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A match made in Brooklyn: The films of Spike Lee and Denzel Washington

Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Scott and Lee cross paths in Washington's oeuvre within the subgenre of the New York City heist film. Scott turned the greatest NYC heist movie ever made, 1974's 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three' into a nearly unwatchable disaster of a remake. In 'Inside Man,' Lee dropped Denzel into a role inspired by Walter Matthau's character from the original 'Pelham' — right down to the hat and the hostage negotiations. Advertisement In honor of 'Highest 2 Lowest,' the reunion of 'Spike and D' (as Lee calls the duo) 19 years after 2006's 'Inside Man,' let's look at the four other films they made together. I'll provide the star rating I gave each film when it was released. Advertisement Mo' Better Blues (1990) Lee's follow-up to 'Do the Right Thing' was always going to draw unfair comparisons to that film. It's a completely different movie in tone and subject. It's also nowhere near as good. The first pairing of Lee and Washington casts the actor as trumpet player Bleek Gilliam. Bleek is the leader of a jazz band whose members include 'DTRT' holdovers Giancarlo Esposito on piano and Bill Nunn on bass. On saxophone is the star of Lee's next movie, Wesley Snipes. Snipes plays Bleek's romantic rival, Shadow Henderson. I share Shadow's last name, but I play Bleek's instrument. So of course, I stared at Denzel's fingers every time he picked up that horn. Terence Blanchard plays the trumpet on the delightful titular theme song, written by the film's composer and Spike's father, This film's Bleek and Shadow are romantically involved with Clarke Bentacourt (Cynda Williams), who wants to sing in the band. But Bleek won't let her. When she does sing, however, Williams's rendition of W.C. Handy's 'Harlem Blues' is incredible. Lee pays a sort of homage to this scene in the last few minutes of 'Highest 2 Lowest.' Additionally, Bleek is doing the Mo' Better with Indigo Downes (Lee's sister, Joie). The scene where the two women show up at the same venue while wearing red dresses is an example of cinematographer Ernest Dickerson's masterful command of color in this film. Advertisement This is a movie seen through a jazzman's eyes, with images alternating between searing reds and ice-cold blues. The trumpet in the opening credits gleams with a golden hue King Midas would envy. But the screenplay is a hot mess, and Lee got in some hot water over the film's stereotypical depiction of its Jewish club owners. As flawed as 'Mo' Better Blues' often is, every image is a jaw-dropper, and Denzel is good, too. It remains Dickerson's masterpiece as a cinematographer. (★★★) Denzel Washington as "Malcolm X." Warner Bros Malcolm X (1992) Lee's next collaboration with Washington is also a masterpiece. It's also still the only Hollywood epic made about a Black person—it's 202 minutes long. Lee battled Warner Bros. and budgetary issues to complete the film. As Malcolm, Washington would have easily earned the Academy Award, but Al Pacino was due for the 'we owe you Oscar,' and won for 'Scent of a Woman.' Once again, Spike and D are joined by cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, editor Barry Alexander Brown, and 'Malcolm X' also benefits from fine work by Angela Bassett as Malcolm's wife, Betty, and from Lee's four-time collaborator, Delroy Lindo as West Indian Archie. But it's Washington's show from frame one. Whether giving speeches or marching slowly to his death (that scene has Lee's most powerful use of his trademark 'people mover' shot), Washington gives one of the greatest movie performances ever. (★★★★) Advertisement Denzel Washington (left) stars as Jake Shuttlesworth and Ray Allen is his estranged son Jesus in 'He Got Game,' directed by Spike Lee. David Lee/Touchstone Picture 'He Got Game' (1998) Considering his near-Biblical love of the Knicks, it was inevitable that Lee would make a B-ball parable. This one even has a high school genius savior on the court named Jesus! He's played by former Boston Celtic Ray Allen. Allen holds his own against the scene-stealing Washington, who plays his incarcerated father, Jake Shuttlesworth. But this movie is absolutely ridiculous. The plot involves warden Ned Beatty allowing Jake a week-long furlough from jail so he can convince his son to sign up with the governor's alma mater. Jesus wants to turn pro instead, which sets up the film's conflict. 'He Got Game' shows how sinister billion-dollar sports organizations can be in their seduction of poor Black kids with athletic prowess. Unfortunately, the film is undermined by its sexist treatment of women. At least Washington shows some of the menace he would bring to his Oscar-winning role in 'Training Day.' And that Afro suits him well. Plus, any movie whose title song is a duet between Public Enemy and Stephen Stills that samples Stills's 'For What It's Worth' can't be all bad. And the ending is an infuriating head-scratcher, yet somehow it works. (★★★, but just barely ) Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) and bank robber Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) face off in "Inside Man." AP Photo/Universal Pictures/David Lee 'Inside Man' (2006) While paying homage to the greatest New York City heist movies, Lee and Washington create a modern day classic of the subgenre. 'Dog Day Afternoon' is not only name-checked, it's also the film's main influence. A never-better Clive Owen plans the perfect bank robbery, and it's up to Detective Denzel to solve the case. The good detective is assisted by Chiwetel Ejiofor and a not-always cooperative NYPD. Willem Dafoe, Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer (reuniting with Washington after 'Malcolm X') round out the excellent cast. Advertisement I wouldn't dare spoil how 'Inside Man' turns out. But, if you want to know more about the making of the movie—and trust me, you do—you should attend Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.