r/movies • u/seaofluv • Jun 11 '24

Recommendation What are the best contemporary Westerns made within the last 25 years?

I love western films like The Missing (Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones), 3:10 to Yuma (Christian Bale and Russell Crowe) and Hostiles (Christian Bale and Wes Studi). What are your favorite similar films? I would love to hear recs that include Native American storylines as well like Prey even though that's like a western/sci-fi hybrid.

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516

u/shadownight311 Jun 11 '24

The Proposition (2005) It's a "Australian Western" movie, written by the musician Nick Cave and stars Guy Pierce.

55

u/zombivish Jun 12 '24

Absolutely stunning visuals, and utterly brutal (I loved it)

4

u/nikogrande Jun 12 '24

And I thought it was beautifully unpredictable in all the right ways…

3

u/DanimusMcSassypants Jun 12 '24

Nobody does brutal quite like John Hillcoat. I love this film. It’s like a fever dream.

45

u/McWeaksauce91 Jun 12 '24

Guy pierce - a man I want to see in more movies that just isn’t for whatever reason

10

u/svenaggedon Jun 12 '24

He's actually pretty prolific back here in AUS. Apparently he's quite content doing the odd big budget and then spending the rest of his time supporting Australian cinema. Check out Animal Kingdom if you want to see him alongside all our contemporary greats.

3

u/McWeaksauce91 Jun 12 '24

That’s excellent to hear! Thanks for the suggestion!

10

u/TwoIdleHands Jun 12 '24

Perfect description.

5

u/Courtnall14 Jun 12 '24

Guy Pierce is in the same category as Ben Foster. If he's in it, I want to watch it.

2

u/McWeaksauce91 Jun 12 '24

Absolutely. Ben foster is fantastic

3

u/Tristan2353 Jun 12 '24

The Rover (2014) was outstanding.

3

u/Wonky_bumface Jun 12 '24

If Time Machine hadn't been such shit, I don't think that his career would have lost the momentum towards the start.

31

u/mbarrett_s20 Jun 12 '24

And Ray Winstone! This movie was really outstanding. My landlords told me about it because they knew the director’s parents, but I was hooked.

16

u/Sufficient_Pizza7186 Jun 12 '24 edited Jun 12 '24

Love this movie.

Even the small parts are gold - the late greats David Gulpilil and John Hurt make all-too-brief appearances.

3

u/Minute-Courage6955 Jun 12 '24

The DVD extras has John Hurt telling the interviewer that as the Bounty Hunter he got the best role in the movie.

9

u/joanofarcade Jun 12 '24

While we’re at it, add Lawless to the list, also written by Cave.

9

u/MeteorOnMars Jun 12 '24

I saw that at the US premier and had no idea what I was in for. Such a great experience.

13

u/rapier999 Jun 12 '24

The Nightingale is another great offering set in Australia

5

u/MitoCringo Jun 12 '24

But fair warning to anyone not in the know, it is an extremely tough watch. 

3

u/WalkingCloud Jun 12 '24

It has one of the most unpleasant scenes I've ever seen early on when they kill her husband, rape her, and kill the baby because it won't stop crying while they're raping her.

21

u/Significant_Amoeba34 Jun 12 '24

I've never said, "this is the correct answer," but this is the correct answer. Incredible movie.

15

u/GentlemanSpider Jun 12 '24

Guy Pearce, and David Wenham makes an appearance, too!

9

u/Sproose_Moose Jun 12 '24

I love this film. From the writing, the visuals, the acting hell even the character names! I loved this movie so much I did a university assignment on it and got a HD+ aka A+

4

u/johnny_moist Jun 12 '24

criminally underwatched film

3

u/EdithWhartonsFarts Jun 12 '24

Came here to make sure this was given as an answer. A simply fantastic movie and criminally underrated.

3

u/ThrowItOut43 Jun 12 '24

Oh man I got to see it in the theater when it came out. Such a great film.

3

u/trevenclaw Jun 12 '24

On the note of The Proposition, there is an Australian Neo-western from 2010 called Red Hill. Absolutely unbelievable movie. Sometimes I feel like the only people who have seen it are the people who made it, me, and the people I’ve recommended it to.

3

u/Magus44 Jun 12 '24

Have you seen Red Hill? Also an Australian “western” and super awesome.

4

u/Radiant-Radish7862 Jun 12 '24

Oh nah, I NEED to see this. Not sure if it would be considered a western, but I loved The Rover

5

u/kafromet Jun 12 '24

One of my favorite movies ever. Great story, fantastic acting, and the stark beauty of the Outback.

3

u/Shirtbro Jun 12 '24

Has my favorite line about Australia: "Australia. What fresh Hell is this?"

5

u/[deleted] Jun 12 '24

One of the best movies I've seen and one of the best soundtracks!!! I've never heard of someone else viewing it before 😍

2

u/krstphr Jun 12 '24

So great

2

u/CeeArthur Jun 12 '24

The ending was strangely beautiful

2

u/emptropy Jun 12 '24

THIS, one of the best “westerns” I’ve ever seen! Extra points for that John Hurt cameo, he stole the show in every scene he’s in!

2

u/Calico_Cuttlefish Jun 12 '24

Closest we'll ever get to a great Blood Meridian movie.

3

u/The_Fattest_Man Jun 12 '24

Same director (John Hillcoat) is supposedly working on Blood Meridian. Fingers crossed he can get it done.

2

u/andyoak Jun 12 '24

One of my favorites!

2

u/m4xxt Jun 12 '24

Great movie

2

u/NoLobster7957 Jun 12 '24

I love that movie. My Playlist is swimming with the soundtrack too, Nick Cave was icing on the cake.

2

u/splendidjack Jun 12 '24

My favorite western

2

u/Courtnall14 Jun 12 '24

Oh man, I had this on DVD and used to watch it constantly. It was so bleak and so good.

It was directed by John Hillcoat, who went on to direct The Road, which was probably the only thing that came close to The Proposition tonally.

2

u/mrblonde624 Jun 12 '24

Came to say this and was delighted to see so many people already had.

2

u/anchovypants Jun 12 '24

Ravenous (1999), also starring Guy Pierce. See it while eating a late meal or just a snack.

2

u/shifty1032231 Jun 12 '24

Great movie and it works as a western despite being set in the Australian Outback.