By Vlad Zakh · February 3, 2026
Drama thought provokingintense
Takashi Shimura brought quiet, deeply humane presence to Akira Kurosawa’s greatest films and anchored some of Japanese cinema’s most enduring classics. Seven Samurai hires ronin to protect a poor village, Ikiru follows a terminally ill bureaucrat’s last meaningful project, Rashomon gives conflicting accounts of a crime, and Godzilla destroys Tokyo from a nuclear-awakened monster. Stray Dog and Drunken Angel round out the list.
01 The original Godzilla, a radioactive metaphor for the atomic bomb, rises from the sea to destroy Tokyo.
Directed by Ishirō Honda · 1h 36m · Rated NR
4 wins & 2 nominations
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
02 A poor village hires seven masterless samurai to defend it from a band of marauding bandits.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 3h 27m · Rated NR
Nominated for 2 Oscars5 wins & 9 nominations
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
03 A terminally ill bureaucrat dedicates his final months to accomplishing one meaningful act of public good.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 2h 23m · Rated NR
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award6 wins & 2 nominations
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
04 Four witnesses recount the same crime with four completely irreconcilable versions of events.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 1h 28m · Rated NR
Nominated for 1 Oscar9 wins & 5 nominations
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fetch TV · Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fetch TV
05 A young detective's stolen pistol is used in a series of crimes, driving him towards obsession, with Takashi Shimura in the cast.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 2h 02m
Stream: fuboTV, Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
06 An alcoholic doctor tries to save a tubercular gangster from both his illness and his own criminal life.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 1h 38m · Rated NR
Stream: Criterion Channel
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel
Stream: Criterion Channel
Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.
