Jordan Lowe (AsylumComicsandVideos)

The greatest film ever made. Period. Even clocking in at just under 4 hours, it is perfectly paced. There isn't a single minute that feels extraneous. The cinematography adds an epic beauty and even the sound is mixed in a way to create tension and drama. The acting is equal parts subdued and explosive. Toshiro Mifune is a force of nature at his best here, turning on a dime from harmless clown to sulking wannabe to merciless warrior. Humor and sadness. Victory and defeat. War and peace. Life and death. "The Seven Samurai" embodies it all, unsurpassed as the highest achievement in film history.

The best sci-fi has always been allegorical, using fantasy to say something about our society. And make no mistake, this is the best sci-fi ever put on film. Completely timeless, its take on politics, religion, technology, class structure and human rights are as poignant today as they were in 1968. Add that depth to the terrific makeup and costumes, Charlton Heston at his grizzled, misanthropic best, some of the most quotable lines ever written and a Rod Serling twist... and you get one of my favorite movies of all time.