This is an amazing tale of an African-American slave who does everything in his power to find and recover his slave wife, Broomhilda. During his journey, he partners with a headhunter, Dr. King Schultz, and becomes his student and later, his partner. This gory lovefest is truly one of the best action films of the decade and received numerous awards and nominations.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays the “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie, a psychopathic plantation owner who owns Django’s wife. During one of the more intense scenes of the film, DiCaprio got so into his monologue that he accidentally smashed a glass in his hands and was profusely bleeding for the rest of the scene. Instead of stopping the scene, he not only continued to act but also smeared the blood on actress Kerry Washington’s face to make it more intense. Now that’s what intense method acting looks like!
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
In keeping with the John Ford films, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tells the story of a skilled gunman and the power of the mythical hero.
It Ford's purest expression of the Old West and a film fit for the quintessential John Wayne character,
Fort Apache (John Ford, 1948)
A typical John Ford portrayal "xenophobic" portrayals of Native Americans. It was 1948, after all. At least we get to see how frontier tradesmen illegally sold weapons and toxic whiskey to the Native Americans.
The final act shows how terrible the decision results in the senseless deaths of men on both sides. A classic and genre-defining film nonetheless.
Meek's Cutoff (2010, Kelly Reichardt)
Considered to be even anti-western, "Meek's Cutoff" is still a must for this list. The film explores the vast and neverending west and omnipresent violence rather than the occasional gunfights.
Enjoy the scene of the Oregon desert and a brilliant Michelle Williams performance.
Lone Star (1996, John Sayles)
This masterpiece somehow flew under the radar. Chris Cooper portrays a curious Lone Star named Sam Deeds who sets out to solve the 25-year-old murder of a sadistic predecessor. Sam digs up a dirty past that possibly even involves his own father.
This rich and complex film juggles many characters like an acrobatic act!