Long a very respected actor, 52-year-old Denzel Washington has seen an interesting thing happen to his career as he’s gotten older — he’s become more popular and commercially bankable, both at home and abroad, all without denting his critical notices. What’s at the root of Washington’s burgeoning appeal? Well, for one thing, he’s very obviously making the sorts of movies that Harrison Ford should be making — cat-and-mouse-type thrillers and puzzle box mysteries in which Washington serves as our unflappable guide. For a fuller explication of this theory — and how Washington's latest, Deja Vu, fits into it — click here for a piece from FilmStew.