Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Genre

Western

Director

Sergio Leone

Countries

Italy, USA

Cast

Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, Gabriele Ferzetti, Paolo Stoppa Marco Zuanelli, Keenan Wynn, Frank Wolff, Lionel Stander, Woody Strode Jack Alam, Al Mulock

Storyline

Harmonica (Charles Bronson) and Cheyenne (Jason Robards) joins forces to protect the beautiful Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) from a ruthless assassin (Henry Fonda) working for the railroad. 

Opinion

Once Upon a Time in the West and I have a history. It is both the first western and the first Sergio Leone movie I've seen. But it's more than that. It is also that film that I watch and makes me see what western lovers see in westerns. It is good on so many levels, each time I watch it I love it a little more. That's the kind of film Once Upon a Time in the West is to me.

The story isn't very complex and it's basically the same as in any other western, not to mention the incredibly slow pace it has, nonetheless it is incredibly compelling as Leone manages to create mystery, intrigue and suspense around so little. There isn't any epic plot twist, still it feels like there are because of how brilliantly the story is told. Also, this is not the kind of story that is supposed to entertain only, but to make you feel something as well.

That, however, isn't by far the best feat of the film. That role belongs to the characters. They are very minimalistic and they barely speak and yet they are well defined, convincing and they feel incredibly real thanks to a solid script, even more solid performances from all the actors involved in the important roles, and, this one is the most important to me, a spectacular camera work. The way Leone captures every single glance, facial expression and body movement is beyond spectacular and the characters really benefit from that.

The characters are also the reason why this will always be one of my favourite westerns. Actually, one particular character, Jill McBain, the only (major) female character. Unlike in most westerns, this is a strong, leading woman. Sure, she still is a prostitute, but she is well characterized and she is fundamental to plot development.

Definitely worth of a mention is the opening sequence. An almost ten minute silent opening sequence where nothing really happens but is nevertheless memorable. One of my favourite openings ever in movies. It's pretty much perfect.

At last but not least there's Ennio Morricone's score. It really adds to the film - if that's even possible considering how spectacular Once Upon a Time in the West already is - adding more drama and emotions. And I'm pretty sure many will agree with me when I say this score is what better than The Hateful Eight's.

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Genres

Action, Adventure, Western

Director

John Sturges

Country

USA

Cast

Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, Horst Buchholtz, Eli Wallach, Vladimir Sokoloff, Jorge Martinez de Hoyos, Rosenda Monteros, Whit Bissell, Rico Alaniz, Natividad Vacio, Robert J. Wilke, Val Avery, Bing Russell

Storyline

When their small village is once again attacked by Calvera (Eli Wallach) and his banditos, three Mexican farmers hire seven gunfighters, each of whom comes for a different reason, to help defend their homes.

Opinion

Nowadays Americans, Hollywood actually, are famous for making awful remakes of great foreign language movies. But I guess things were different back in 1960s because Sturges's The Magnificent Seven is a fantastic remake - maybe even better than Kurosawa's Seven Samurai - as well as a magnificent western.

Having seen Kurosawa's film not long ago I was pretty familiar with the story and the fact that I'm not a huge western fan made me fear for the worse, a boring film and story. But what happened was quite the opposite. Despite its predictability, the film was engaging from beginning to end and kept me on the edge of my seat. Yes, I know this is not a thriller, but I was really invested in the story.

Just like its Japanese predecessor, The Magnificent Seven also has great characters. Although not all the characters are equally developed or well defined, they still are pretty memorable and the characterization throughout is strong. From the cowboys to the farmers to the banditos, each of them has their thing and they all get a fair amount of screen time. An
d the cast also does a good job, especially Yul Brynner as the enigmatic Cowboy leader.

And just like the original, this one as well beautifully portrayed two different cultures, the Mexican farmers and the cowboys, and highlighted that, in times of need, no matter how different people are, they can work together and learn from each other.

What's really different are the atmosphere and pacing. The Magnificent Seven has a better pacing and is way less dark and reflective. It's more of a just chill kind of movie. And it works beautifully as such. This film is indeed incredibly entertaining.

Unforgiven (1992)

Genre

Drama | Western

Director

Clint Eastwood

Country

USA

Cast

Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, Anna Levine, Rob Campbell, Anthony James, Liisa Repo-Martell, Shane Meier, David Mucci, Tara Frederick, Beverly Elliot, Josie Smith

Storyline

With the help of his old partner Ned (Morgan Freeman) and a young man (Jaimz Woolvett), retired gunslinger William Munny (Clint Eastwood) rides off to kill one more time. 

Opinion

Like I said in the past, I am not a fan of western films. I don't dislike them, but it's not a genre I particularly enjoy watching. However, being a fan of Clint Eastwood, I decided to give this film a chance, and it was really worth the time.

"Unforgiven" is in fact a great dramatic western that feels so real it's shocking yet beautiful at the same time.

Although it's simple, thin and unconvincing, the story of a group of prostitutes trying to hire a killer to revenge the cut up of one of them actually works, in part because the writer filled it with plenty of human elements, and in part because it is presented more like a noir set in the west than a classic western. However, in spite of prostitutes being the foundation of the story, the film is actually the story of one man's redemption, and it's beautifully told.

The characters really surprised me. I wasn't expecting so well-developed characters in a western. It's unbelievable how each character feels like a real person. The transformation of the main character, Clint Eastwood's William Munny, throughout the film is also incredible. I have a complain though, not all the characters are interesting, most of them just happen to be there.

In here, Eastwood also proves his capabilities as a director, transforming violence into something unique and portraying a darker Wild West.

In addition to that, the film also benefits from the excellent cinematography by Jack N. Green, and a beautiful musical score by Lennie Niehaus.

And there's also a great cast. Other than Clint Eastwood giving a good performance as the main character, the supporting cast is really shining here, especially Gene Hackman in the role of the sadist sheriff, Little Bill Daggett, who gives an Oscar-worthy performance that easily eclipses Eastwood's.

Diablo (2015)

Genre

Thriller | Western

Director

Lawrence Roeck

Country

USA

Cast

Scott Eastwood, Walton Goggins, Camilla Belle, José Zuniga, Danny Glover, Nesta Cooper, Adam Beach, Samuel Marty, Joaquim de Almeida, Tzi Ma, Rohan Campbell

Storyline

A young civil war veteran (Scott Eastwood) is forced on a desperate journey to save his kidnapped wife (Camilla Belle).

Opinion

Scott Eastwood made me want to watch this film. After seeing him in romances, comic book movies and so on, I was really interested in seeing him following his father's footstep aka starring in a western. 

My expectations, however, were quite low because of the film's rating everywhere. But "Diablo" didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought. It is still a mediocre western, but it's quite interesting, and it's worth watching to see Scott Eastwood.

Remember, I said mediocre, which means, for starter, that the plot isn't great. Actually it is very simple, clichéd and a little dragged which makes the film boring at times. But then comes the twist, which is probably too smart for the film, arguably the best part of the story, and I personally didn't see coming, and makes things a little bit more interesting.

While the story is simple, the characters are a real mess. Most of the supporting characters come and go with no known reason, but the real problem is the main character, Scott Eastwood's. With no character development at all, the lead is so weak it almost makes sense for Walton Goggins' character to keep playing into the story.

That being said, there are some good aspects too. The cinematography is outstanding and breathtaking. Kudos to the director and crew for capturing the American Frontier in all it's glory. The musical score is also nice. The acting isn't great, but, given the script, I'd say both Scott Eastwood and Walton Goggins did a good job.

Ultimately, Lawrence Roeck's idea of putting together elements from westerns and psychological thrillers is nice, but poorly executed. And a waste of talents. 

Jane Got a Gun (2016)

Genre

Action | Drama | Western

Director

Gavin O'Connor

Country

USA

Cast

Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich, Rodrigo Santoro, Boyd Holbrook, Ewan McGregor, Alex Manette, James Burnett, Sam Quinn

Storyline

Jane (Natalie Portman) asks her former fiancé (Joel Edgerton) for help in order to save her outlaw husband (Noah Emmerich) from a gang out to kill him.

Opinion

After years of a troubled production - and me waiting because I really wanted to see Natalie Portman in a western - "Jane Got a Gun" finally got released this year, and man what a disappointment. The film is indeed dull, emotionless and doesn't have any element to really redeem itself.

This story - which I won't be repeating again but you can read it above - has been done over and over again, and even though the filmmakers decided to put a woman as the lead and hero of the story, it still has that already-seen feeling.

Because of the extremely slow pace, and long silences at times alternated with awfully written dialogues, the filmmakers thought it was a brilliant idea to add an humongous amount of flashbacks. But while the first couple of them are quite well placed and do have a point, the rest not only are not needed but also completely disjointed, and that's how the filmmakers decided to tell us the backstory. Stupidity after stupidity.

So what you get from that are characters with a tremendous backstory that however don't have any development whatsoever; nor they have something interesting to make you care about them.

On the other hand we have the action which is not outstanding, but isn't bad either. There are some pretty well done action sequences, that's it. Honestly I was expecting a lot more action, but I'm still not sure how (or if) that affected the film.

Then there is the cast that is basically the only reason I wanted to see this flick. And overall they do a good job. But it's not the case of Natalie Portman which is passive for much of the film and makes you wonder how is that even the same woman from "Black Swan".

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Genre

Mystery | Western

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Country

USA

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, James Parks, Channing Tatum, Dana Gourrier, Zoë Bell, Lee Horsley, Gene Jones, Keith Jefferson, Craig Stark, Belinda Owino, Quentin Tarantino

Storyline

During the winter in Wyoming, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive captive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) race towards the town of Red Rock. Along the road, they encounter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), an infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a man who claims to be Red Rock's new sheriff. Lost in a blizzard, they seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive, they are greeted by four unfamiliar faces: Bob (Demián Bichir), who's taking care of Minnie's while she's visiting her mother, Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, the eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all.

Opinion

As if having to wait until February the 4th for this film wasn't awful enough, I didn't even have the opportunity to see the 70mm version - which according to everyone makes a hell of a difference -, but at least I got to see it in English. Anyway, I feel very, very sorry for the haters, because Tarantino did what Tarantino does best, he made another masterpiece.

Raw, bloody and insane, "The Hateful Eight" is an excellent western as well as a great murder mystery with a great story, stunning cinematography, and sublime music.

Let's start from the storyline. It's simple, at the same time very improbable and absolutely convincing, and it's told in a complex, interesting and unique way that will keep your eyes glued to the screen throughout the entire running time - whether 167 minutes for unlucky people like myself, or 187 minutes for the lucky ones. If I had to compare it to another Tarantino it'd definitely be "Reservoir Dogs", Tarantino's debut film - Michael Madsen and Tim Roth are even in it!

The first "peaceful" half is built almost entirely on witty, philosophical, and deeply engaging dialogue, which serves to set the stage for the characters. Following a big plot twist that brings the narrator, Tarantino himself, back a few minutes to show a scene from another point of view, the second half is what one would call a typical Tarantino.

Just like most of his films, the story is divided into chapters and the events aren't in a chronological order, but each missing piece is unveiled when needed, making the story very thrilling and unpredictable.

The violent action scenes always have a reason to be in the film, and transform the hateful eight's mental violence into pictures. Also these scenes are perfectly balanced with the slow, calm ones.

The setting is excellent. After 30 minutes or so taking place on a stagecoach, the film then entirely takes place in Minnie's Haberdashery, a small cabin in the middle of nowhere. Besides from giving almost a claustrophobic feeling, and recalling once again Tarantino's first time, it shows how much this genius can do with so little.

Everything is spectacular, from the excellent camera work from Robert Richardson to the meticulous set pieces and costumes, to Ennio Morricone's fascinating, enthralling, and sinister musical score that makes the smell of blood palpable from the very beginning.

The acting is top-notch. Yes, Jennifer Jason Leigh is spectacular as Daisy Domergue and she even got an Academy Award nomination, but let's not forget about the rest of the cast. At his sixth collaboration with Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson does a wonderful job as Major Marquis Warren, once again in the role of a divine executioner. He really gives his best when teaming with Tarantino, he performs his words like no other, and delivers some very interesting and intelligent monologues. Needless to say this was an Oscar worthy performance. Tim Roth gives a performance as Oswald that feels like Christoph Waltz's in "Inglourious Basterds", which is a good thing. Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Michael Madsen, Demián Bichir and Bruce Dern also do a great job with the characters.

In a nutshell, all people love of Tarantino's films - witty dialogue, bloody violence, non-linear storytelling and black humour - is in "The Hateful Eight". So if you are a fan, like myself, you can't miss this.

When the handbill says "dead or alive", the rest of us just shoot you in the back from up on top a perch somewhere and bring you in dead over a saddle. But when John Ruth the Hangman catches you... You hang! - Major Marquis Warren

Slow West (2015)

Genre

Action | Thriller | Western

Director

John Maclean

Country

UK | New Zealand

Cast

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn, Caren Pistorius, Rory McCann

Storyline

At the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas (Michael Fassbender), a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way.

Opinion

Maybe it's because I'm a die-hard Fassbender fan, but he is always worth watching, even if the film is bad. I am not a great connoisseur of Western - I've watched Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "For a Few Dollars More", and Kevin Costner's "Dances with Wolves" only - but until now I loved them. This one is no different.

Slow paced as the title suggests, Slow West is a bizarre, captivating, funny, touching and violent Western road trip that confirms John Maclean as a big talent.

British director and writer John Maclean, through the eyes of naive dreamer Jay, tells a beautiful story, with a memorable ending, about the violence in the New World, cynicism, and money rush that involves everybody, both natives and immigrants. Also, he manages to balance life and death with some great comedic elements. 

There is no much character development, but considering the great result achieved, I don't feel like complaining about it.

Filmed in New Zealand, the scenography lacks in Canyons, and provides a sense of loss, yet the spectacular landscapes give you hope. The cinematography by Robbie Ryan is great, and the musical score by Jed Kurzel blends with the film.

The acting is sublime. Michael Fassbender, both leading character and narrator, delivers another wonderful performance - he has improved his American accents a lot since "12 Years a Slave" - and his humour perfectly fits the character and this road trip. Kodi Smit-McPhee does a fantastic job in the other leading role. However, the most memorable is Caren Pistorius as the beautiful Rose. She does not have lot of screen time, but she is in the frame she captures your full attention.

Michael Fassbender once said, "The great thing about doing independent films is that they move fast, and I like that. I like the speed, and having to be on your toes...The little films need the big films to do well because they are dependent on getting that money. "Frank" gets made because I do something like "X-Men: First Class" or "Prometheus". I don't think thanking him from the bottom of my heart will be enough. 

Quotes

Silas: That kid was a wonder. He saw things differently. To him, we were in a land of hope and good will. 

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Genre

Adventure | Drama | Western

Director

Kevin Costner

Country

USA

Cast

Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Tantoo Cardinal, Jimmy Herman, Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, Michael Spears, Jason R. Lone Hill, Charles Rocket Robert Pastorelli, Larry Joshua, Tony Pierce, Kirk Baltz, Tom Everett, Maury Chaykin, Wes Studi, Wayne Grace, Michael Horton

Storyline

Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner), exiled to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Native Americans, making him an intolerable aberration in the military.

Opinion

Some people said there's no reason for the film's three-hour length. I agree on that, because the film's length was supposed to be almost four hours, but then the studio made Costner cut some parts.

Dance with Wolves is a marvelous, adventurous, romantic, peaceful, and violent western, full of love and hate, misunderstanding and guidance.

Never before has a story about Native Americans been told with such emotion, and although such contacts hardly ever took place, because of the racist dominant culture, this 'what if' story is simply spectacular. The magnificent storytelling drew me in, and made me one with it's leading character, as the Native Americans were with nature. 

Kevin Costner's directorial debut is flawless. I'm amazed at how smooth the film is, whether is an action, romance, or quiet scene.

The cinematography is breathtaking. The scenery is absolutely stunning. The musical score also is spectacular.

The acting is great. Kevin Costner plays the role of John Dunbar to perfection, delivering his best performance ever. The supporting cast is excellent: Graham Greene delivers an outstanding performance as Kicking Bird, Mary McDonnell delivers an emotionally deep performance as Stands With A Fist, and Rodney A. Grant is wonderful as Wind In His Hair.

Not too many films leave you feeling enriched, but this one does. And if you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend you the Director's Cut version, it might be longer, but it's flawless, and you'll never want this 'journey' to be over.

Quotes

John Dunbar: Many times I'd felt alone, but until this afternoon I'd never felt completely lonely. 

John Dunbar: My name is Dances with Wolves. I have nothing to say to you. You are not worth talking to.

Wind In His Hair: Dance with Wolves! I am Wind In His Hair. Do you see that I am your friend? Can you see that you will always be my friend?