Spike Lee burst onto the scene with She’s Gotta Have It, a low-budget indie (turned into a Netflix series in 2016) that had the eye and craftsmanship of a born filmmaker. Lee brings a historical perspective to all of his films. Not only does he use his storytelling ability to deliver endearing stories of Black people in America, but also to educate an audience who otherwise might be ignorant to the specificity of particular civil and social struggles; as such, his filmmaking isn’t only rooted in the history of his people, but in the history of cinema as well.
Honing in on the sensibilities of the French New Wave, old Hollywood melodrama, and the American New Wave in the ’70s, Lee’s filmography is virtuosic, from his Oscar-winning documentaries to his bevy of genres and concert films as well. His love of film knows no bounds, and he continues to make incredible strides as a filmmaker and tastemaker. From his key collaborations with superstar Denzel Washington to his comedic diatribes in the heart of New York City, Lee is one of America’s singular cinematic voices who has shown no sign of slowing down. Here are Spike Lee’s best movies.
13
‘Crooklyn’ (1994)
It is genuinely rare to see Lee foray into a sentimental and rather wistful territory when it comes to cinematic storytelling. Crooklyn not only proves the director’s range and versatility but also delivers a semi-autobiographical glimpse into the life of 9-year-old Troy Carmichael and her four siblings as they navigate life’s ups and downs in Brooklyn of the 1970s. From their father’s zany storytelling to their bonds with the neighborhood kids, the movie plays out in a casual but personal light.
Rare And Emotional Entry To Lee’s Filmography
For a filmmaker known for his audacity, Lee’s Crooklyn appears to have the opposite effect. The movie floats by with ease because Lee’s elegant direction in his depiction of his family feels like a far cry from his previous work. Lee’s family drama emanates warmth and love. But, even in its series of vignettes, the realities of supporting a family of 5 kids come with its struggles. Delroy Lindo shines as the hard-nosed musician, as does his counterpart, Alfre Woodard, who plays the school-teacher mother trying to keep the kids together when the marriage appears to be crumbling. Overall, Crooklyn sees Lee at his most sentimental while never sacrificing story for a cheap laugh or cry.
12
‘Bamboozled’ (2000)
In Bamboozled, Damon Wayans stars as Pierre Delacroix, a frustrated African American TV executive who endures a lot of torment from his boss at work. In an attempt to get fired, he invents a new reality show called “Mantan: The New Millennium Minstrel Show,” which features black actors in blackface. To his shock, the show becomes a huge hit because of its stereotypes, racist puns, and offensive animation.
Lee Offers No Easy Answers In Bamboozled
Spike Lee’s films are always in conversation with the history of cinema. Even in Bamboozled, which is an audacious satire, Lee uses his voice to attack the history of minstrel shows, performative blackface, and racism towards Black art. While at times darkly funny, Lee’s message about white corporations profiting off of Black bodies is poignant, especially when they lose ownership. It’s a heartfelt memoriam to the history of Black performers that was rightfully immortalized by the Criterion Collection.
11
‘Clockers’ (1995)
Originally meant to be a Martin Scorsese picture that he happily gave to his good friend Spike Lee so that Scorsese could go off and make Casino, Clockers is the perfect precursor to the HBO Series The Wire. An underrated ’90s crime movie that is shot in the vibrant, gripping style Lee is known for, it features an incredibly charismatic debut performance from Mekhi Phifer as the drug dealer “Strike” caught in the middle of a murder conspiracy while battling the cops and his ruthless kingpin boss played by Delroy Lindo.
Clockers As A Striking Neo-Noir Style
Once again, Lee takes an incredibly simple premise of a small incident and uses it to bring the harsh realities and crushing societal pressures of inner-city life to the screen in a very visceral fashion. He perfectly captures the essence of failing to escape your neighborhood while also tapping into the work of racist police officers who care little about the lives they’re attempting to destroy. But amidst the grit, his gaze also focuses on glimmers of humanity, and we end up rooting for them against all odds. Praised for its neo-noir style, Clockers established Spike Lee as one of the greatest storytellers of his time.
10
‘Highest 2 Lowest’ (2025)
Lee’s latest cinematic triumph reunites him with his go-to leading man Denzel Washington, with the crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest marking the fifth collaboration between the dynamic duo and their first in 19 years since Inside Man. The Oscar-winner appears as New York City music mogul David King, the founder of Stackin’ Hits Records who is revered in the industry as the “best ears in the business” and seems to have it all: a loving family, enviable wealth, and endless prestige. When someone close to King is kidnapped and held for ransom, he finds himself in the ultimate moral dilemma.
Fifth Times a Charm For Lee & Washington
A remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterpiece High and Low, the stunningly shot thriller features Washington in peak form as the free-wheeling music titan, who must choose between his beloved company and an innocent life. While it may not be Lee’s most critically-acclaimed project of his illustrious career, Highest 2 Lowest nonetheless gives the Kurosawa classic a bold, modern makeover that features genuine moments of suspense and a story with a harrowing sense of urgency. Many felt that the thriller was as a love letter to New York and Black culture and once again proves that the director’s creative connection with Washington remains as strong as ever.
9
‘She’s Gotta Have It’ (1986)
Written, edited, directed, and produced on a shoestring budget of $175,000 by Spike Lee in a span of two weeks, She’s Gotta Have It redefined independent cinema as well as the future of Black filmmakers in the industry. The protagonist is Nola Darling, a young artist in Brooklyn who simply cannot make up her mind when it comes to romantic relationships. So she juggles three suitors at the same time. Greer, a rich narcissist; the well-meaning Jaime, and Lee’s very own Mars, a timid bicycle messenger.
Capturing the Cultural Zeitgeist
With its low-budget feel and downtown New York locations, She’s Gotta Have It was all over the place. But its very nature makes it an intimate and honest film. Through Nola’s character, Lee not only challenges sexual mores and advocates independence but also the representation of women in the film beyond stereotypes. As an early feature, the movie announced Lee as a bold new voice in cinema and helped usher a brand of direction that feels fresh and real.
8
‘He Got Game’ (1998)
He Got Game is not only epic in scope in its portrayal of young superstardom and how college athletes struggle to navigate the field of sports corruption, but also biblical in its depiction of fathers and how they raise their sons. Lee uses his immaculate eye for compositions to shoot the first-time actor and athlete Ray Allen as the young basketball prodigy “Jesus Shuttlesworth.” When Jesus’ criminal father Jake, played by Denzel Washington, tries to manipulate his decisions to better his own life, the two face off on the only thing they both love: the court.
Showcasing Lee’s Love For Basketball
Also among the director’s few accessible-to-all films, He Got Game overdoes it with ideas and characters, but it goes without saying that the same themes showcase his prowess in filmmaking. Together, Denzel and Lee reveal vulnerabilities in close relationships and their entanglement with politics with empathy and grace. The film, with a score from the great Aaron Copland, gives He Got Game a cinematic grace, showing basketball as the beautiful game it is.
7
‘School Daze’ (1988)
Starring Laurence Fishburne in his only collaboration with Spike, School Daze is a rousing, funny, and clear-eyed look at youthful expression. In the most simple terms, it follows students involved in the conflict between the light-skinned students led by the leader of the campus’ most popular fraternity, Julian, and the dark-skinned students who rally as a united front under the guidance of Dap. Larry Fishburne and Giancarlo Esposito lead an outstanding ensemble through a comedic yet piercing tale.
Not Your Usual ’80s College Comedy
Criminally underrated in the college movie canon, Spike Lee’s second feature is an ode to HBCUs and all-Black fraternities. His signature style of shooting reveals a lively yet introspective environment and urges people to think about the class dynamics that plague society. Stylized in Lee’s classic go-for-broke aesthetic, the film is not only about how young Black men and women learn to be themselves in a college setting but about who historically denied their right to an education and why, transcending the genre of raunchy ’80s comedy into something far more poignant with a scorcher of an ending that acts as an outcry.
6
‘Inside Man’ (2006)
With Inside Man, Lee calls upon his go-to muse, Denzel Washington, and a stacked supporting cast to take us through what could’ve easily been another heist programmer. The plot of Inside Man sees Washington play an NYPD hostage negotiator who is forced to team up with Jodie Foster’s Madeleine White, who has close ties to the bank, when a group of robbers reveal a bigger plan and hold hostages inside the Manhattan bank.
Inside Man Revels In The Details
While Spike Lee joints are a genre of their own, he’s able to step into familiar territory with ease and knowledge of the genre’s cinematic history. Not only does he entertain the audience with this suspenseful film, but Lee also transforms a twist and hostage negotiation into a deliciously stylish exercise in plot mechanics and aesthetics, creating one hell of a blockbuster. Critics have praised it as a thinking person’s thriller that is also hugely accessible to the mainstream audience because of its energetic and flawless direction.
5
’25th Hour’ (2002)
While not the whole story, 25th Hour looks at the last day of freedom for a drug dealer named Monty, played with tenacity by an excellent Edward Norton, and the themes of the film run hand in hand with the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and post-9/11 America. A community of people including Monty’s friend, his father, and his lover, attempt to understand where Norton’s character went wrong and what collective trauma looks and feels like. Lee’s attentive filmmaking lets mere moments feel like a lifetime as his film questions: what would you do with your last day of freedom?
Pondering The Fleeting Nature Of Life
Spike Lee’s voice is tethered to New York City. It was only fitting that such a passionate filmmaker who is unabashedly himself and represents New York made the first film to tackle the post-9/11 world we were all living in. Allowing an insider glimpse into the brutal and stirring time, 25th Hour balances its elements of drama and philosophy on a tightrope. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Brian Cox, and Rosario Dawson in supporting roles, the movie showcases Lee’s unique gift for capturing an entire era in the span of two hours.
4
‘Da 5 Bloods’ (2020)
Lee’s first film for Netflix, like many others, is a criminally overlooked one. It features an all-Black Vietnam squad that are still friends into their old age as they re-team to find the gold hidden by their fearless leader – a stunning supporting turn from Chadwick Boseman as their fallen hero before his untimely death – in an attempt to reclaim their past. But the jungle holds many secrets, as does the team.
A Fluid Blend Of Genres
Da 5 Bloods is Lee in all of his anger-inducing, maximalist glory. He introduces elements of buddy comedy, war drama, and character relationships with his usual command and layers. The film is a testament to the fact that even some 30 years into his career, Spike Lee’s filmmaking voice is just as brazen when he stepped foot into the cultural conversation. Da 5 Bloods depicts past traumas coming full swing into the present, finding the connective tissue between the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement, two wars that Lee wants to show still rage today.
