In Honor Upcoming Film 'The Equalizer,' Here Are Our Top 5 Favorite Films Starring Denzel Washington
Canadian actor-turned-rapper Drake once mentioned in his MTV documentary that he admired Denzel Washington because even in his legendary status as one of the most highly regarded actors, he still takes acting classes and feels there's still things to learn about the craft. While his latest film, "The Equalizer" probably won't grab the attention of the Academy given its Blockbuster scale, critics say he's still at the top of his game in the upcoming action thriller. If the film smashes the box office this weekend it will likely lead to an "Equalizer" franchise. In honor of the Academy Award Winning actor, here's our Top 5 Favorite Films starring Denzel Washington.
#5 - "American Gangster"
Admittedly there's not many times that Washington has taken on the role of a certified bad guy, but every time he does, he's great. In "American Gangster" he plays Frank Lucas, a drug kingpin that is eventually taken down by Russell Crowe. He changes the entire landscape of the neighborhood before he does though. And the scene below where Washington requests his money from Idris Elba is probably one of the most shocking scenes the actor has ever been in.
#4 - "Malcolm X"
The film itself was easily Oscar-bait in terms of subject matter, but would not have been nearly as successful if not bolstered by an another amazing performance from Denzel Washington, this time in the leading role. Washington got a nomination for his performance, but lost out to Al Pacino. Honestly, losing to Pacino in "Scent of a Woman" is not necessarily a horrible thing someone can say as he is also an acting legend.
#3 - "Glory"
This performance earned Washington his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It's easy to see why, as he's one of the only actors in history to shed a single cinematic tear on camera. In fact, Washington's performance embodies a host of complex emotions, so for him to not receive the Oscar that year would have been a definite snub.
#2 - "Flight"
It was an extremely tough year for the Best Actor category when "Flight" was released, and perhaps not for the absolute stunning performance from Daniel Day-Lewis, it could have easily went to any of the other nominees. Nevertheless, the Oscar nomination is proof that Washington's extensive career is in no way slowing down. Also, this is another complex role that involves portraying a sort of stoic alcohol addiction, and still Washington nails it.
#1 - "Training Day"
It almost seems cliché that this is still considered Washington's best performance, but as with most clichés there's some legitimate truth. Denzel Washington's roles up until "Training Day" were mostly heroic and ultimately good. In this role, the actor manages to make an utterly despicable character compelling. It's no wonder that this role secured Washington a Lead Actor Oscar, if only because nobody thought he was capable of playing such a terrible person.