IKIRU Akira Kurosawa’s 20th-century-set masterpiece comprises at least two films. In one, Takashi Shimura’s inert bureaucrat receives a terminal diagnosis and faces the fact he hasn’t really been alive for the past 30 years. In the other, those around him reckon with his final extraordinary burst of spirit. Heart-crushing, clear-eyed, and yes, life-affirming. – Lee Gardner
