Ikiru (DVD)

Ikiru was made in 1956 and for me is one of the most relevant films I've ever seen, its timeless and utterly beguiling, it confronts the human condition and twists it until we recognise that life really isn't that bad and we really should appreciate and enjoy the little things more because it will be gone before we know it. Directed by one of the greatest directors of all time, the estimable Akira Kurosawa. Ikiru is a thoughtful film about a Japanese beaurocrat (Takashi Shimura) who discovers he has terminal cancer, he mopes and tries to find some meaning to his life and what he has achieved but can find none and commits the rest of his days to being integral ...  Read the complete review

Synopsis: When a man discovers he has stomach cancer he begins to realize he has been wasting his life. He decides to live his life to the full for his last days, only to understand that instead of spending them time on himself, he should try to give back to others. It is no secret that Kurosawa is my favourite director, i can't always explain why but it boils down to the fact that every film of his i have seen has impressed me in some way - there hasn't been a film yet that has left me indifferent or given me a forgettable experience - the man just knew how to make exciting, beautiful and engrossing films that mostly were fit for all ages and for anybody from ...  Read the complete review

This review was originally written by myself, here: http://fritzlfan.wordpress.com/ This review contains spoilers... Ikiru is about a man who decides to live life to its fullest capacities after he has been diagnosed with cancer of the stomach. A meets a man at a bar and asks him to show him how to live a good life; the man duly obliges. Together they visit gambling parlours, the red lights district and a dancing hall, amongst other locations of enjoyment. However, he soon realises that this is a selfish way to go about his last six months of life, so he attempts to help others by giving them opportunities which they would otherwise not ...  Read the complete review

Ikiru is a Japanese film by Akira Kurosawa a grand prize academy award director. Ikiru means "to live". This is a story of a a man in search for the meaning of life after he learned that he only has six months to live. He wandered in search of something, went to bars and see the night life and realize it wasn't it. He was inspired by a former subordinates example, a woman who found joy in making toys. He turned a mosquito-infested pool into a playground. Takashi Shimura as Kanji Watanabe performed this role in such a heartwarming way. At his wake, his co-workers was wondering what caused his behavior to change drastically towards the end of his life. ...  Read the complete review