Time in Prison
Or, "Life in The Big House". The prison film has proved to be a popular subject for cinema and many superb titles are represented in this canon of work. Here the human spirit is often shown to thrive in what are generally hostile and oppressive settings. There are the tales of the 'wrongly accused man' protesting his innocence, the 'race against time' thrillers to save the condemned from execution, and the 'prison as hell' where your worst nightmares have come true. There are also the comedies where the familiar prison 'cliches' are parodied, and the science-fiction variants that show the possible shape of things to come...
Now, go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
Pictured: Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in "The Shawshank Redemption".
The Experiment (2001)
7.7/10
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Moritz Bleibtreu, Maren Eggert, Christian Berkel
Aka "Das Experiment". An undercover reporter signs up to be a paid volunteer in a two-week scientific research project designed to test the psychologi... Read more
The Green Mile (1999)
8.5/10
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Bonnie Hunt, David Morse, Graham Greene, Harry Dean Stanton, James Cromwell, Pat...
This superlative adaptation of Stephen King's novel is from the writer and director of 'The Shawshank Redemption', Frank Darabont. Tom Hanks is the he... Read more
The Green Mile ( Blu-ray ) (1999)
8.5/10
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Bonnie Hunt, David Morse, Graham Greene, Harry Dean Stanton, James Cromwell, Pat...
This superlative adaptation of Stephen King's novel is from the writer and director of 'The Shawshank Redemption', Frank Darabont. Tom Hanks is the he... Read more
The Hard Word (2002)
6/10
Director: Scott Roberts
Starring: Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Joel Edgerton
Three fraternal bank robbers languishing in jail, discover a profitable (if not dodgy) way to spend their time. Crime can most certainly pay, if you "... Read more
The Hurricane (1999)
7.6/10
Director: Norman Jewison
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Hannah, Liev Schreiber, Deborah Kara Unger
He was the man who inspired songwriters, actors and everyday people to march on the streets of the US for justice and freedom. His name is Rubin "Hurr... Read more
The Last Castle (2001)
6.9/10
Director: Rod Lurie
Starring: Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Delroy Lindo
This powerhouse suspense/drama tells of a charismatic army general (Robert Redford) who is sent to a military prison for disobeying orders. Once there... Read more
The Last Man Hanged (1992)
6.5/10
Director: Lewis Fitz-Gerald
Starring: Colin Friels, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Angie Milliken
This dramatized documentary features Colin Friels as Ronald Ryan, the last man to be hanged in Australia, in 1967. A gambler who turned to crime to s... Read more
The Life of David Gale (2003)
7.6/10
Director: Alan Parker
Starring: Gabriel Mann, Kate Winslet, Kevin Spacey, Laura Linney, Matt Craven
In this gripping drama, Kevin Spacey is a former philosophy professor and death penalty opponent who finds himself on death row for killing associate... Read more
The Longest Yard (1974)
7.1/10
Director: Robert Aldrich
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, Mike Conrad
A.k.a. 'The Mean Machine'. In this hilarious, rough-and -tumble comedy Burt Reynolds is a former American football pro who winds up behind bars after... Read more
The Road to Guantanamo (2006)
7.5/10
Director: Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Farhad Harun, Waqar Saddiqui, Afran Usman, Shahid Iqbal, Sher Khan
A searing dramatisation of the real-life experiences of three men who set off from Tipton, England, for a wedding in Pakistan in September of 2001. O... Read more