The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Also known as Kakushi-toride no San-akunin.
Akira Kurosawa's films influenced entire generations of filmmakers, and continue to be a driving force in cinema today more than 15 years after his last film (and 10 since his death). The Hidden Fortress is well known to be the inspiration for George Lucas' Star Wars, and on further examination it becomes more and more obvious, but still manages to stand well apart from the sci-fi classic as an fantastically fun adventure of its own. Depicting two greedy, dimwitted peasants as they get recruited by an old samurai general to safeguard a princess, the parallels are easy to see, but that's where the similarities end. From there it's a light, wonderfully entertaining trudge across feudal Japan filled with a good bit of class conflict comedy and a couple of exciting sword fights. The film has aged exceptionally well, being readily accessible and entertaining to a modern audience, even managing to bridge the cultural divide thanks to its broad sense of humor and extremely likable characters. Simply put: this is an popcorn muncher heirloom, and a treasure to anyone seeking to see some of the best of what classic cinema has to offer.

8 out of 10.