Tokyo Story (1953)

Tokyo Story is an underrated popular film that even the most famous directors have touted as one of the best films ever. Yasujiro Ozu directed this art-house family drama that follows an elderly couple who are just trying to keep their family together. Their children are city-bound and have no time for them, so how can they resolve it?

Seven Samurai (1954)

Seven Samurai is directed by Akira Kurosawa and is easily on every aspiring filmmaker's must-watch list. A village gathers seven top-level samurai to help protect them against a gang of bandits. In return, they only get rice. The entire story is groundbreaking and the cinematography is Oscar-worthy.