10 Essential Movies Christopher Nolan Demands You See

7. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Many film directors tend to revere cinema history's truly great filmmakers, and Nagisa Oshima deservedly earned such a reputation as one of the greats throughout the 60s and 70s, crafting movies which challenged cultural and social conventions both in his native Japan and elsewhere. His most famous film outside Japan, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, is certainly one of his more accessible productions, centering around the experiences of Japanese prisoners of war and the relationships which develop with their captors. It also features an early performance from Takeshi "Beat" Kitano, who would go on to be a notable Japanese filmmaker in his own right. Nolan said of the film, "Few films have been able to capture David Bowie's charisma, but Oshima's wartime drama seems tailor-made for his talents. Tom Conti has rarely been such a sympathetic guide for the audience's emotions." Ryuchi Sakamoto's wonderful score adds to this emotional depth.