Appaloosa

Now, I'll start out by saying I'm not typically a fan of westerns. Most feel and sound the same, and rarely do they draw me in. If I'm going to watch a western, it usually is the darker, more existential western with brutal violence and sad, lonely characters. It just makes for a good watch. So, is Appaloosa one of these? Not entirely. But Appaloosa is a bit grim, so it gets points for that. Ed Harris, the man behind the script and the camera, brings us conflicted, complicated city marshal Virgil Cole. He is man lost in his work, his only friend found in Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen). The duo work well together, enforce their own laws in order to keep peace. But when Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) and Allison French (Renee Zellweger) get into the mix, the duo become fragmented. Appaloosa is filled with interesting characters and moments of thrilling violence. Which is everything a good western needs, right? The only thing I found myself hoping for was more on the quiet, quick draw Everett Hitch. Mortensen played him perfectly, and he stole every scene he was in.

Genre - Western (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

The Proposition

For my money, the finest Australian western around. Not that there is much competition, but still. The Proposition, written by musician Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat, is set in the Australian outback of the 1880s. It is violent, beautiful, and quiet. By quiet, I mean tempers rarely flare, as outlaws and lawmen aim to kill one another in an almost civilized way. That is police Captain Stanley's (Ray Winstone) intention, to make the land civilized. But between stunning shots of the outback are stark scenes of violence, though only in the beginning are they traditional shootouts. The violence of The Proposition is up close and personal, and typically revolves around vengeance or for the furthering of a characters interests. The film is dark and brooding, but the story is about one brother (Guy Pearce) trying to kill another (Danny Huston). Cave's score fits perfectly with the overall tone of the film. A good watch regardless of your opinion on westerns.

Genre - Western (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (3)