Shubhabrata Dutta
The old American West is a place that harbors many stories. Hollywood has shown a particular interest in this scenario and has given the audience some truly great films. Cowboys, gunslingers, Native Americans, outlaws — there is a lot of scope for concocting interesting stories and creating iconic characters. The texture, the music, and the whole aura of these films are completely different, and when a Western film is on, you know it’ll surely be an adventurous ride full of action. Considering the growing demand for Westerns, streaming platforms like Hulu maintain a collection of some great movies in the genre.
5. Killing Faith (2025)
Set in the mid-19th century American West, ‘Killing Faith’ follows a trio: Sarah, her unnamed daughter with supernatural abilities, and a physician, Dr. Bender. Sarah is convinced that her daughter is possessed by the Devil, though Bender thinks that it’s not so. As the trio travels to a preacher who is supposed to “heal” the kid, their experiences and how they affect their respective takes on faith form the movie’s premise. With Guy Pearce as Bender, DeWanda Wise as Sarah, Emily Ford as the girl, and Bill Pullman as the preacher, ‘Killing Faith’ is directed by Ned Crowley. It can be streamed here.
4. The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)
Directed by Leah Purcell, this movie is based on a classic short story, ‘The Drover’s Wife’ written by Henry Lawson in 1892. While the story doesn’t reveal the character’s name, the movie makes sure she has one we cinephiles will remember for a long time. Molly Johnson lives with her children in the Australian Outback while her husband earns a living by moving livestock, which is why he is away from home for months at a stretch before returning. Her vigilance for her children, accompanied by her worry about the forms her surroundings take, is what the movie explores. The cast includes Leah Purcell as the titular character, Rob Collins, Jessica De Gouw, and Sam Reid. You can watch the movie here.
3. The Old Way (2023)
In Brett Donowho’s 1870s Montana-set ‘The Old Way,’ Nicolas Cage stars as gunslinger Colton Briggs, who is involved in a game of revenge. When James McAllister, the son of Walter McAllister, a bandit Briggs killed long back, returns and kills Briggs’ wife, the latter decides to end the game once and for all. He also takes along his twelve-year-old daughter, Brooke, who shares his taste for revenge. Connecting with U.S. Marshal Franklin Jarret, Briggs pursues James, who is on his way to a different town to recover buried cash. A must-watch for Nicolas Cage fans, ‘The Old Way’ can be streamed right here.
2. Butcher’s Crossing (2022)
Directed by Gabe Polsky, ‘Butcher’s Crossing’ is based on the 1960 novel by John Edward Williams. The film follows Harvard dropout Will Andrews, who arrives in Butcher’s Crossing, a small Kansas town, and joins Miller, a mysterious frontiersman/buffalo hunter, on a buffalo-hunting expedition funded by Will. Will wants to explore the Wild West and is influenced by Miller’s tales. However, the expedition, as enchanting as it is because of the terrain, brings many hardships. The natural elements start affecting Will’s sanity, made even worse by Miller’s maniacal lust for the slaughter and skinning of buffalo. The expedition ultimately becomes a fight for survival underscored by greed. The film stars Fred Hechinger as Will Andrews and Nicolas Cage, who is perfect as an unhinged Miller. You can watch ‘Butcher’s Crossing’ here.
Related
1. Americana (2023)
Tony Tost’s ‘Americana’ is a neo-Western crime thriller centered on the theft of a sacred Lakota Ghost Shirt valued at $1,000,000. In possession of the shirt is Mandy (Halsey), who takes it from her abusive boyfriend, Dillon (Eric Dane), and flees to start a new life. Then there is down-on-his-luck military veteran Lefty (Paul Walter Hauser) and his new friend Penny Jo (Sydney Sweeney), who want to get their hands on the shirt and use the money for themselves. Then there is a militant Native American group led by Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon) that wants the shirt back. How these plots intersect and who finally gets to keep the shirt forms the premise of the thriller. You can watch it here.
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