What is a western?
Its not just deserts and horses and cowboy hats.
Violence - though not necessarily a necessity - could break out at any moment.
Manifest destiny, moral compromise, vengeance, racism, and sexism are frequently explored in the western genre.
But beyond that, the western is a highly fluid subgenre.
Theres something for everyone in the Old West nowadays.
Image via Magnolia Pictures
So what are we waiting for?
And maybe any other!
On-screen, Costner has rarely been better.
Image via Buena Vista Pictures
Behind the camera hes never been better; the rich characters and mounting tension are completely captivating.
The Propositionis a film of extreme violence and moral paradox.
Ledger and Gyllenhaal have rarely been better, andAnne HathawayandMichelle Williamsshine in supporting roles as Ennis and Jacks wives.
Image via First Look Pictures
Its a no-frills western action classic, with a wealth of character and a slew of great shootouts.
The kind of pulp period thriller that could make just about anybody fall for the whole danged western genre.
Fair is, to one extent or another, fair.
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
But figuring out whats fair and whats just callous, hollow violence is tricky inNo Country for Old Men.
But this so-called man of God is no saint, and maybe just as wicked as our captivating antihero.
Its bitter, its complex, its stunning.
Image via Lionsgate
Image via Focus Features
Image via Lionsgate
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Miramax
Image via Paramount Pictures
