Whether you’ve been lassoed into a recent TV series, stumbled upon the good ol’ days of Clint Eastwood’s résumé, or simply long for the sweet, fresh air of the American West, one thing is clear: The Western genre is having its moment in the sun. And even (or especially) if you’re submerged in the world of tech and bustle, it’s easy to see why these stories are particularly alluring.

Maybe you’re a veteran of the genre looking for something new to enjoy or maybe it is, in fact, your first rodeo. Either way, there’s a Western waiting to draw you in. When you step into this world, expect conversations about justice, freedom, and the human need to escape constraint. Don’t be surprised to see a bit of gunslinging. And if you forget all else, remember: The most important character is the land. In any Western, watch closely to see how the land comes to life, because — make no mistake — no matter who lives or dies, the land will always win. We’re just here trying to make peace while we live on it.

Without further ado, here’s a half (dirty) dozen Westerns that should be on your watch list tonight.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is by the Coen brothers, which should tell you everything you need to know. It’s wild. It’s experimental. But most of all, it’s entertaining as hell. While a lot of the Western genre has waded (with varying degrees of success) into revisionist history, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs skewers that approach, pointing out the inconsistencies of Western lore with the help of six vignettes. Together, these stories offer a peek at a range of bizarre, darkly comedic tropes and conventions of the American Western. The cast is expansive — where else can you see Tyne Daly, Liam Neeson, and James Franco on the same marquee? The six stories developed by Ethan and Joel Coen range in theme and tone, sure, but what you have at the end of the day is a collection of Western yarns fit for any campfire.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

2h 13m   16+   2018

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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Breaking Bad changed the course of TV history with its dark antihero tale, following Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) ventures in meth making. But even after that show’s heart-racing finale, series creator Vince Gilligan still had more in store for Jesse. Gilligan uses this neo-Western to give fans a final feature-length look at where the character ends up after the events of the series. Through a storyline entangling him and the ruthless Todd (Jesse Plemons), El Camino continues Jesse’s story while also flashing back to memories Jesse shares with Breaking Bad’s main players. It all makes for a fitting conclusion for one of Albuquerque’s most wayward sons. 

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

2h 2m   16+   2019

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The Harder They Fall

One of the best parts of the Western resurgence is that filmmakers are going back, digging through history books and finding hero stories that most of us never knew existed. Which brings us to The Harder They Fall, a film based largely on real people. Directed by Jeymes Samuel (The Book of Clarence), this Western brings together a cast of characters from the 19th century, focused mainly around the revenge-seeking saga of Nat Love (Jonathan Majors), after the brutal murder of his parents. But what The Harder They Fall evolves into is also a familiar story of the American West: two men, locked  in a duel, exchanging plenty equal parts gunpowder and wit. Factor in an incredible cast made up almost entirely of elite Black performers (alongside Majors, there’s Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, and Delroy Lindo, to name a few), and you have a blockbuster for the ages.

The Harder They Fall

2h 19m   16+   2021

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The Highwaymen

Everyone knows the legend of Bonnie and Clyde, but the infamous felons weren’t the only people involved in the tale. Have you heard of Frank Hamer and Maney Gault, the Texas rangers who tracked down Bonnie and Clyde through the 1930s? This is their story. Starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, this film is all about the men who set their sights on two of the most dastardly robbers that America has ever seen. Bonnie and Clyde’s might be the sexier story, but that’s half the point. Justice tends to lose its sheen when compared to the exciting life of criminals on the run, but after all, justice must be served by someone.

The Highwaymen

2h 12m   16+   2019

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Mudbound

Unlike most Westerns, Mudbound jumps forward well into the 20th century. Set in the 1940s, Mudbound taps into the American fatigue in the aftermath of two world wars. Following two soldiers who return to Mississippi after combat, the story delves into their journeys back into civilian life. Both men — one white, one Black — face their fair share of postwar trauma, but their experience with racism in mid-century Mississippi couldn’t be more different. Written and directed by Dee Rees, this Oscar-nominated film also offers up a scene-stealing dramatic performance by Mary J. Blige.

Mudbound

2h 15m   16+   2017

Remind Me

The Power of the Dog

To give you the lay of the land on this sweeping Western’s bona fides, The Power of the Dog was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Jane Campion won the Oscar for Best Director. Campion’s film is set in the plains of Montana, centering on two brothers whose lives begin to diverge when George (Jesse Plemons) meets a widow by the name of Rose (Kirsten Dunst). George’s brother, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch), never warms to Rose or her son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Phil badgers Peter for being “effeminate” and unprepared for cowboy life, but Phil’s inner demons truly begin to reveal themselves as it becomes more and more clear that Phil sees a bit too much of himself in Peter. Come for the cowboys; stay for the psychological thrill.

The Power of the Dog

2h 8m   16+   2021

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