another Frank Darabont-directed classic based on an insightful and inspirational Stephen King story set at a prison but with a supernatural twist.

Rent or buy The Green Mile on Amazon.
Buy The Green Mile on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

An Atlanta businessman (played by Dan Aykroyd) hires his Black employee (played by Morgan Freeman) as a chauffeur for his stubborn mother (played by Jessica Tandy).

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: While not taking place in a prison, Best Picture Oscar winner Driving Miss Daisy is, like Shawshank, another moving period drama about adversity that traces the long friendship of its two protagonists, and is one of Morgan Freeman's best movies, too

Rent or buy Driving Miss Daisy on Amazon.
Buy Driving Miss Daisy on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Intouchables (2011)

After a paragliding accident leaves him disabled, the wealthy Philippe (François Cluzet) hires ex-convict Driss (Omar Sy) to be his live-in assistant

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Like Shawshank, the acclaimed French-language dramedy, The Intouchables is another moving story about two people brought together by unlikely or unfavorable circumstances and end up bringing out the best in one another.

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Buy The Intouchables on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Into The Wild (2007)

Emile Hirsch stars as a college graduate who decides to leave behind his belongings, hitchhike to Alaska, and live off the land for a while.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: One of Shawshank's most heartbreaking plot developments sees Red, upon release, feel out of place in society, which mirrors' the real-life Chris McCandless' to find solitude in Into the Wild — writer and director Sean Penn's beautiful adaptation of Jon Krakauer's tragic non-fiction book.

Stream Into the Wild on Pluto TV.
Rent or buy Into the Wild on Amazon.
Buy Into the Wild on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006)

Will Smith stars alongside his real-life child, Jaden Smith, as a single father and son struggling with homelessness in 1980s San Francisco.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Chris Bridges certainly felt imprisoned by poverty during the time of his life that inspired one of Will Smith's best movies, The Pursuit of Happyness, which is one of the most inspirational movies about not letting go of hope from its time.

Rent or buy The Pursuit of Happyness on Amazon.
Buy The Pursuit of Happyness on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Stand By Me (1986)

Four friends (played by Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Cory Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell) search for the corpse of a missing boy.

Why it is a great movie to check out if you are a fan of The Shawshank Redemption: Another great non-horror Stephen King movie is Stand By Me, Rob Reiner's adaptation of the novella, "The Body," which is a wonderful and often dark period piece with strong themes of friendship.

Stream Stand By Me on Netflix.
Rent or buy Stand By Me on Amazon.
Buy Stand By Me On Blu-ray on Amazon.

If you're a fan of The Shawshank Redemption, we certainly hope you'll enjoy these movies as well.

The Green Mile

If there is an even worse place to be than regular prison, it's death row. It's even worse if you were to find yourself on death row in Louisiana in the 1930s. That's where our story takes place in The Green Mile and while Tom Hanks' character is somewhat kind, the rest of the guards are a nightmare and the experience looks miserable. Death might be a relief.

The Last Castle

Military prison is no joke, especially when the warden is one like the one James Gandolfini plays in The Last Castle. The movie plays out like a lot of prison movies, in the vein of Cool Hand Luke. One prisoner, unhappy with the unfair treatment of the warden and the guards takes them all on in a battle of wills.

Escape From Alcatraz

Escape From Alcatraz is an all-time classic and a fun adventure movie. It's not fun to see what life was really like on "The Rock." Watching this movie it's easy to understand why people were desperate to escape the "escape-proof" prison.

Cool Hand Luke

A failure to communicate is not why Luke (Paul Newman) was the way he was in Cool Hand Luke. A mere existence on a chain gang in a prison work camp seems like it would be just the worst thing to ever go through. At least you get all the eggs you can eat though.

The Longest Yard

On its surface, The Longest Yard makes light of life in prison. They get to play football and make jokes all day. Dig a little deeper and think a little more and you realize that the only relief from the stress and the boredom of prison is the take desperate measures on the football field. No thanks.

Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking, starring Sean Penn as a condemned man on death row is a really hard movie to watch. There is nothing scarier than being in a situation where you know you're going to die and little can be done to save yourself. Instead, you can only hope to take solace in your death by meeting with a spiritual advisor and hope the afterlife is better than where you are.

The Great Escape

Okay, okay, this really is a fun adventure movie, for the most part. Still, there are some dark moments in The Great Escape like Archie Ives (Angus Lennie) cracking and in a move of desperation trying to scale the fence only to be cut down by the guards. As fun, as this movie is, it's still prison.

In The Name Of The Father

The only thing worse than getting locked up for committing a crime is getting locked up as an innocent man. In the classic In The Name Of The Father, that's exactly what happens to a man and his father, played by Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite, respectively. They spend years in prison fighting for their freedom, which eventually comes, but too late for the father. 

The Bridge On The River Kwai

World War II prison camps in the Pacific Theater were no joke. In one of the best movies of all-time, The Bridge On The River Kwai, the brutality of life in the camp is on display for the full run-time of the movie. It's impossible to understand how those soldiers kept their dignity like they did. 

The Shawshank Redeption

In one of, if not the best movie of the '90s, two men face life sentences in a brutal prison in Maine in The Shawshank Redemption. The fact that Andy (Tim Robbins) is an innocent man wrongly sent to jail makes it even more brutal. Still, this is the kind of movie where humanity shines through, it's just not how anyone would every choose to experience it. 

Bronson

Bronson is a wild movie, about a wild guy dubbed "Great Britain's most dangerous prisoner." Tom Hardy plays the titular character, who is based on a real criminal, and one look at how he acts with those around him and you'll know you never want to deal with anyone like him. The best way to avoid that is to stay out of jail! 

Brokedown Palace

Smuggling illicit items into a foreign country is about the worst idea, ever. Starring Claire Danes as Alice Marano and Kate Beckinsale as Darlene Davis, Brokedown Palace tells the story of two young women who make one major mistake and pay the price in the worst way in a brutal women's prison in Thailand.

Escape From New York

Not every prison has walls guards, or even cells. Some, it turns out are just the burnt-out remains of one of the great cities of the world, New York City. In Escape from New York, Snake (Kurt Russell) must navigate an apocalyptic landscape in a chaotic, free-for-all prison on what was once the island of Manhattan. No thanks.

Midnight Express

"Have you ever been in a Turkish prison" is the question Captain Over asks a kid in the spoof movie Airplane! Lost on a modern audience is that the joke is in reference to a movie from 1978 called Midnight Express. It was a phenomenon at the time and really set the bar for just how scary and awful prison can be, 

25th Hour

Even though 25th Hour doesn't actually take place in a prison, it's almost worse. Edward Norton plays a convicted man headed to prison, navigating how to prepare. Sometimes the anticipation can be the worst part and there is no better example than this fantastic movie directed by Spike Lee. 

Con Air

Once again, we're talking about a movie that while it's a ton of fun on the surface, it doesn't take much to look under the hood and see how terrifying the people in prison are. Just two of the passengers on Con Air, Cyrus the Virus (John Malkovich) and Garland Green (Steve Buscemi) are enough to convince anyone that prison is a bad place to be. 

No Escape

Set in the year 2022, the 1994 movie No Escape is completely over-the-top. Similar to Escape from New York, it's about a penal colony on a island, but this time it's no city, just jungle. And there is no escape, if you believe the title. It seems like about the worst place to do time. 

The Hurricane

Yet another tragic tale of an innocent man rotting away in prison for decades trying to get someone, anyone, in the justice system to believe him. Ruben Carter was railroaded into a murder conviction in the 1970s and spent years trying to get out. Hurricane tells his story brilliantly, and the good news is that eventually he did get out and declared innocent. 

The Dark Knight Rises

There is an old saying about throwing the worst criminals down the deepest, darkest hole in the earth. In The Dark Knight Rises that's exactly where some of the worst of the worst end up, including both Bane and Batman at different times. Only a few have ever escaped, like Talia al Ghul (Joey King) and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale)

12 Monkeys

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between prison and a mental facility. Especially in a dystopian future like the one in 12 Monkeys. In fact, the movie makes the latter look way worse than a simple prison. Either way, you hope to not end up in either one. 

Sleepers

Sadistic guards in movies have long been one of the reasons it's clear you don't end up in jail, even - or maybe especially - as a juvenile. Kevin Bacon's character in Sleepers is so evil, so sadistic, that even when the worst happens to him later, you can't help but cheer. And say a little prayer that you never had to go through what the kids in that movie went through. 

Deadpool 2

Even in a fun superhero movie like Deadpool 2, you don't want to end up in prison like Wade (Ryan Reynolds) does. Not only do they block his power and allow the cancer to return, he can't be protected from Cable (Josh Brolin)

The Power of One

One of Morgan Freeman's most underrated movies has to be The Power of One. Ultimately it's an inspiring story, but it's not without the cautionary tale of avoiding prison, something his character sadly cannot do in apartheid South Africa. 

American History X

If there is one thing to learn about avoiding prison in American History X, it's that you never want to end up like Edward Norton's character. Ever. He is the personification of evil and prison only makes him better at being evil. Not only do want to avoid people like him, you would never want to be in a position to have to be more like him. 

Goodfellas

This one is a little tricky. For one, prison for wise guys doesn't look that bad in Goodfellas. There is steak, lobster, and thinly sliced garlic. On the other hand, life in the witness relocation program, eating egg noodles with ketchup, sounds like a miserable existence, so its best to just avoid the whole situation and stay on the straight and narrow. 

Papillion (2017)

2017's Papillon is a remake of a movie from 1973 starring Steve McQueen about a condemned man sent to the notorious Devil's Island prison from France. Both movies are great, so it's hard to pick one over the other. Both will scare the pants off you and ensure you'll do anything to avoid something like that. 

Stir Crazy

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor can make anything fun and that includes prison. So while Stir Crazy is of the few movies on this list that audiences laugh through, it still doesn't sell anyone on the idea that prison is the place to be. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

The Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford Prison Experiment isn't the best movie on the list, nor is it about an actual prison, but anyone who knows anything about the real experience this film is fictionalizing knows just how awful things got. The experiment was to show what happens when regular people are put under the stress of being prisoners and guards in a prison-like situation. The results may make you lose all faith in humanity. 

Starred Up

Violence is everywhere in prison and Starred Up makes sure that audiences feel all of it viscerally. It's not an easy movie to watch, and it makes you wonder how anyone could survive inside with the level of violence possible. It's an underrated movie, but not one you aspire to be like. 

Jailhouse Rock

One of the many low-budget, quick productions that starred Elvis early in his career was the prison movie Jailhouse Rock. While it doesn't seem like the worst prison on earth and there is singing and dancing, it's still a prison. Maybe the real prison would be having to watch this movie over and over in lockdown 23 hours a day. 

Alien 3

Even in the future, prison looks miserable. Maybe even more miserable when you are stuck on a prison planet with nothing but violent criminals and forced to shave your head to avoid lice. And then an alien gets involved. Nope! No, thank you! 

Law Abiding Citizen

Everyone want to root for the antihero and in Law Abiding Citizen, Gerard Butler's character is one that is easy to root for. The time he spends in jail, however, is not something anyone could root for. Just like all the movies on this list. It all just sounds awful. 

The Big Lebowski

One of the things that makes the Coen Brothers' masterpiece The Big Lebowski is how The Dude and other characters learn things along the way and use those new facts and lines later in the movie. It's something you might never notice if you didn't watch the movie over and over and that kind of thing will not stand. Not to mention it has some really classic lines that are endlessly quotable. 

Clueless

As if we'd ever get bored of watching Clueless. There are so many great characters, from Cher (Alicia Silverstone) to Tai (Brittany Murphy) to Mr. Hall (Wallace Shawn), that we could watch over and over just to watch one character each time. 

The Dark Knight

Of all the comic movies that have been released in the 21st Century, there is one performance that will always stand above all the others. Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight ranks among the best roles ever seen on film, superhero movies or otherwise. It's so good that it literally never gets old or stale. There is something to behold every time you watch the movie. 

Die Hard

Watching Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman face off in Die Hard is the main reason the movie will always be rewatchable. Both put in some of the best performances of their careers and even though there have been many Die Hard sequels, none of them quite have the charm and magic that the original has. 

Dirty Dancing

For decades now people have been having the time of their lives watching Dirty Dance on repeat. The music, the dancing, the love story... it brings audiences along for a realistic, yet fantastical story all in one. It's been beloved for years for a reason. 

Dazed And Confused

Dazed And Confused is among the best movies about high school ever made. It's also one of the best movies of the 1990s, though it's set in the '70s. Those aren't the qualities that make it so rewatchable. It's simply the amazing cast and the endless amounts of quotable lines those actors deliver. It's always pleasurable to watch actors like Paker Posey, Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and Matthew McConaughey so early in their careers. 

Back To The Future

There is a level of rewatchability to all three Back To The Future movies, but the first still stands way above the sequels. It's a movie so fun and so well-paced that you never get bored, even if it's the 150th time you've watched it. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Everything Everywhere All at Once has a lot going on. It's a movie worth watching again and again if for no other reason than it's easy to miss stuff the first, or even fifth time you watch it. The concept is so cool and so well executed, and the acting performances are so good, that it's impossible to get bored with the film. 

The Godfather

Though the entry just says The Godfather, this could really count for either Part I or Part II, as both are among the most rewatchable movies ever. There is a reason they both consistently rank among the best movies ever made. The acting performances are amazing, the dialog is incredible, and Francis Ford Coppola's directing is as good as it gets on film. 

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1

Let's be honest, there are quite a few movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that you can watch over and over. There is one that stands above the rest though. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1 has great music and great quotes, which are two things that really make movies forever rewatchable. It's just a really fun movie with some of the most fun characters in the whole universe. 

Legally Blonde

If you want to know how valuable Elle Woods can be, just try to stop watching Legally Blonde when you randomly come across it. It can't be done. It's filled with quotable lines and one of the most charming performances of Reese Witherspoon's stellar career. 

The Princess Bride

From Gen Xers to Zoomers, The Princess Bride has become part of millions of people's childhood. It's a movie that kids and adults can watch over and over, finding different wonderful things about it, depending on your maturity level. No matter how many times you watch, you can always find something new to observe and love about The Princess Bride. 

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Who doesn't love Indiana Jones? The character, played of course by the great Harrison Ford, has become one of the most enduring movie heroes of all time. Well into the 21st Century, Hollywood is coming up with new adventures for the old archeologist. In the end, it all goes back to the beginning though, with the O.G. movie, Raider of the Lost Ark. 

Clue

If you were to ask around the staff of Cinemablend what off-beat comedy is their favorite, there is a decent chance Clue would be the answer you get. If for no other reason, the movie can be - and should be - watched over and over just for Tim Curry's amazing, manic, hilarious performance as The Butler...who butles and creates absolute mayhem. 

The Shawshank Redemption

It's hard for people to believe that The Shawshank Redemption wasn't a big hit in theaters. For whatever reason, it failed to find an audience. That all changed when the movie hit cable TV and became one of the most-watched movies in movie history. It was on TV all the time because people watched it all the time, over and over. 

Jurassic Park

The moment in Jurassic Park when Dr. Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Sattler (Laura Dern) see the dinosaurs for the first time, with John Williams' amazing score swelling in the background is such a great movie moment, that you can watch it over and over and a tear will still come to your eye. Now throw in all the other great parts and you have a seriously rewatchable movie. 

The Lion King

Disney sure knows how to make movies that kids and adults alike can watch over and over. We could really pick almost any of their classic cartoons here, but The Lion King is so good it's been remade into a live-action hit and one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time. All three are eminently rewatchable. 

Mean Girls

You know if a movie gets a remake less than 20 years after it was originally made, especially when that remake is based on a Broadway musical adaptation, it must be a movie you can watch over and over. Fans of Means Girls just can't get enough of the comedy, both on stage and screen. 

The Wolf Of Wall Street

If you're a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, or bad language, The Wolf Of Wall Street is likely a movie you've watched numerous times, right? And why wouldn't you? It's an almost perfect movie. Much of the story is tragic, but the ride to get there is wild. 

9 To 5

Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda are three national treasures. Put them in a movie where they torture their horrible boss played by the late great Dabney Coleman and you've got the recipe for a movie that people will never get bored of, just like 9 to 5.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars fans can watch any of the many movies over and over. All movie fans can watch Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back over and over, however. You don't have to be obsessed with every bit of Star Wars lore to absolutely love Empire. It's the best of the movies and one of the best movies ever made. It's got some of the craziest action scenes, the coolest characters, and the best plot twist of all time, at least according to many. It's simply the best. 

10 Things I Hate About You

When a movie is a hit with teenagers, especially one as popular as 10 Things I Hate About You, you can bet it'll be a rewatchable movie. Throw in some breakout performances by Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Julia Stiles, a plot based on a Shakespeare play, and you've got all the ingredients you need for a massive hit that people will watch again and again. 

Fight Club

The first rule of Fight Club might be don't talk about Fight Club, but no one really follows that rule, and the second rule might as well be, "watch Fight Club over and over and quote it endlessly" because that's what Fight Club really is. Like many of director David Fincher's movies, Fight Club is so well done that you see something new in it every time you watch, just like many of the great movies on this list. 

Titanic

To paraphrase the late, great Jerry Garcia, Titanic is like black licorice. Not everyone likes it, but the people that do like it, really like it. The James Cameron mega-hit isn't for everyone, in fact, it might have as many haters as it does lovers, but those who do love it never get bored with watching the wonderful sets and spectacular effects that the movie is best known for. 

The Matrix

While it's true that the Matrix trilogy had diminishing returns, there is no denying how amazing and groundbreaking the first one was. It still has a hold on popular culture, decades after its initial release. While some fans may not go back to the three sequels, the original is still a favorite for everyone that was red-pilled from the beginning. 

Pretty Woman

As rom-coms go, you can't get more perfect than Pretty Woman. Sure, the plot is a little dated and in some ways problematic, but the performances from the leads, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and the side characters, like Jason Alexander and Hector Elizondo are so good, it allows us to overlook the aging flaws of the movie and watch it again and again with nothing but joy. 

Gladiator

It really doesn't matter how many times you seen Gladiator, you are still going to jump up out of your seat when Maximus (Russell Crowe) reveals himself to Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). it's a moment in cinema history that will stand the test of time and still be a classic centuries from now. 

Jaws

It's no accident that Jaws is on this list. It's considered the first "summer blockbuster" but it's so much more. The characters are so well-developed that you can't help but root for all of them, except the mayor, of course. Sure the shark looks a little dated, but director Steven Spielberg did such an amazing job building the suspense by not seeing the shark, that it's easy to look past the 1970s movie magic.

The Great Escape

On Christmas in the United States, we watch things like A Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life every year. In the UK, they watch The Great Escape. We'll admit, that's a pretty amazing tradition because despite its nearly three-hour runtime, there is never a dull moment and it proves that longer is often better. The all-star cast and sharp direction keep the movie humming along from the time they are all locked up until they all get locked up again after the escape. 

The Incredibles

The Incredibles was an incredible hit for Pixar in 2004. Just like many Pixar and Disney movies before and after it, it became an indelible part of millions of kids' childhoods and even as they've aged, they still love the Parr family. While it took 16 years, when a sequel was finally made in 2018, it took in a cool $1.2 billion, attesting to just how loved (and watched) the original was and is. 

A League of Their Own

We all know that there is no crying in baseball because we've all seen Tom Hanks say it a million times as we've watched A League of Their Own over and over. All the characters are so unique and memorable that it's like watching an old friend every time it's on. 

Caddyshack

Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Ted Knight are four of the most quotable actors of all time. When you put them all in the same movie, and give them some of the best lines ever written, it's no surprise that Caddyshack is the kind of movie that people watch so often they end up memorizing it. Dangerfield, a king of the one-liner, is especially great in this one. 

Hook & Ladder Company 8 - Ghostbusters

The coolest thing about Hook & Ladder Company 8, located on North Moore Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City is that the firehouse, which is still an active station, has incorporated the Ghostbuster's logo into its crest. The building is not run down at all, as seen in the movie, and at almost any time of day, you'll see fans of the movie taking selfies. 

Quick Stop Groceries - Clerks

Kevin Smith famously made Clerks on a minuscule budget. One way he cut costs was to film overnight in his actual place of employment, the Quick Stop Groceries convenience store in Leonardo, NJ. The store is still in business, all these years later and you can be sure they play up the fact that the movie was filmed there. 

King's Cross Station - The Harry Potter Series

King's Cross Station is one of a few train stations in London, and while it's always been a well-known station, its fame leaped to another level with the Harry Potter series. You see, it's there, on platform 9 3/4, that Harry and the rest of the Hogwarts students catch their train to school. Of course, there isn't really a platform 9 3/4, but there is a photo op for fans at the real station now.  

West 167th Street Stairs - Joker

In the Highbridge neighborhood of The Bronx is an unassuming staircase connecting Shakespeare Ave. and Anderson Ave. There are similar stairs in New York City, but none are as famous as the West 167th Street Stairs, where Joaquin Phoenix famously danced as the titular character in Joker. 

Haystack Rock - The Goonies

The Haystack Rock formation off the coast of Cannon Beach in Oregon has been a famous geological spot for decades. For movie fans, it's immediately recognizable from The Goonies as the beach where the kids emerge after finding One-Eyed Willie's pirate ship. It's been used in other movies as well, like Twilight and Point Break. 

Top Notch Burgers - Dazed & Confused

Dazed & Confused does such an incredible job putting the audience right in the middle of the '70s, it's become one of the most beloved cult classics of all time. One major reason it just oozes 1970s teen car culture is the Top Notch Burgers that the characters cruise through. It's a real restaurant in Austin, Texas, where the movie was set and filmed. 

Fox Plaza - Die Hard

2121 Avenue of the Stars, which is most well known by its former name, Fox Plaza, is most famous for being the building where Hans Gruber and his band of merry men commit their robbery in Die Hard. The building, in Los Angeles, was brand new when it was used for the movie in 1988. Eagle-eyed viewers might also recognize it as one of the collapsing buildings at the end of Fight Club. 

South Seas Apartment Complex - The Karate Kid

The South Seas Apartment Complex in The Karate Kid is a pretty typical apartment building in the LA area. It is a real place, with that name, just like in the movie. It's located in Reseda, but it's actually pretty nice, nothing like it looks in the classic '80s movie.

The Philadelphia Museum Of Art - Rocky

There are a lot of really famous sites to see in Philadelphia. Constitution Hall, The Liberty Bell, Pat's and Geno's cheesesteak stands, and, of course, the steps that lead up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They were made most famous by Sylvester Stallone in Rocky when the titular character runs up them and celebrates at the top as "Gonna Fly Now" plays triumphantly. 

Georgetown Stairs - The Exorcist

The Exorcist is one of the scariest movies ever made and one of the eeriest things about it are the steep steps just outside the MacNeil household. They are used a few times in the movie, and it's good when they appear. The real stairs are located in the same neighborhood of Washington DC, Georgetown, where the movie is set, at Prospect St and 36th St NW. 

Seaside, FL - The Truman Show

The fictional town where The Truman Show takes place is both fictional for the movie, and fictional in the movie, as it's really just a soundstage where the TV show is filmed, unbeknownst to Truman (Jim Carrey). It was filmed in a real town, however. Seaside, FL looks pretty much exactly as it does in the movie and the house where Truman lives in the movie is where Congressman Matt Gaetz grew up. How's that for an odd coincidence? 

Katz's Deli - When Harry Met Sally

Katz's Deli, on Houston St. in Manhattan, has long been one of the most famous delis in New York City, but it reached new heights of fame after the legendary scene in When Harry Met Sally after Sally (Meg Ryan) does her famous performance of her faking it in bed. 

Chippewa Square Bus Stop - Forrest Gump

The Baby Boomer fever-dream hit movie Forrest Gump takes place over decades, but it's all told by Forrest (Tom Hanks) from one location, a bench at the Chippewa Square bus stop in Savannah, Georgia. It's where the character sits chatting with different people as he tells them his life story, which for some reason is like a box of chocolates. 

Fox Theatre, St. Louis - Escape From New York

If you ever wondered what city could stand in for a dystopian New York City that has been turned into an island prison, it was late '70s St. Louis, MO. The movie was filmed all over the city, including the Fox Theater, located on Grand Ave. The theater at the time was in disrepair and in desperate need of a renovation. Thankfully it got one and today is in much better shape than it was in the movie. 

Timberline Lodge - The Shining

It may be one of the most famous locations on this list - Timberline Lodge, which is the hotel that stands in for The Overlook Hotel in The Shining. The lodge, Mt. Hood, WA, is still open today and draws not only skiers and outdoor enthusiasts, but fans of the horror classic. 

Hôtel Sidi Driss - Star Wars

The Hôtel Sidi Driss in Matmata, Tunisia is one of the most unique hotels in the world, and so it's fitting it would serve as a home on a planet way out of this world. Movie audiences will immediately recognize it as the home of Luke Skywalker and his aunt and uncle at the beginning of the first Star Wars movie. If you're a fan, and you're in the neighborhood, the hotel is still open and taking reservations. 

7B Horseshoe Bar- The Godfather Part II

It goes by many different names. 7B and Horseshoe Bar are the two most people call it. It's still open, right at the corner of 7th Street and Ave. B in Manhattan. It's been there for years and has been used in a few film productions, but none more famous than in The Godfather Part II. It's where the botched assassination of Frank Pentangeli took place. 

Ohio State Reformatory - The Shawshank Redemption

One of the best movies of the '90s has to be The Shawshank Redemption. While the film is set in Maine, the home state of the book's author Stephen King, it was filmed in the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. It had closed as a prison just a few years before they filmed it, so that certainly helps bring some authenticity to the movie. 

Bosse Field - A League Of Their Own

With some of the best moments in a baseball movie ever, A League Of Their Own has endured for years. So has the minor league baseball field where it was filmed, Bosse Field in Evansville, IN. Though it's a minor league park, it's still the third oldest baseball stadium in the country, behind Wrigley Field and Fenway Park and it retains all the charm it has in the movie. 

Mountain Lake Lodge - Dirty Dancing

In the 1960s, when Dirty Dancing was set, inclusive vacation spots like the Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia dotted the American countryside. Most have long closed, but the Mountain Lake Lodge has survived and you can still visit and stay there, just like Baby and her family did in the movie. The actual cabin where the Housemans stayed is even available for rent. 

1 Wall Street Court - John Wick

Most of New York City - Manhattan at least - is a grid. But there are a few spots where the grid breaks down and creates odd-shaped blocks, leading to oddly shaped buildings. 1 Wall Street Court is one of those buildings, which makes it the perfect exterior for the mysterious Continental Hotel in the John Wick series where hitmen and criminals can enjoy a drink and a good night's sleep without one eye open looking for enemies. 

The Best Little Chapel - The Hangover

Las Vegas is famous for a lot of reasons, including all the tiny wedding chapels all over town. One famous chapel isn't actually a chapel, though. There are a lot of famous locations in The Hangover, most notably Caesar's Palace (Caesar didn't actually live there). One place you'll have a hard time finding unless you know where to look is The Best Wedding Chapel, as it's really just a youth hostel on Las Vegas Blvd. that was dressed up to look like a wedding chapel. Still, you can see the parking lot and all the hilarious signs behind the location as you quote all your favorite lines from The Hangover.

Matamata, New Zealand - Lord Of The Rings

This is a unique entry on this list as it's now famous for what the Lord of the Rings series did for the town. It's where The Shire was built and much of the set remains today as a tourist attraction for the millions of fans of the movies. It really does feel like you're stepping into the movies. 

Christmas Story House - A Christmas Story

"Ah, there it is. My house, and good old Cleveland Street," is how A Christmas Story begins. The house is almost a character all itself, with the sketchy furnace and the leg lamp, etc... The real house is in the City of Cleveland, but it's at 3159 W 11th St, not on Cleveland St. It's also worth noting that while most of it was filmed in Cleveland, it's set in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana.

The Dakota Building - Rosemary's Baby

The Dakota, at 72nd and Central Park West in New York, is one of the most famous apartment buildings in the world, and one reason for that is that it's the setting for the terrifying Roman Polanski film, Rosemary's Baby. It's the perfect building to set the film, with his is dark neo-gothic architecture and large, lavish apartments. The Dakota is also infamous for being where John Lennon was shot and killed in 1980, while he lived there. 

Forks, WA - Twilight

For fans of the Twilight series, the town of Forks, Washington is the homeland. Both the books and the movies are set in a small town in a remote part of the state west of Seattle. It's now a tourist hot spot, though most of the movie was filmed in locations other than Forks. 

El Coyote - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

El Coyote is a legendary Mexican restaurant in LA that dates back to the 1930s. It's also where Sharon Tate and her friends ate their final meal on August 9th, 1969 before they were murdered by the Manson Family. For his movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino filmed the scene of the friends eating not only in the same restaurant but in the very same booth where they sat all those decades ago. 

Lighthouse Café - La La Land

The Lighthouse Café is a great jazz spot that sits in Hermosa Beach, California near LA. It was the location for one of the most famous scenes that movie critics often call a "love letter to Los Angeles," La La Land. 

Drayton House - Saltburn

The English countryside is filled with amazing, ornate homes that are often used for filming, sometimes they are the location for TV shows, like Downton Abbey, and other times it's for movies like Saltburn. For the latter, the makers of the film used the stately Drayton House in Lowick, Northamptonshire.

Kualoa Ranch - Jurassic Park

Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. It makes sense it would be the setting for quite a few TV shows and movies, including Lost,  Magnum P.I., Pearl Harbor, and maybe the most famous movie filmed there, 1993's Jurassic Park. 

The Tasty - Good Will Hunting

Sadly, this is a location you can no longer visit, as it closed a few years ago. For decades, however, The Tasty Diner in Harvard Square was a late-night favorite for drunk college students from all over Boston. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck made sure it found its way into their movie about Boston, Good Will Hunting. 

Görlitz Department Store - Grand Budapest Hotel

The exterior of the titular Grand Budapest Hotel might have been a model, but the interior and lobby were actually a beautiful - and vacant - department store in Görlitz, Germany. Sadly, while the building is still standing, it is still unused.