This is our spoiler filled section for not only Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest but also the original Akira Kurosawa film High and Low. We talk about pretty much everything that happens in the second half of both films, what we liked and did not like about how each film handles the same overarching scenario and how they differ in execution.

Next week we will be discussing Ne Zha 2 the Chinese animated fantasy adventure comedy film written and directed by Jiaozi, as well as the original Ne Zha.

Works Cited

• "Akira Kurosawa: Composing Movement" (Every Frame a Painting, 2015)
• At the Movies (Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert, 1986-2010)
• Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004)
• Collateral Letterboxd review (esther, 2015)
• Django (Sergio Corbucci, 1966)
• Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
• A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964)
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar North, 2004)
• Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)
• High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963)
• "High and Low (1963) - Modern trailer" (TheBurningArchive, 2024)
• "Highest 2 Lowest" (Aiyana-Lee, 2025)
• Highest 2 Lowest (Spike Lee, 2025)
• "Ice Spice's Highest 2 Lowest Cameo, Explained" (Brandon Zachary, 2025)
• Ichi the Killer (Takashi Miike, 2001)
• Inside Man (Spike Lee, 2006)
• Kill Bill (Quentin Tarantino, 2003, 2004)
• "Meet Aiyana-Lee, the Breakout Singer From Highest 2 Lowest" (Barry Levitt, 2025)
• Miami Vice (Michael Mann, 2006)
• Oldboy (Park Chan-Wook, 2003)
• Oldboy (Spike Lee, 2013)
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Robert Rodriguez, 2003)
• Public Enemies (Michael Mann, 2009)
• "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (Adriano Celentano, 1973)
• "Prisencolin (Americano Joint)" (Aiyana-Lee, 2025)
• "The reasons behind Adriano Celentano's songs in Highest 2 Lowest" (OnePress TV, 2025)
• "Spike Lee Made an Ad for Cryptocurrency ATMs and It's Bizarre" (Edward Ongweso, Jr., 2021)
• Stray Dog (Akira Kurosawa, 1949)
• Sukiyaki Western Django (Takashi Miike, 2007)
• Thief (Michael Mann, 1981)
• Throne of Blood (Akira Kurosawa, 1957)
• "Trunks" (A$AP Rocky, 2025)
• Tokyo Story (Yasujirō Ozu, 1953)
• Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa, 1961)

Find us elsewhere!

Ben Verschoor

• https://cinema-purgatorio.ghost.io/
• https://letterboxd.com/jamn4sure/
• @benverschoor.bsky.social

Steven Santana

• https://breakingarrows.substack.com/
• https://letterboxd.com/number8axel/
• @number8axel.bsky.social‬

Opening music is Root Beer Rag by Billy Joel

Closing music is G-Spot Tornado by Frank Zappa

• Apple Podcasts: Mise en Screen - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
• Spotify Podcasts: Mise en Screen | Podcast on Spotify
• Player.fm: Mise En Screen podcast
• Podcast Addict: Mise en Screen - Podcast Addict