Serkan Silahsor (silahsor)

The Shawshank Redemption R

Among my ten most favorite movies. I must have seen it about five or six times, and I've got more and more enjoyment with each viewing. Undoubtedly, "Shawshank Redemption" is a nonpareil piece of cinema on all counts: impeccable cinematography, brilliant casting, wonderful story-telling and flawless directing. The movie is about life, hope, freedom and friendship. Combining the masterful acting skills of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, Frank Darabont blends empathy with brutal physical and emotional violence to the best possible effects. The chemistry and bond between Robbins and Freeman is unforgettable. I recommend everyone who has not seen this to grab it ASAP. Contrary to the movie, this edition is such a "bare to bones" disc, with nearly no special features. I must say that 3-disc edition is really amazing with superb picture and sound quality with hours of extras which are particularly well made and thoughtful, and considerably enrich the viewing experience.

North by Northwest Unrated

During a span of 51 years, Alfred Hitchcock made 57 feature films, from "The Pleasure Garden (1925)" to "Family Plot (1976)". I've watched nearly one-third of them and should say that "North by Northwest" is the fastest, funniest and most beautiful of his caper/thrillers. Actually, the premise for "North by Northwest" is nothing new: a case of mistaken identity. An "ordinary man" accused of a murder he did not commit, and he must clear his name by assuming different identities. "The 39 Steps", "Young and Innocent", "The Wrong Man" and "Saboteur" were based on a similar theme. But what makes "North by Northwest" so special is its rarity in combining a twisted plot with a dazzling cast, great action, ingenious direction to create a yummy blend of suspense, adventure, deceit and Hitchcockian style of wry humor. If any movie shall be called "true cult classic", it is "North by Northwest". Along with lots of deadly one-liners, the film hosts a bunch of the most memorable scenes in motion picture history: the murder in the lobby of the UN building, Thornhill's witty escape in the auction house, the attack of mysterious crop-duster in the middle of nowhere, all scenes on the train, and the climatic chase atop Mt. Rushmore. Hitchcock proves here again he was master of substitution of the language of the camera for words. Take the crop-duster scene. Without any music or special effects, no other director can afford to create such a claustrophobia on an open space in broad daylight just using natural sounds and complex suspense elements in the rhythm of events and cutting. The film has a strong subtextual ideologic base too. Far ahead of its time in that it captures the political zeitgeist of late 1950s perfectly: moral relativism dominating the Cold War era. Very good epitome of how the State sacrifices the "ordinary man" for secretive causes involving the national interests. Last word: pure, plain and vibrant. Despite 50 years have passed since its making, it is still fresh and highly watchable.