It's remarkable how a film can be interpreted in so many different ways, which makes sense when it combines various elements, each with its own validity that can lead to differing overall understandings. This is certainly true of this 1963 classic from renowned Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, the inspiration for filmmaker Spike Lee’s recent reimagining, “Highest 2 Lowest,” now in theaters. Like the newer film, “Hig…

This is a skillfully crafted crime thriller with significant emotional weight for its central figures, placing them in an extremely difficult predicament. The acting and direction are both consistently strong, the narrative keeps you interested, and at its heart, it’s just a pleasant film to watch. Kurosawa offers observations about contemporary corporate excess and hardship following World War II, and he manages to …

I wasn’t immediately impressed with this film. The setup felt familiar, bringing to mind an episode of "Columbo," especially because of its somewhat artificial studio setting which seemed restrictive. However, after things get underway, it becomes one of the finest crime thrillers I've encountered in quite some time. The story revolves around the abduction of a young boy for whom the easily angered, wealthy shoemaker…