NEW MOVIES: “Highest 2 Lowest.” / “The Thursday Murder Club.”

“Highest 2 Lowest” (2025, Apple TV) crime thriller directed by Spike Lee, an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 Japanese film “High and Low,” itself based on the 1959 novel “King's Ransom” by Ed McBain. The film stars Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright.

       I haven’t seen Mr Kurosawa’s movie or read Mr McBain’s book so I don’t know if this “joint” did those justice, confused them, or I should treat Spike’s 2025 work as an original work, which I did. Was it expected? Praise from critics? Rotten Tomatoes, 87 percent of 197 critics' reviews are positive. These superlatives: “A swaggering thriller that lovingly showcases New York City” and “Spike is wielding a plethora of inspirations—musical, cinematic, and historical—to reunite with an old friend. He is making a Spike Lee joint. And it's exceptional.”

       I beg to disagree though. I didn’t really think the movie deserved those fine words. Sure, Denzel is Denzel (no biggie) + a nice try at rapping? Funny. Jeffrey Wright gets to deliver the funny/corny lines, such as: Denzel, referring to a gun: “What is that?” / Jeffrey: “Insurance. From Jake of State Farm.” But most of the dialogues (or language) are Black cliches. I couldn’t figure out if ASAP Rocky was acting or rapping or just spitting words out in a typical music video. 

       This plot: “When a powerful music mogul is targeted by a ransom plot, he is forced to fight for his family and legacy while jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.” But I got lost in translation somewhere. The message that I got: The more the artist or act or goon is bad, as in locked up in jail, the more that they’d sell. 🎥💻📽

“The Thursday Murder Club” (2025, Netflix) crime comedy, based on the 2020 novel by Richard Osman, and directed by Chris Columbus of “Mrs Doubtfire” and the “Home Alone” franchise fame. Four retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.

       In terms of the clean and tidy laughter genre, Mr Columbus doesn’t lose. That’s proven. But the winner in this movie is the ensemble of A-1 performers, who are mostly known in heavy drama cinema: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie, Jonathan Pryce, and Richard E. Grant. A perfect leisure watch on a lazy weekend! 🎥👍📽

POLITICAL THRILLERS: “The Amateur” (1981 and 2025) / “Official Secrets.” / “Parkland.”

“The Amateur” (1981, Hulu), directed by Charles Jarrott, and  “The Amateur” (2025, Hulu), directed by James Hawes, spy thriller based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell. A CIA cryptographer seeks revenge after his wife is killed in a terrorist attack in London. When the CIA doesn't pursue the case to his satisfaction, he blackmails them into training him as an operative to take matters into his own hands. He embarks on a dangerous journey to track down and kill those responsible for his wife's death. 

Clearly, the 2025 version is a lot more exciting than the 1981 version. Rami Malek’s Charlie Heller is more engaging and concentrated than John Savage’s version. Plus we have engaging performers such as Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Michael Stuhlbarg, Julianne Nicholson, and Laurence Fishburne as star-quality support to Mr Malek. Though Christopher Plummer was fine in the former. 🎥💻📽

<>“Official Secrets” (2019, Plex) British drama, based on the case of whistleblower Katharine Gun. In early 2003, GCHQ analyst Katharine Gun obtained a memo detailing a joint United States and British operation to spy on diplomats from several non–permanent United Nations Security Council member states (Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria and Guinea), to "dig dirt" on them. This was to influence the Security Council into passing a resolution supporting an invasion of Iraq.

       Keira Knightley stars as Katharine Gun. She delivered a not too shabby performance, along with co-stars Ralph Fiennes as Katharine’s lawyer Ben Emmerson and Matt Smith as journalist Martin Bright but the thrill wasn’t there. The director, Gavin Hood, did an exemplary job in South Africa’s 2005 gem “Tsotsi.” But not on this one, sorry. 🎥💻📽

“Parkland” (2013, Hulu) historical drama film that recounts the chaotic events that occurred following the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. Based on Vincent Bugliosi's 2008 book “Reclaiming History Four Days in November: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.” 

       This is a movie that is replete with stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Jeremy Strong, James Badge Dale, Zac Efron, Jackie Earle Haley, Colin Hanks, David Harbour, Ron Livingston, Gil Bellows, Rory Cochrane, and Mark Duplass. But that’s it. Stars but no thrill. All are simply talking heads despite the characters’ seemingly massively dramatic part in the tragic event. 🎥💻📽

MOVIES THAT SUCK: “The Canyons.” / “I Spit on Your Grave” (1978, Roku) and the 2010 remake.

“The Canyons” (2013, Sundance Now) erotic thriller-drama film directed by Paul Schrader and written by Bret Easton Ellis. Set in Los Angeles, the movie follows a wealthy young man who produces low-budget horror films. Mr Schrader is supposedly good as a writer (“Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull”) and then as director (2017’s “First Reformed.” And you know Mr Ellis for his bestsellers “Less than Zero” (1985) and “American Psycho” (1991), both turned into movies, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Christian Bale, respectively. 

       But this movie, topbilled by a wasted Lindsay Lohan and a porn actor James Deen who couldn’t act, is a tedious exercise in cinematic futility. Some critics praised Ms Lohan’s acting. Really? 

       Plot: The discovery of an illicit love affair leads two young Los Angelenos on a violent, sexually charged tour through the dark side of human nature. Uh huh. 🎭👎🎬

“I Spit on Your Grave” (1978, Roku) and the 2010 remake. Jennifer is a fiction writer based in New York City who exacts revenge on her four tormentors who gang rape and leave her for dead.

       The original, written and directed by Meir Zarchi, is noted for its controversial depiction of extreme graphic violence, particularly the lengthy depictions of gang rape, that take up 30 minutes of its runtime. (Though the Roku showing was massively edited.) 

       The 2010 remake, directed by Steven R. Monroe and written by Stuart Morse, is no different. I don't know if this is more violent and revolting since I missed the bloodbath and violation in the original. 

       There are more “Spit” movies: 2013's “I Spit on Your Grave 2,” 2015's “I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine,” and 2019's “I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu.” Go watch at your own risk. 🎥💻📽

“The Alto Knights.” / “The Irish Mob.”

“The Alto Knights” (2025, Max) biographical crime drama. Story: In a failed assassination attempt orchestrated by his ambitious underboss, Vito Genovese, Luciano family boss Frank Costello finds himself at a crossroads. Robert De Niro both portrays Mr Genevese and Mr Costello, which can be confusing a bit because both speak like De Niro and both talk like Mafia bosses. As is though, this is not a bad movie although nothing is really new here. But a tired retelling of what we already knew or watched in so many mob cinema tropes. 

       Plot: In a failed assassination attempt orchestrated by his ambitious underboss, Vito Genovese, Luciano family boss Frank Costello finds himself at a crossroads. Weary of the constant bloodshed and betrayals that define his life, Costello informs Genovese of his intention to retire and cede control of the Luciano family. However, Vito, a man consumed by ambition and paranoia, refuses to believe Costello's intentions, suspecting a ruse. The poisoned well of distrust between them spills over, igniting a silent, deadly war.

       Directed by A-1 director Barry Lee Levinson and written by A-1 writer Nicholas Pileggi, “Alto…” is a minor winner. But this is not Mr Levinson of “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “Rain Man” (1988), “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “Bugsy” (1991), and “Wag the Dog” (1997). And not close to Mr Pileggi’s “Goodfellas” (1990). Like the movie Barry and Nicholas are tired tropes of their past brilliance. Mr De Niro? He’s always De Niro, you know what I mean?  

       And yes, of course, this is a Mafia movie so we get a flood of “f” words. Obligatory. 🎥💻📽

“The Irish Mob” (2023, Amazon Prime) mob crime drama. This movie tells the story of crime boss Val Fagan and the dark world of gangland Dublin. He leads a violent, bloody and ruthless gang who are the main target of Garda detectives after an audacious cash depot robbery.

       Directed and written by Patrick McKnight, with Rob McCarthy playing Val, this little movie is basically a revisit of Irish mob fare. Dirty language, brutal violence, from-behind sex. Nothing much. 🎥💻📽