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Denzel Washington is one of the most successful actors of modern times, although even a performer of his stature has had some duds at the box office. With a long and fruitful career that’s included two Academy Award wins and countless iconic roles, Washington can count himself among the most enduring and beloved stars in contemporary Hollywood. While Washington’s recent role in Gladiator II has fast become his highest-grossing endeavor, it’s important to look back on the underappreciated releases and questionable roles that make up his least commercially successful movies.

The best Washington movies all offer something unique, as he consistently imbues his roles with an urgency that makes them eternally memorable. From his ongoing collaboration with director Spike Lee to an artful interpretation of a Shakespeare classic, even Washington’s lowest-grossing films all had something to offer. While these films may not have hit it big at the box office,...

Let's jump back in time to a little over 16 years ago. It's the summer of 1998 and if you hit a gay bar or club in the continental United States, you could not miss Stars on 54's dance remake of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind." It was simply everywhere. The track was the promotional single for "54," a movie that promised a sexy look at the infamous New York City nightclub Studio 54 but couldn't ultimately live up to the marketing hype surrounding its release. The Miramax production was generating a ton of publicity because of its subject matter (one of the most legendary clubs of all-time), young up-and-coming stars such as Ryan Phillippe and Salma Hayek, the participation of Neve Campbell, who was coming off four straight hits (the first two "Screams," "The Craft" and "Wild Things"). Most buzzworthy of all, it was the first dramatic role for...

With its Cannes premiere only a few short weeks away, Walter Salles’ upcoming Kerouac adaptation “On The Road” has almost matched “The Dark Knight Rises” in terms of publicity, with character posters for seemingly every credit on the film and stills galore. You can now add a rich soundtrack to that mix, as details of the album have hit the web.

Due overseas at the start of May from Universal Music France, the album is comprised largely of original score from Academy Award-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla, who won consecutively for his work in “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel,” and brings his sun-drenched polish to the film. Also included are blues selections from Son House, Slim Gaillard, Coati Mundi, and Greg Kramer, as well as Ella Fitzgerald singing “I’ve Got the World on a String,” a portion of which is used on Kristen Stewart’s character one-sheet. Rounding off the set...

“Downtown 81 represents Manhattan’s last stand as a beatnik haven for creatively driven impoverished artists, a moment where everyone was connected in one giant electrical circuit creating their own cultural power.”

Downtown 81, featuring a nineteen year old Jean-Michel Basquiat, captured the movers and shakers from the no wave, hip-hop, graffiti, and alternative fashion scenes, as they collided down in the depths of New York’s lower east side. Originally shot by director Edo Bertoglio in the winter of 1980-81, it remained unreleased for nearly twenty years before being re-assembled in 1999 by co-producer Maripol Fauque (a Polaroid photographer and fashion designer, behind the iconic look for Madonna on the cover of Like a Virgin). Basquiat first acquired notoriety in the early eighties New York art scene with his ‘Samo’ graffiti slogans, which caught the attention of TV Party host Glenn O’Brien. After Basquiat appeared as a guest on...