13 Awesome Films You Forgot Were Christmas Movies

2. Ikiru

Arguably Ikira Kurosawa's greatest film and easily his most emotionally resonant, the 1952 drama Ikiru follows a middle-aged man, Kanji (Takashi Shimura), who is diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and has less than a year left to live. In those 12-ish months, he attempts to come to terms with his premature end and do something worthwhile. After trying to drown his sorrows in Tokyo's nightlife, he defers to a fun-loving female co-worker, whose love for life comes to inform his own attitude for his remaining time on Earth.

Before he dies, Kanj is able to make a difference, by transforming a desolate, run-down cesspool into a playground. The film's final scene is one of the most iconic and memorable in film history, a haunting shot of Kanji sitting on the swing in the playground he helped build as snow falls, clearly content with his life, apparently moments before it comes to an end.

Again, it's a downcast film for much of its run-time, but resolves with a deeply heartfelt, even heart-warming message about trying to make a difference while you still can. And there's snow and stuff, yeah...