Inside Man (2006)

Spike Lee goes as mainstream (mostly, kind of) in the off-kilter bank-robbery crime drama Inside Man (2006) that dares be honest about all that pent-up hostility we Americans of every stripe, color, language, religion, and tax bracket bury deep. The shit we don’t admit to. Post 9/11. It’s sizzling, like a James Ellroy book on screen, popping with glorious visuals, thank you cameraman Matthew Libatique (“Black Swan”) and music men Terence Blanchard and A.R. Rahman (well before “Slumdog Millionaire”). It’s NYC and Clive Owen has led a group of thieves into a high-end bank to rob it, holding hostages, while NYC dicks Denzel Washington and Chiwetel Ejiofor investigate and keep their careers; see, Denzel’s cop’s nose maybe is unclean. Or maybe it is. The more I watch “Inside,” the more I grove to its trickery and its commentary on America right now. Near 9 years on, it crackles fresh. It is as much a movie within a movie as “The Game.” And who exactly is the title character. Is it even a man? Hello, Jodie Foster. A

2 Guns (2013)

“2 Guns” has Denzel Washington doing that cool swagger that he does and Mark Whalberg pelting out words like a machine gun, with Edward James Olmos and Bill Paxton as villains, one quiet and the other all show and tell. The quartet sell “Guns” well, because its plot is a mess that blows itself apart -– with a literal bang -- when our antiheroes storm a Navy base and firebomb an office building, and the act is never mentioned again. Post-9/11 that gag falls flat dead, no matter who’s selling. Washington and Wahlberg play undercover agents (DEA and Naval Intel) who are unaware of each other’s identity as they try to nab a drug lord (Olmos). When the duo pulls off a questionable bank robbery to take EJO’s $3 million fortune, they wind up taking $43 million. Why? Just because. Thusly, all hell (with Paxton as Satan) breaks loose. I like an overblown buddy flick, but “Guns” has its leads brag, “Bet you didn’t see that coming!,” on repeat before doing something I did see coming, because I saw “Lethal Weapon” and “ButchCassidy.” Two guns? Give us two new ideas. B-

Flight (2012)

Catch the trailer for “Flight”? Denzel Washington plays a pilot who miraculously guides a crippled plane to a crash landing -– upside down –- and becomes a hero? “Flight” is no more about flights gone bad than was “Dark Knight Rises.” Planes crash within the first few minutes. The rest of this unsparing drama -- a welcome return to live-action by director Robert Zemeckis -– follows Washington’s “Whip” Whitaker as decades of alcohol and drug abuse finally come to light. “Flight” dares pose a question that only the viewer can answer: If Whitaker’s debauchery led him to be able to bring that plane in safely and calmly, what does that say about heroism? Or so-called miracles? Whitaker is pitiful, shockingly careless, and self-centered, and yet impossible to hate. The way he stands in a room, near others … I know about alcoholism, and Washington nails every twitch. The climax feels wrong as we’re whisked away from Whip just as he is forced to go nine days sober, but it’s a tiny complaint. Zemeckis, lost too long with CGI Santas, has made a towering film, where a miniature bottle of vodka can own a man and his soul. A-

Safe House (2012)

“Safe House” is another corrupt CIA thriller that plays with the Hollywood rule that if a hotshot star (Ryan Reynolds) is the young hero and a middle-aged actor (Brendan Gleeson) of Oscar-winning fare plays the mentor/father figure, then the former must pop a lot of James Bond stunt work as the latter plays cool and adds another villain to his resume. Seen “Recruit”? This is it, again. Spoiler? No. “Safe” takes no chances and delivers just as many thrills, its script also Xeroxing “Training Day.” How so? Denzel Washington is back in bad-ass mode as Tobin Frost, a rogue CIA agent who lands under the care of Reynold’s Boy Scout as they lock horns while fleeing across South Africa from countless assassins. Along the way Frost schools Reynolds’ agent about the grim life working for Langley. Washington brings grace Frost barely deserves, while Reynolds gets his grit on as a guy who can take car crashes, beatings, stabbings, and a broken heart all in stride and still outsmart all his bosses. The character is so magical he could send Gleeson’s Mad-Eye Moody’s fake eye rollin’. C-

The Iron Lady (2011)

In “The Iron Lady,” a biopic about Britain’s MP Margaret Thatcher, Meryl Streep embodies the loved/hated prime minister with a voice and movements that are amazing to witness. The actress is more than a worthy Oscar winner here, for she is Atlas, hoisting a terrible film upon her shoulders. Director Phyllida Lloyd and writer Abi Morgan dedicate heaps of time to an Alzheimer’s-stricken Thatcher as she talks to her dead husband (Jim Broadbent), who mucks about as if Peter Pan. The undeniably fascinating life of Thatcher, from World War II-era teenager to leader of a superpower, is all rushed flashbacks, snippets with bold-font headlines, half-explanations, and historical characters that run by. The dementia scenes turn into a bad “Ghost” rehash as onscreen Thatcher literally packs a suitcase for dead hubby so he can go off into the light. What utter nonsense. Streep, thankfully, makes every scene she is in shine, from Parliament debates to her vicious and regretted attack of a second-in-command, to the sad elderly years. Nostalgic conservatives will cheer the speeches, cruel liberals will mock the woman chasing her ghost husband because he’s shoeless. B-

Unstoppable (2010)

“Unstoppable” describes the runaway freight train, stacked with toxins and untold gallons of fuel, at the heart of this nail-bitter thriller from Tony “Top Gun” Scott. It is wildly entertaining, flat out fun, and focuses on regular guys. Men you would find at the diner at 5 a.m., wolfing down breakfast before work. The two leads are Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. For once, Scott’s roving, bouncing camera serves a purpose as the out-of-control train barrels down rail tracks, smashing through horse trailers and the egos of the know-it-all execs at the freight company. Enter Washington’s engineer, thisclose to forced retirement, and Pine, a young conductor out on his – naturally – maiden voyage. Washington reels in his charisma, yet owns the film. Pine still plays the smart ass hero card he did in 2009’s “Star Trek” reboot. Wildly smart editing, a sound design to die for, and spot-on special effects keep this film on track. I hated the constant Fox News corporate synergy, but I’d gladly take this ride again. B+

Book of Eli (2010)

Stop if you’ve heard this one before: A man walks silently through the remainder of an apocalyptic future landscape. Yes, “The Book of Eli” again goes where many films -- from “Mad Max” to “The Road” -- have gone before, but it jumps from the pack with an interesting – albeit failed – take on the double-edged sword of religion, particularly Christianity. Props for trying, anyway. Eli (Denzel Washington) has wondered like Moses for decades, carrying a book that was given to him by God. (Hint: It ain’t “The DaVinci Code.”) When the despot mayor (Gary Oldman) of a hellish town learns of Eli’s hidden treasure, it’s all out hunt and grab. The man knows religion is a deadlier weapon than all the guns and bombs ever made. The Hughes Brothers directed several great films – “Menace II Society” and “From Hell” – and they tackle big themes here. But they repeatedly break the 8th Commandment, with “Children of Men” being fleeced the most. The overblown video game violence and a miscast Mila Kunis (a great actress, especially in “Black Swan”) as a bad-ass tough companion also nuke the subtle, dark humor and genuine surprises. C+

P.S. The "+" is for a short, LOL riotous spoof of “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," starring two of Harry Potter's adult pals.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is a remake of a remake of a film from a well-known book. Nothing new expected going in. And that's OK. Cause, forget the plot mechanics of a NYC subway car commanded by bad guys looking for $$$. This film exists for one reason -- so director Tony Scott can pit John Travolta (cat on the ceiling villain) against Denzel Washington (cool under fire Every Man) against each other, first over radios, then face-to-face. And this trick pays off. "Pelham" skates around the clichés that doom most action pics -- the blowhard cops, the pretentious reporter, the politico out for himself, and other useless crap filler. Most, not all. We’re still talking chasing cabs by foot, crashes, conspiracies and guns blazing. Scott again directs with a roving camera hooked to a jack hammer, and spends way too long cutting from the main drama to the over-excited delivery of the loot, but the real bang for my Netflix fee came from the Travolta-Washington rat-a-tat-tat banter. B

Glory (1989)

"Glory" was a longtime favorite film, top five. It's dropped down the list quite a bit since I saw it in a theater in 1989, being absolutely blown away by the film's story of the first black Union regiment in the Civil War. And I still am blown away, in absolute awe of the relentless depictions of battle, and the camp scenes, and the drama of an America going through self-inflicted, suicidal hell (and we think we have it rough now, oh, what bad memories we have) to regain part of its soul. Or maybe get a new one, depending on how you see history. Maybe the latter, more, to me.

Matthew Broderick put away his Ferris to play Robert Shaw, the young colonel tasked with leading the 54th Mass. Among his charges are Morgan Freeman as a grave digger turned spiritual guru, Andre Braugher as free man and childhood friend of Shaw's, and -- in a breakout role -- Denzel Washington as an escaped slave righteously and rightfully angry at the world.

The battle scenes are gritty, dirty and seem realistic (having participated in Civil War re-enactments myself) and the story, again, is amazing. Director Edward Zwick ("Legends of the Fall") lays on the pomp and the heroism thick, but this still is a great, great film. The cinematography by Freddie Francis still amazes 20 years later. Some hate Broderick in the lead, but I think he's perfect. Broderick is a light dramatic actor (excellent comedian), and he plays a man out of his league here who must rise to the occasion and the sheer aura of those around him. At film's end, Broderick does that. A

American Gangster (2007)

"American Gangster," the second film to pit Denzel Washington against Russell Crowe, improves with each viewing, although this crime drama never reaches the pinnacle level of "The French Connection" or even "Heat."

In the utterly bad 1995 thriller "Virtuosity," Crowe played a villain against Washington's unorthodox cop hero. Here, Crowe is unorthodox cop Richie Roberts, a Boy Scout on the job but a miserable louse at home, tasked with bringing down Harlem crime lord Frank Lucas (Washington). My first viewing left me under-whelmed as I expected and wanted a gritty, clockwork crime thriller. But this film, directed by Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") and written by Steven Zailian ("Schindler's List"), is more interested in the character and inner-workings of these opposing forces, not just the crime beat.

Crowe once more disappears into a role as the tough but fair police officer so honest he once turned in $1 million after a bust. He's also a bit of nerd, fumbling into a sweaty heap at the thought of speaking before an audience. Ironically, Lucas is a family man who remains loyal to his mother (Ruby Dee) and wife (Lymari Nadal). You marvel at the great heights Lucas could have reached had he been on the right side of the law. But in late 60s/early 70s, such hands were not dealt to American blacks.

I didn't like Washington's performance the first time I saw this, but was instantly won over this time. What I took for lazy arrogance in Washington's acting has turned into admiration for a fine performance of a man completely at ease with murder, selling of drugs and going to church on Sunday. Lucas' eyes, though, open as an army of corrupt NYC cops lays waste to his mansion, looking for money, and his momma slaps him in the face for the vengeance he'll seek. It's telling of Dee's power as an actress in her 80s that she can take a film from the hands of Washington and Crowe, but she does so.

Scott, as with Michael Mann, here becomes a master of detail, and his dramatization of the inner-workings of police and criminals is fascinating although the film wastes too much time on family court sideshows and making Lucas' family out to be Southern hillbillies gawking at big ol' New York. Best shocker: Cuba Gooding Jr. finally lands a meaty part in a highbrow film after years of miserable features so bad they now line the discount DVD bins at Wal-Mart. Let's hope he keeps up this path. A-