10. The Sisters Brothers (2018) 9. Bone Tomahawk (2015) 8. The Dark Valley (2014) 7. Hostiles (2017) 6. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) 5. True Grit (2010) 4. Hell or High Water (2016) 3. The Hateful Eight (2015) 2. The Revenant (2015) 1.Django Unchained (2012) If I was making a modern western list, I'd want to expand it to 2000 to include 3:10 to Yuma. Also, I think I liked Slow West as much or more than any of the movies on this list, besides probably Hell or Highwater.
It’s awesome but not a western, Definitely agree with the Top 2 choices. Django is one of my favorite movies of the decade,
Never seen the dark valley or sisters brothers. There’s a new A24 western out that looks pretty good.
Bone Tomahawk and it’s not particularly close imo. Slow West is up there too. Meeks Cutoff and Wind River deserve some shine
it’s definitely not for everyone- it did under 500k at the box office irrc. brutal film but well on its way to cult status.
Having seen 9 of the 10 movies on the list, I can say that Bone Tomahawk is way, way too low. Also think The Sisters Brothers is too low. Half of these aren't even westerns.
Craig Zahler is fucking incredible. I first discovered him back in 2006 when his screenplay Brigands of Rattleborge got huge blacklist buzz and was making the rounds shortly thereafter. It was one of two screenplays I've ever put down and stopped reading because I didn't want the ending spoiled. It was incredible. I've read that he sold something like 25 screenplays and zero were actually made before he decided to make Bone Tomahawk on his own. As good as Bone Tomahawk is, and it is just an incredible and original movie, his second movie--Brawl in Cell Block 99--is even better. Dragged Across Concrete is also really good but falls short of his first two efforts.
Posted this trailer in the A24 thread, but not sure if it's what you're talking about since it's not too new. It is on Netflix, and looks pretty good imo.
The Revenant is one of the more overrated movies I can think of in the past few years. Looked amazing but my god is it slow. Like 80% of the movie is Leo walking alone or suffering in some way
If you are expanding to the 2000s then Open Range would probably be in the top 5 for the past 20 years imo...
I'm going to guess due to the era it takes place in vs geography. only thing I can think of because it takes place in the same state as True Grit
I already posted this bro. COME ON! (This will be the only thing an Arkansas fans wins against GA this week)
I think if it set in a time after 1920 or so it’s not a traditional western. Just because it takes place in Texas or the Midwest and a couple of people wear cowboy hats doesn’t make it a western. I don’t consider Hell or High Water or No Country as westerns.
if you'll allow me to jump in this post 2000 pile as well, it's a "Western" for sure even though it takes place in the Australian outback, but The Proposition is so damn captivating to me
1. Setting is relatively lawless or unconstrained by trapping of society. 2. Renegade or freewheeling characters of action who grapple with their own moral judgements on actions instead of the rigidly enforced norms of society. 3. A journey into greater lawlessness that tests the moral fiber of the protagonist as he is forced into situations where he is pressured to take on the traits of the antagonist to achieve his goals. There are typically elements of revenge or retribution at play in regards to the goals being sought. Top three thematic elements, roughly, imo
The director of John Wick actually cites The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as one of the main influences on the film.