Fantastic opening but got somewhat boring for the last third. Nice cinematography and image composition. Very good central performance.

"How tragic that man can never realize how beautiful life is until he is face to face with death." So after I watched the masterpiece "Seven Samurai" back in April, I couldn't wait to watch another Kurosawa movie. "Ikiru" was one of his movies that I wanted to watch next after hearing so much recommendation for it from The Criterion Collection selection. And the fact that this has been on my watch-list for quite awhile. Actually, it's been on there for over three years now and I finally got myself to watching it. And what can I honestly say about this one. This movie broke me, but surprisingly in the best ways. Ikiru is a miserable and yet powerful film that has a hard hitting message. And to think that this movie was made in the 50's can have a deep impact on you and make you think twice about your life. I have this feeling inside of me that Kurosawa is slowly becoming my favorite director. The camera work, the transmissions and the finest of acting are only naming a few things that's great about this movie. Never as a film that captured depression and people who are diagnose with cancer so damn accurate. Or how relatable it is even today. He really dose live up to be the most influential directors of all time, as he's film making style is seriously impressive beyond any words. As for right now, I only seen two of his films and I'm already in love. Akira Kurosawa is cinema. No question about it. Takashi Shimura delivers such a raw and haunting performance that you just want to reach out and give the guy a hug. It's one of the finest piece of acting I've ever seen. I don't think any other performance broke me down like this guy did. I mean, a scene that involves a man simultaneously reminisces over a favorite song of his, whilst contemplating imminent death in a drunken state of melancholy. The sadness and regret was captured so perfectly just by his face and eyes that tells so much without him saying anything. Even as I'm writing this right now, I see have the image of Shimura sad face is implanted in my head. And to think that about two years later this guy will be in "Seven Samurai", which I didn't know while watching this. That's how good he is. This is one of the most honest look at life anyone has ever portrayed on the screen and it will be long before anyone can do the same. What makes this Akira Kurosawa greatest achievement is by displaying the most poignant images in cinema. Watanabe (Takashi Shimura) swinging slowly in the children’s playground, singing to himself, “Life is so Brief/short" while snow softly falling. And here's something interesting I found out before I started writing this. Akira Kurosawa instruct Shimura to sing "Song of the Gondola," as if you are a stranger in a world where nobody believes you exist. Kurosawa is just a genius and he never stops to make us be so awed at his work. Overall rating: Ikiru is a movie that I think everyone needs to see. To anyone who lived through cancer or got cancer, I know this movie will touch you very deeply. It's depressing and inspirational at the time.

"I can't afford to hate people. I don't have that kind of time" There's a reason why I always stumble upon this film every year. You don't understand that to live you don't really have to walk 1000 miles for motivation but just have to know the truth of your existence. Death. There's no motivation bigger than death. We all have limited time here and we as humans always tend to forget about that. We waste our time on worrying imaginary situations, future that's totally unknown and might be unreal and most importantly, hating people. Envy. Jealousy or simply not caring enough. The moment someone will give you this ultimatum that you are going to die within certain period, you will finally discover life as it is. No one is living here. Every one of us died long time go and never taking those risks to fulfill our soul. We humans are the most coward being on planet. This is not a film but a remainder that death is coming for you. When the death will knock on your door, you will realise how much time you wasted worrying, sulking and being a coward to live a life. This film was supposed to be sad but I didn't cry because i knew it is the ultimate truth and I am ready to accept it. I am ready to live my life on my terms. It doesn't matter you play safe or you waste worrying, the death will come. So, it's better to live a life without any guilt. The protagonist wasted his entire life sitting on a desk which has the power to actually change people's life but he never did. No one did. No one will ever do that. Even today. No one cares about others until and unless you realise you have so much little time here to make a difference. To matter. To exist. To live. Yes, This is the greatest film ever made and even the word "masterpiece" feels unfair to portray such art. The cinematography is very subtle and suffocating. The music is chaotic and the screenplay feels like slow burn and you will never realise when shit went this dark just like life. The dialogues can change your life forever and most importantly, the film itself is a wakeup call. The protagonist got no time but still did so many to make a difference so think about the life we have and the opportunities we can take to make a change. It's never too late. Drink. Dance. Love. Sing. Run. Feel surprised. Feel anxious. Feel free. Feel rebellious. Don't be scared of anything except a life without any meaning. Fear that. That's your greatest fear and when life gets down which it will, close your eyes, take a deep breath and sing this song, "Life is brief. fall in love, maidens before the crimson bloom fades from your lips before the tides of passion cool within you, for those of you who know no tomorrow life is brief fall in love, maidens before the boat drifts away on the waves before the hand resting on your shoulder becomes frail for those who will never be seen here again"

Ikiru is a great movie, I would recommend you watch it. Unfortunately it's also incredibly boring.

Beautiful, devastating, yet hopeful. Shimura's dual performances of "Gondola No Uta" absolutely rip my heart out--first because of the despair, and then because of the magic. This is a film to keep close.