Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru" ("To Live")

Legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa has made many superlative films, from "Seven Samurai" to "High and Low" to "Ran". But perhaps the best one may be his 1952 movie "Ikiru" (Japanese for "To Live"), about a lowly bureaucrat who finds out he has a terminal case of cancer. His response to this news leads to a journey that's both personal and examining the social and generational aspects of society, and features a titanic performance in the lead role of longtime Kurosawa collaborator Takashi Shimura, one overflowing with fear, confusion, despair, longing, and resolve. It may be the ultimate cinematic example of examining the meaning and purpose of one human life.

After the movie we'll head to the nearby Coalfire on 3707 N. Southport to talk about how successful the movie was at that aim and how it fits (or doesn't!) with Kurosawa's other movies. Tickets are $14 and you can pick them up in advance at: https://musicboxtheatre.com/order/add-tickets/12797

(NOTE: Unfortunately, there's a Cubs home game at 1:30, so it's highly recommended to take public transportation or a ride-share if possible as parking in the area could get painful to go through).