Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low situated viewers in the midst of a dilemma. A businessman is planning to put his life savings into the purchase of a shoe company when a kidnapper abducts his chauffeur’s son instead of his own and asks for a ransom of 30-million yen. What is a life worth? Spike Lee has reframed the dilemma in the context of a New York City music mogul, David King (Denzel Washington), who is planning to buy out his partner in Stackin’ Hits Records when he gets a call asking for $17.5 million. His son is safe because the son of David’s chauffeur and confidant (Jeffrey Wright) has been taken by mistake. The story blends great cinematography with a hip-hop soundtrack. And A$AP Rocky makes an appearance. —Elena Clavarino