the films kojima keeps recommending

pulled from The Creative Gene, his 2019 essay collection (english ed. 2021). he mostly writes about books and shows too but these are the actual films he keeps circling back to.

01
Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
louis malle. miles davis improvised the whole score in one night watching the rough cut, which kojima brings up more than the plot
02
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
his favorite film, full stop. he's described watching it as close to a religious experience
03
Taxi Driver (1976)
says it taught him how to live alongside loneliness instead of trying to fix it. teenage kojima energy, honestly
04
Blade Runner (1982)
the one he says made him who he is. it's in his top ten and you can feel the rooftop finale in more than one of his boss fights
05
Streets of Fire (1984)
walter hill. he uses it to argue that knowing your influences makes you love the tribute more, not less
06
High Fidelity (2000)

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