Highest 2 Lowest, 2025 - ★★★½
A worthy variation on the Kurosawa masterpiece. Spike loves New York and the Knicks and Kurosawa as much as I do, and like 25th Hour and Son of Sam and Do the Right Thing -- this is a love letter to the greatest city in the world.
Spike has a lot to say about class and artistic integrity and AI and the future of media, and this story has always been a good venue to say things -- but I'm not sure he has as solid a point to make as Kurosawa.
And -- you could uncharitably read this film as a defense of the gerontocracy (of which Spike is undoubtedly a part), despite the tacky ending. Like - there's no way on earth, Denzel Washington is catching up with ASAP Rocky in a foot race. I don't care how late the train is.
But there are a lot of great set pieces. A lot of love shown to NYC. And its heart is in the right place.