The Director's Series: Akira Kurosawa, No. 2


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

Rashomon (1950)
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, and Machiko Kyo
Director: Akira Kurosawa
About: This is sometimes billed as the film that introduced America to Japanese cinema. It certainly is one that has gone wider than most, and is one of Kurosawa's most recognized films. And for good reason. It's a simple premise but it's executed beautifully, telling the same story from different perspectives. It's a fascinating tale with some great performances that really sticks with you. I spent some time going through Kurosawa's films, and while I enjoyed them all, this is one that really stuck out to me. It's a masterfully told tale and it's certainly worth checking out.

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