The NZA Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 This was really good, especially after the expectation-lowering modern westerns like Open Range and shit do for you. Crowe's a really great bad guy here, whose ruthless pose gets mixed up with ranchhand Batman (Bale) in a retelling of a classic western that has all the elements, even the Shane-like moments. The cliches are true to form, and the action and suspense are well shot/executed, with some particularly good moments from Bale's trying-to-do-right-now-former-soldier-protagonist. There's not a whole lot to add here; if you're a fan of the genre, as you should be, its among the better ones since the early 90's when we got Unforgiven and Tombstone. That said, i gotta check out The Proposition finally, hopefully sometime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Open Range had one of the best gunfights I've seen in ages and Robert Duvall hadn't been that good since Lonesome Dove. Probablem was Kevin Costner stank it up like usual and the non-shooting non-Duvall parts sucked ass. But 3:10 to Yuma was great and Ben Foster deserved an Oscar Nomination for his supporting role which he plays brilliantly. It also occured to me that if you disregarded the fact that they obviously had nothing to do with one another storyline wise you could actually make this in your mind into a prequel to The Quick and the Dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acalis Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I personally loved it. I hope they continue to make more Westerns like this today, considering most of the movies nowadays just plain sucks. Maybe they could coax Clint Eastwood to hop back on his saddle and go for one more ride? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I personally loved it. I hope they continue to make more Westerns like this today, considering most of the movies nowadays just plain sucks. Maybe they could coax Clint Eastwood to hop back on his saddle and go for one more ride? That's about as likely as seeing the end of the Every Which Way But Loose trilogy or Dirty Harry 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 i dunno, i could see Eastwood doing one more although i imagine it'd be tempting to just leave it at Unforgiven. Tor - agreed. christ, i even sat through All the pretty horses, if that tells you anything. Also, thanks for reminding me, when speaking of great modern westerns, TV series or not, i cant keep leaving Lonesome Dove out, that was top notch in my book. youre gonna have me thinking all day about that prequel thing, even if i didnt really dig Quick & The Dead (felt like a Mortal Kombat western to me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 And you also forget to mention the Adventures of Brisco County Jr in your list of good modern westerns. Glad you finally watched this one, Nick. I knew it'd be right up your alley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 Yeah, like i said, The Proposition is next, and then uh, Brisco County Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acalis Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I actually liked Brisco County Jr. I thought it was a pretty funny show and I loved the music and the Bly episodes were the bomb! Not to mention I had a mad crush on Dixie Cousins, wow I thought she was hot! I was pretty pissed off when they cancelled the show after one season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Fluffakins Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 What about "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford", has anyone seen that? Any good? It should at least win an award for longed film title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acalis Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 What about "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford", has anyone seen that? Any good? It should at least win an award for longed film title. It would be beat out by 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Fluffakins Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 It would be beat out by 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" Yeah thats true, got me there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 In word count, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood wins by two words. Borat does have the edge on characters though. And I was not joking about Brisco County Jr being a good modern western. I don't discriminate against comedies. One of my favorite Westerns is Maverick, which is also a comedy, based on a comedy TV series which I've never seen, but is widely highly regarded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiffytee Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Just watched this the other day. What a refreshing new direction for classic westerns. I couldn't get past the first half hour of the good, bad and ugly - it is quite slow paced. But this one, wow! it's no last man standing action, but is a good mix of characterization and action. Ben Foster is a big surprise here, especially if you saw him in six feet under! Crowe is a great Wade and Bale is as always, perfect. Granted, it's not realistic (ending) but you gotta admit this movie is damn good entertainment. ps.. and that open range movie? i want my 2 hours back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signal08 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 this movie was good shit. I had very low hopes for it, but once I saw it, I was very surprised. Bale has really proved to be a great actor. Am psycho was priceless, and Im glad he plays a realistic Batman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiffytee Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 yeah, bale has a different way of speaking in every movie.. check out the prestige, vietnam poilot flick, american psycho and batman. he is very convincing. check out how he talks in his interviews.. and crowe does so well here... dare i say better than gladiator? funny how this is an american western and the 2 top billed are australian and welsh (not sure, but i know he isn't american) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 God, I loved this movie. Old and new. <sigh> And I agree with Jax, Maverick and Briscoe County Jr were both good. Though, I don't know if I would call them a western so much as movies set in the west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 C'mon now, Maverick was pure Western. And so was Brisco County Jr, it just had, you know...all that other stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Maverick was more of a western parody than a western, it certainly had the setting but it mocked the conventions of westerns in a much more subtle manner than say Blazing Saddles or Wagons East. Brisco County Jr. was a spiritual successor to Wild Wild West (the show, not the movie) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acalis Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I just bought the DVD for my mother for Christmas. She loves this movie too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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