IKIRU

There was a blog question about your favorite movie on one of the blogs I read. The forst one that came to mind was Ikiru. It's Akira Kurasawa's take on It's A Wonderful Life. The movie opens with Ikiru, a mid level bureacrat in postwar Japan learning that he's got a fatal illness. He does what many people would do in that situation, he drinks, he parties, he tries to reconcile with his grown son.

... And, ultimately he finds a purpose. I don't want to tell you more. I don't want to ruin it. Go buy it, you'll love it.