It's the sort of thing boring people like to argue over endlessly, as though oblivious to the fact a definitive answer can never be reached - what is the best film ever?

And while we can we still not provide a definitive answer to this question, we can reveal the greatest film of the last 30 years as chosen by people who completed a poll by Showcase Cinemas... which is basically the same thing.

The Shawshank Redemption came out on top, much like falsely imprisoned escapee Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), 'the man who crawled through 500 yards of shit and came out clean at the other end'. No doubt all the Shawshank team will celebrate this latest accolade just as heartily as their seven Academy Award nominations.

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Going down in second was Titanic, while Forrest Gump crossed the line in third place.

The complete top ten is as follows:

1. The Shawshank Redemption

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2. Titanic

3. Forrest Gump

4. Jurassic Park

5. Schindler's List

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6. The Lion King

7. Die Hard

8. Pulp Fiction

9. Independence Day

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10. Gladiator

The poll also asked voters to choose their favourite actors, actresses and franchises from the past three decades, with Tom Hanks adding to his to his third place film with the number one spot in the actors' category. Indeed, it's tough to argue against Hanks, who has proved his versatility throughout his long and glittering career in the business.

Tom Hanks Voted As People's Favourite Actor. Credit: PA

Johnny Depp, who has reportedly been axed from Pirates Of The Caribbean can perk himself up having been chosen by Showcase Cinema poll participantsas the second best actor of the last thirty years. Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman can pop another bottle of champagne after being voted in third place.

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The complete list is as follows:

1. Tom Hanks

2. Johnny Depp

3. Morgan Freeman

4. Leonardo di Caprio

5. Liam Neeson

6. Idris Elba

7. Michael Caine

8. Tom Cruise

9. Samuel L Jackson

10. George Clooney

Unsurprisingly, Dame Judi Dench was voted number one actress - she's a dame dammit, of course she won.

The complete list is as follows:

1. Judi Dench

2. Julia Roberts

3. Meryl Streep

4. Kate Winslet

5. Cameron Diaz

6. Jennifer Lawrence

7. Helena Bonham Carter

8. Angelina Jolie

9. Nicole Kidman

10. Natalie Portman

Harry Potter was also chosen as the number one franchise.



Here's the top ten:

1. Harry Potter

2. Lord of the Rings

3. James Bond

4. Toy Story

5. Star Wars

6. Jason Bourne

7. Pirates of the Caribbean

8. Hunger Games

9. Shrek

10. The Avengers