Horror writer Stephen King trades supernatural evil for the terrors of abusive convicts and corrupt prison officials, demonstrating his range in the novella on which this film is based. Adapted and directed by Frank Darabont, who also adapted and directed King’s The Green Mile and The Mist, the film is narrated by Red, played with quiet dignity by Morgan Freeman. Red tells the story of bank executive Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who must learn to navigate Maine’s notorious Shawshank Prison after he’s convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Largely ignored at its release, the film is now considered a classic, thanks in part to its heavy rotation on cable television after its initial theatrical run. The film considers what it means to treat others with dignity and to preserve humanity in a world that often overlooks both. — Lisa Elliott

Rated: R