Argo and Shawshank Redemption top 'great escapes' list

'Argo' and 'The Shawshank Redemption' have been named the best 'escape' movies.
The Ben Affleck directed thriller - which recently won Best Picture at the Academy Awards - took its place among iconic films such as 'Shawshank' and 'Jurassic Park' in a Virgin Media poll of the most nail-biting movies about characters in peril.
Topping the list, which quizzed 1,000 pollsters, was the Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman starring drama about a lawyer who is wrongfully imprisoned for life.
1963 World War II drama 'The Great Escape' came second on the list, followed by Julia Roberts thriller 'Sleeping with the Enemy'.
Other recent films joining 'Argo' in the list include 2000's animated caper 'Chicken Run' and 2009's debauched bachelor party comedy, 'The Hangover'.
Nick Forward, editor in chief of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: ''Like most Brits, we love tenacious plots and our poll has shown that whether it is a thriller, action movie or animation, real life stories like 'Argo' can be as captivating as any plot conjured up by a scriptwriter.''
The CIA thriller, directed by and starring Ben Affleck, has been the toast of awards season, sweeping the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globe Awards.
'Argo' is available now on Virgin Movies, the on demand movie pay-per-view service from Virgin Media, three days before its DVD release.
The top 10 'escape' movies:
1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. The Great Escape
3. Sleeping with the Enemy
4. Chicken Run
5. Escape from Alcatraz
6. The Hangover
7. Argo
8. Alien
9. Jurassic Park
10. Thelma and Louise