I’ve been making Someone Else’s Movie for nigh on eight years now, and in all that time no one’s ever wanted to tackle The Shawshank Redemption.
Shocked, I am. One of the most beloved movies of the last thirty years, if the internet is to be believed, and yet it’s taken 424 episodes for someone to pick it.
Fortunately, Amanda Brugel has stepped up. I’ve been trying to land Amanda for almost as long as the show’s been around, but she’s so ridiculously busy that she’s impossible to book — seriously, if there’s a television series shooting, she’s likely to be in it. Pastor Nina in Kim’s Convenience, Rita Blue in The Handmaid’s Tale, Sonia in Workin’ Moms, that’s Amanda. And now she’s starring in Jeremy Lalonde’s new drama Ashgrove (in theaters and on digital in Canada this Friday!), so Jeremy was kind enough to line up a recording window for us.
So here it is, finally: A celebration of Frank Darabont’s quintessential VHS sleeper, a Stephen King adaptation that foregrounds all the author’s earnestness and allows Morgan Freeman to gracefully assume the role of quiet authority he’d be playing for the rest of his career. That Tim Robbins kid? He’s not bad either.
Get busy listening by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your podcasts, or download the episode directly from the web like a caveman or something. And if you’re not sick of the sound of my voice, click on over to the Comedy Above the Pub feed for my latest appearance on that show, catching up with Todd Van Allen about my career transition and a few other things. It’s always nice to check in.
Oh, and of course there are more editions of Shiny Things in the world. Last week I reviewed Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and the new 4K releases of Malcolm X, Saturday Night Fever, Wayne’s World and Planes, Trains & Automobiles — the latter of which turns out to be one of the year’s most invaluable special editions, at least if you’re a John Candy fan. And there were giveaways! Subscribe right here and make sure you’re set up for the next one. There’s some good stuff coming.