The story of 13 Assassins is rather simple. A group of samurai in feudal Japan secretly plot to kill a brutal, viscous lord. But the distance between this revelation and its ultimate conclusion is rather vast. In between there are rich, complex characters, stunning action sequences and thoughtful drama – all set to a film whose plot is actually inspired by true events?

In feudal times, a nobleman commits ritual suicide to protest the actions of Naritsugu, the Emperor’s depraved brother, whose barbaric cruelty has dishonoured the throne. The scene is shot with chilling restraint. Only the actor’s expression and the sound of intestines spilling on the soundtrack indicate the bloodletting taking place just outside the frame.

With Naritsugu next in line to succeed the Emperor and impossible to remove from power, hara-kiri is the only conceivable form of protest — unless the heavily guarded tyrant can be eliminated, through what surely would be a suicide mission against his 200 bodyguards. After complex political manoeuvring, the secret assassination plan is drafted and a dozen samurai sign on for a noble death in service to their nation.

The team comes together a few at a time until a dozen patriotic swordsmen are assembled. (The identity of the 13th team member is too good a surprise to spoil.) This men-on-a-mission film is superbly cast, impeccably shot, riveting even in static dialogue scenes, and overwhelming once the blades are unsheathed. The finale, a slashing 40-minute battle royal employing an endless variety of traps, strategies and weapons (including flaming bulls!) is action moviemaking at its most agile, extravagant and incredible. As the aging leader of the samurai squad, Koji Yakusho makes a strong, stalwart impression. For the stout of heart, this is a spectacle that demands to be seen on the big screen.

Filmed with inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai

As time goes by, the appeal of Casablanca shows no sign of diminishing. Originally intended as a WWII propaganda movie, it remains a marvellous blend of bittersweet romance, wisecracking comedy and wartime intrigue. Wonderfully acted by its cast, it’s the story of a laconic nightclub-owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart), whose life in Casablanca is shaken up by the arrival of old flame Elsa (Ingrid Bergman) with her Resistance leader husband.

Despite a famously troubled production (including a conveyor belt of scriptwriters and a failure to secure the likes of Ronald Reagan), the finished film, directed by Michael Curtiz, unfolds with effortless professionalism. Indeed, when re-watching Casablanca, one is reminded how many of its choice lines – “Round up the usual suspects!”, “Here’s looking at you kid” – have entered our collective cultural consciousness, together with the all too-familiar tones of that ‘As Time Goes By’ theme song.

Casablanca’s durability can also be connected to its old-fashioned values: Duty must come before love, and making individual sacrifices for a just cause is a necessity, or as Rick would say, “The problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world”. It’s a work of skilful fantasy, allowing us to imagine that in a similarly perilous situation we too might act, dress and talk like the stoical Bogie and the luminous Bergman. The gaping plot hole – why would the Germans respect letters of transit signed by General de Gaulle? – is largely irrelevant. In fact, by the time the credits roll, you’ll be too misty-eyed to notice.

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