A Few Words about the Best Movie Ever Made

Every time I watch this film, I think that the spell will be broken; that I'll suddenly be terribly bored and unconcerned with the plight of the characters.  Even worse, I secretly fear that somewhere in its three and a half hour running time, I'll nod off and start snoring loudly.  It never happens.  None of that.

I went to Seven Samurai yesterday at the Cinerama and it was fantastic.  It was the first time that I noticed how good the overall pacing is and how there are no unnecessary scenes - only those essential for telling the story.  Sure, it's a long film, but it doesn't seem that way at all.  When you think about how good this film is and think, "Why the hell am I wasting my time watching Birdman or Guardians of the Galaxy?"  The answer is an easy one: because there is only one Seven Samurai, whereas the world is full of lesser films.  You could watch Seven Samurai every day, but that might diminish its impact.  It'll still be the best movie ever made; it'll just be a bit less special.

OK, Kurosawa has his share of masterpieces.  Me, I favor Yojimbo and Sanjuro over Rashomon and Hidden Fortress, but Seven Samurai takes the cake over all of them.  There isn't a film out there that blends a strong story with such wonderful acting and great directorial technique.  The result is the best movie ever made.