Frank Darabont truly finds himself as a director whenever he adapts anything by Stephen King set in a prison, and The Green Mile - though populist to a fault, perhaps - was his second attempt at doing so (more on the other one later, okay?). Though it's set on death row, The Green Mile is also one of the only films on this list to contain a supernatural element. The story, set at the ominous Cold Mountain Penitentiary, works as something like a mystery; it keeps you guessing. Whilst Tom Hanks is his usual likeable self as Paul Edgecomb, a death row guard, the heart of the movie stems from the late Michael Duncan Clarke, who plays the shy and endearing inmate John Coffey. For most of the picture you're wondering how Coffey could have committed the violent crimes he's supposed to have committed, which keeps you riveted for the film's 189 minute runtime. Darabont is such a pro, and his script and performances are so good, that the time just flies by. Unforgettable, sad and ultimately uplifting, it's not one to miss.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
