Seven Samurai

Dir. Akira Kurosawa (1954).
Rich in detail, vivid in characterization, leisurely in exposition, Kurosawa’s epic is a movie to immerse yourself in like a 19th Century novel. It’s also stolen by Toshiro Mifune, who responds to Kurosawa’s indulgence by splaying himself across the screen—strutting, crowing, capering, crouching, scratching, and cackling with lupine ferocity.

Fridays-Sundays, 11 a.m.; Mon., July 4, 11 a.m. Starts: July 1. Continues through July 3, 2011