Westerns and modern cinema don’t really go hand in hand, but if you know where to look – you might actually find a gem or two. To help you out with this one, we’ve prepared a list of top 5 westerns released in the past 15 years that you simply have to watch! Let’s begin!
1. Django Unchained
There’s the wild west, and then there’s Tarantino-wild west – you take a guess which one’s wilder? Stacked with movie stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L Jackson, Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained is arguably one the best film ever made, which should come as no surprise given the fact that the movie had picked up five Oscar nominations back in the day. You’ll get to enjoy incredible action, even better music and Foxx’s second-best performance ever in this thrilling, epic story of Django – a slave made free man.
2. No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men is not your regular western, but in no other movie will you be able to enjoy a performance such as this one. Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh is arguably the scariest being ever to “grace” the movie screen. Inarguably, this is Bardem’s most incredible performance ever, and that alone should be a very compelling reason for you to watch this movie. It is simply remarkable in every single way.
3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Don’t worry. Just because you know what’s going to happen in the end doesn’t take away from the quality of this movie. This masterpiece has it all – great music, great acting and even better cinematography. If all else fails, just tuning in to see Brad Pitt do his thing should be enough for you to watch this movie. But, to be fair, Casey Affleck is this movie’s brightest shining star, and if someone else says differently – fight them on it!
4. Hostiles
Who wouldn’t want to see another movie by Scott Jason Cooper, a man that had brought you Black Mass? Hostiles is a modern-day take on western, with Christian Bale in the leading role. Just like it was the case with the other movies on our list – don’t expect to see a Sergio-style western when you tune in to this one. Instead, expect a quality drama set in the late 19th century, with subtle hints to the forgotten genre.
5. Hateful Eight
Who would’ve thought we’d see two Tarantino flicks here? Be that as it may, the Hateful Eight is arguably the closest thing to a western out of all of these movies, but still – it’s Tarantino. There will be a lot more going on in this movie than just some shooting and horse riding. As you could expect from Tarantino – the cast is brilliant, the music is brilliant, and the cinematography is even better. All in all – a must watch!
There you have it. In our own humble opinion, modern westerns don’t get any better than this. In what order you’ll watch these – it’s up to you. Just make sure you watch them all!
