Travis said something a few posts down about westerns being an almost dead genre, and I couldn’t help thinking about what great westerns I’d seen recently. I was just going to write this in a comment, but then I thought I might as well post.

In the past 3 years there have been some incredibly good westerns. In fact, here is 5 I’d say can compete with Travis’s list of old classics.

Here is my list:

1. As Travis Mentioned, The Assassination of Jesse James was great.

2. No Country for Old Men was not only fantastic but picked up the Oscar for Best Picture.

3. 3:10 to Yuma was also released in 2007 and it was well above par as well.

4. I also have Brokeback Mountain sitting by my TV (I still haven’t felt like watching it, but it is there.) and if I recall, thats a western(ish) that won best picture as well.

But here is where I have to stop and say something about a special movie that most people probably missed.

5. Everyone should rent: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Tommy Lee Jones does an excellent job as both director and lead in this story of justice, friendship and duty. The characters in this movie are constantly faced with disappointment as their hopes for a better tomorrow are left behind.

This is well worth the rental for anyone, especially those looking for more westerns. This should give Travis a little hope about the state of the western genre.