While Western cinema has always been defined by themes of violence, justice, and morality as much as it has been by its sweeping visuals and cowboy characters, the mid-20th century heyday of the genre wasn’t exactly renowned for its hard-hitting or confronting realism. As the decades have rolled on, however, that sense of visceral authenticity has become more enticing to viewers who want to see the genre’s air of fabled American values dismantled in taxing and truthful illustrations of what life was like in the Old West.

The Western movies of the 21st century have appealed to this demographic, and the genre has become synonymous with gruelling intensity and shocking violence over the last 25 years. While some modern classics like True Grit and First Cow prove that lower-rated depictions of the genre can still thrive, the vast majority of Western cinema in recent decades has been R-rated. The best of the century so far has consisted of everything from spaghetti Western callbacks to biographical dramas, revenge epics, and even modern-set neo-Western spins on the genre’s rusted-on tropes and ideas.

10

‘Bone Tomahawk’ (2015)

One of the most viscerally violent and disturbing pictures of the century so far, Bone Tomahawk is a confronting, savage, and mentally scarring illustration of the genre. Accentuated with flourishes of extreme horror and brutality, it follows several men from the small town of Bright Hope as they embark on a trek to rescue three people abducted by a cannibalistic, cave-dwelling tribe.

A directorial debut of astonishing conviction and impact from S. Craig Zahler, Bone Tomahawk presents Western cinema at its most unflinching and raw. It takes a somewhat traditional captivity narrative of heroism and rescue, and imbues it with moments of ferocious violence capable of making even the most hardened viewers squirm in their seats. Bolstered by a litany of strong performances, a dread-inducing slow-burn tempo, and the incredible yet harrowing practical and technical execution of its most violent scenes, Bone Tomahawk soars as a bold and daring Western horror.

9

‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)

Image via The Weinstein Company

Advertisement

From one Kurt Russell-starring Western thriller to another, The Hateful Eight tells a winding story of distrust, violence, and close confines intensity that stands as perhaps Quentin Tarantino’s most underrated movie. It unfolds in a haberdashery amid a snowstorm in Wyoming, with eight strangers taking refuge in the small lodge. With bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Russell) escorting fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be executed, every new face presents as a potential threat waiting to strike and free the criminal from captivity.

With its palpable, chamber-play atmospheric tension absorbing viewers in every sudden twist and violent revelation, The Hateful Eight thrives as an immersive pressure-cooker of rich and volatile characters simmering towards an inevitable eruption of violence. Tarantino’s mastery of gripping dialogue and suspense combines beautifully with Robert Richardson’s enrapturing cinematography and Ennio Morricone’s score to make for a masterful modern epic and a dazzling spectacle of Western cinema.

8

‘Hell or High Water’ (2016)

Image via Lionsgate Films

Advertisement

Hell or High Water is a raging neo-Western masterpiece that questions traditional genre notions of heroism and villainy. With their ranch in debt following the death of their mother and the bank looking to foreclose on the property, brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) start robbing different branches of the Texas Midlands Bank to come up with the money. As their crime spree spreads, two aging Texas Rangers are assigned to the case. The film explores themes of generational poverty, the death of the American dream, the moral ambiguity of crime, and the cataclysmic failing of the nation’s economic structure.

With Taylor Sheridan’s brilliant and piercing screenplay, David Mackenzie’s absorbing direction, and a litany of exceptional performances, Hell or High Water thrives as one of the most engaging Westerns of the past decade. It recreates the atmosphere of the Old West in a contemporary setting, while subverting themes and character archetypes. It aims to illuminate how much America has changed, or at least how far detached it is from the idealized, often celebrated vision of the Old West. Effective, efficient, and exhilarating, it’s one of the essential movies of the 2010s as well as an instant classic of Western cinema.

7

‘The Proposition’ (2005)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Advertisement

Given that the genre is called the “Western” because it explores life on the expanding frontier of the American West, it stands to reason that most Western stories transpire in America, but that isn’t always the case. A powerfully ferocious and philosophical spin on the genre from Australia, The Proposition sees the genre’s essential themes of colonization and civilization, justice, crime, and even morality reapplied to an outback setting. It follows captured fugitive Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) as he is given an ultimatum: find and kill his sadistic older brother in nine days, or his naive younger brother will be hanged.

Bereft of glory or heroics, The Proposition soars as an uncompromising immersion in the brutality of the time. This relentless illustration of desperation, depravity, and violence is emboldened by a litany of exceptional performances and the majestic yet merciless landscape of the Australian wilderness. Written by Nick Cave (who also provided the film with its intense and haunting score, alongside Warren Ellis), The Proposition isn’t just a tale of Western brutality, but an immersion in the callousness of Australia’s expanding frontier.

6

‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ (2007)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Advertisement

A criminally underrated gem that serves as a poetic and piercing Western drama as well as a thematically rich biopic about violence, celebrity, and obsession, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a highlight of revisionist Western cinema. Using its story to challenge genre norms and deconstruct the myth of heroism, gallantry, and honor in the Old West, it unfolds as a methodical and measured slow-burn. This wafting meditation on one of America’s most polarizing figures is also a gorgeous realization of 1880s America, courtesy of Roger Deakins’ brilliance.

With a 160-minute runtime, the Western biopic follows Robert Ford’s (Casey Affleck) initiation into the gang of his idol, Jesse James (Brad Pitt). Over time, Ford’s adoration of James turns to embittered resentment, leading him to hatch a scheme to kill the outlaw. Even in its striking eruptions of violence, the film maintains an air of composure. Director Andrew Dominik imbues the story with gravitas through his restrained pacing, evocative use of silence and narration, and the lingering sense of the wealth, freedom, and infamy deteriorating into something rotten and corrosive.

5

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

Image via Apple Studios

Advertisement

Blending Western ideas with a fiercely important documentation of historical events, Killers of the Flower Moon is one of the greatest movies of the 2020s so far, and an essential Martin Scorsese masterpiece. Set in 1920s Oklahoma, on the land of the Osage Nation, it unfolds as greed, violence, and cut-throat opportunism engulf the community following the discovery of an oil deposit under the land. Amid the murder and carnage, Molly Burkhart (Lily Gladstone) pleads to the U.S. government to investigate, unaware that her husband, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his family are the driving force behind the deaths.

Epic in scope, runtime, and thematic gravitas, Killers of the Flower Moon is a confronting immersion in a heinous chapter of American history, one that boldly showcases evil not as an enigmatic force of twisted genius or terrible power, but as simple greed combined with opportunity and self-justification. The decision to focus on Molly and Ernest’s marriage, founded on true love and mutual respect, adds another compelling element to the story. The result is an enthralling, albeit disturbing, Western drama that stands among the most commanding pictures the genre has ever seen.

4

‘Django Unchained’ (2012)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Advertisement

Recreating the slashing style and violent vehemence of spaghetti Western cinema with the technical advancements of modern-day filmmaking, Django Unchained is an enjoyable indulgence, a cathartic revenge flick loaded with panache and punch. Jamie Foxx stars as Django, a recently freed slave working with bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to track down outlaws. In exchange for his help, Schultz agrees to help Django reunite with his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), who has been sold to the plantation of the notoriously cruel Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Django Unchained successfully blends together the adventure and amorality of the spaghetti Westerns of old while incorporating periods of sustained suspense and outbursts of hilarious black comedy into the fold. The result is 165 minutes of outrageous, unadulterated fun. It displays the genre at its most exuberant and excessive, making for one of the most relentlessly entertaining movies of the century so far, and a soaring highlight in Quentin Tarantino’s filmography.

3

‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)

Image via Focus Features

Advertisement

Stoic masculinity blanketing any notion of emotional vulnerability has long been a defining characteristic of Western drama. It is an idea that is brilliantly used in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, an ingenious marriage of neo-Western and queer romance storytelling based on Annie Proulx’s short story of the same name. It follows the forbidden love that blossoms between sheep herders Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) over a summer together in 1963. While both men return to their homes and marry their girlfriends, the passion they shared on Brokeback Mountain never leaves them, complicating their lives as their sporadic romance carries on for years.

It may be an unconventional Western, especially as it secures its R-rating through sexual content and coarse language more so than violence, but Brokeback Mountain embodies the defining characteristics of the genre. It presents a picture of sweeping, naturalistic majesty while tackling themes of masculinity, repressed emotions, and isolation. Anchored by two outstanding lead performances and Ang Lee’s deft direction, Brokeback Mountain endures as a piercing romantic drama, and one of the most ambitious, tender, and culturally timeless Westerns of all time.

2

‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)

Image via Paramount Vantage

Advertisement

Despite there being some great Westerns from abroad, the genre is innately American, with the original Western movies from the ’30s through to the ’60s presenting a mythic version of the nation’s history. There Will Be Blood takes this air of myth and might and turns the genre into a breathtaking dismantling of capitalist greed. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it follows oil magnate Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he treks to California to investigate claims of an oil deposit and forms a vicious rivalry with the duplicitous local preacher, Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), in the process.

Through the story of Plainview’s posturing and ambition, There Will Be Blood presents American capitalism at its unfiltered, unfeeling worst, bolstered by Daniel Day-Lewis’s astonishing, transformative performance. The thematic wrath of its message of power and wealth and the technical mastery of its execution are among its greatest strengths. There Will Be Blood must be considered not only a triumphant Western masterpiece of the modern day but a defining highlight of 21st-century cinema at large.

1

‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)

Image via Miramax Films

Advertisement

Marking a striking departure from the typical black comedy of the Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men is an unfiltered embracement of pure neo-Western suspense. Based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name, it follows Texan hunter Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he is pursued by sadistic cartel hitman, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), after stealing a case of $2 million from the aftermath of a desert shootout. As Moss relies on his wits to keep the money and his life, Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to piece it all together, even as he reflects on the many ways the world has changed since he was young.

No Country for Old Men isn’t just the best Western of the 21st century; it is one of the greatest revisionist Westerns in cinematic history. It’s a masterpiece of modernization that takes integral genre themes like morality, justice, and law and order vs. crime, and applies them to the more recognizable world of 1980s Texas. Defined by atmospheric intensity and absorbing, heart-stopping, suspenseful sequences, the 2007 Best Picture Winner is one of the greatest R-rated movies ever made of any genre.

Jill Zarin Responds Following ‘RHONY’ Spin-Off Firing, Says ‘I’m Human’

What Did Jill Zarin Say About Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Zarin Called Bad Bunny’s Performance A ‘Political Statement’

Someone Is On Zarin’s Side

‘RHONY’ Spin-Off Coming To A TV Screen Later This Year

If Jenna Johnson’s wishes could come true, she would have one popular dance come back to Dancing With the Stars.

“I really loved trio nights, and there was kind of an element of it this year,” Johnson, 31, exclusively shared with Us Weekly while announcing Dancing With the Stars Con. “But I wish it would be with pros because I feel like they always just really spiced up the week or the season.”

The trio dances — where a professional dancer whose celebrity partner had been eliminated or a member of the troupe would dance with a celebrity and their partner still in the competition — typically occurred during the quarterfinals or the semifinals of ABC’s hit reality show.

“I do like when they add little wrinkles, or go back to old fads that people loved,” Johnson’s season 33 partner, Joey Graziadei, told Us. “With trio night, I never got to see. I never got to be a part of it. It would be really, really cool to see two pros and a celebrity at some point next season, if they can do it.”

Related: ‘DWTS’ Announces New Fan Convention and Live Show: Who’s Joining?

Dancing With the Stars fans just got their first major update on what’s next for the franchise ahead of season 35. Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei and numerous DWTS pros appeared on the Tuesday, February 10, episode of Good Morning America to announce the Ultimate DWTS Fan Convention. “The big announcement is that we are going to […]

The former Dancing With the Stars champ added, “I know the OG fans would love that. So I’m ditto on that. Let’s bring back trio night next year!”

While fans will likely have to wait until the fall to see a new group of celebrities compete on season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, the show is launching something new this summer for loyal viewers.

For the first time ever, your favorite pros, judges and past contestants will come together at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, for a three-day event appropriately titled Dancing With the Stars Con 2026.

Described as a “celebration of all things Dancing With the Stars,” the event (scheduled for July 31 to August 2) will feature live dance performances, panels, interactive photo experiences, exhibits and much more.

“I think this weekend in Palm Springs is going to be so epic because you really get more hands-on time with all of us,” Johnson teased to Us. “The pros are going to be there. Fan-favorite celebrities are going to be there. Joey might be dancing.”

After hosting the “Dancing With the Stars Official Podcast,” Graziadei, 30, said he heard from so many fans who wanted to learn secrets about the show that first premiered in 2005.

Dancing With the Stars Con may just be the event where burning questions are answered.

Related: ‘Dancing With the Stars‘ Pros: Where Are They Now? Derek Hough and More

Advertisement

Mirrorball champs or not, Dancing With the Stars has featured some impeccable professional dancers in the years since the ABC competition series premiered in 2005. Derek Hough, Cheryl Burke and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are among the talent who have lit up the ballroom. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Please enter a valid email. Subscribe […]

“I feel like the biggest thing is that we get to now have this opportunity for a full weekend to engage with them and let them ask all the questions they want to know and get the unfiltered responses from the pros and celebrities that will be there,” Graziadei teased. “It is for the fans, and I think what’s going to be so much fun is for them to be able to shape that experience however they see fit.”

Johnson added, “This is really catered to our incredible fans that have supported us for the past 20 years.”

Tickets and VIP packages for Dancing With the Stars Con go on sale Saturday, February 14 at 10 a.m. PT. Fans can purchase tickets online.

Jourdin Pauline is stepping into the new month with fresh energy, seemingly ready to right her wrongs. As many gather to celebrate  Black History Month, the streamer and artist issued an apology to the Black community following remarks she made amid her controversy with Tylil James. While offering her apology, she also made it clear that she still stands firm on her past accusations.

RELATED: Jourdin Pauline Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles After Experiencing Cyberbullying Amid Tylil James Controversy (VIDEOS)

Jourdin Pauline Issues An Apology To The Black Community During Live

Jourdin Pauline recently went live to issue an apology to the Black community following her previous remarks. Back in December, amid her sexual assault accusations against Tylil, she went live and made comments about her preferences, stating, “I don’t like Black men, I like White boys,” while also expressing her dislike for him. The streamer took time on her recent live to address anyone who may have formed a vendetta against her based on those past comments, clarifying her stance and attempting to clear the air.

“We all say things we don’t mean when we’re hurt. I don’t want anyone to ever think that’s something I meant, that’s something I live by, or that’s how I feel. No. I was traumatized, and I was hurt, and I said something that I did not mean, and I shouldn’t have said. I genuinely apologize from the bottom of my heart for those remarks. Black people are phenomenal,” she said.

While speaking about Black History Month and breaking generational barriers, she added, “My kids are going to be Black, my dog is Black, I’m Black, my mama Black, my friends are Black. I love Black people, and I love Black men.”

Jourdine Pauline Clears The Air While Doubling Down On Claims Against Tylil James

 As clips from the streamer’s recent live began circulating online, she took to X to clear the air after some sites claimed she was apologizing to Tylil. Jourdin made it clear her apology was not directed at him and that she still plans to pursue legal action. In her tweet, she wrote, “I did not apologize to him… I apologized to ‘BLACK MEN’ for my cold remark my attorneys and detectives are still handling this case BYEEEEE.”

She doubled down in a follow-up post, adding, “HE WOULD NEVER GET AN APOLOGY FOR WHAT HE DID.” She also addressed critics directly, writing, “YALL LOUD AND WRONG PLS GOMD.”

Social Media Reacts 

Many gathered under The Shade Room Teens’ post as they reacted to Jourdine’s live. Several said they didn’t accept her apology, while others shared they still don’t believe her claims against Tylil. Meanwhile, some came to her defense, arguing that this is exactly why victims often fear speaking up.

Instagram user @slimdollars wrote, “Go with the white boys we good over here Gandolf”

Instagram user @colinvercetti added, “Us white boys don’t claim her”

While Instagram user @itsasiaaaatf wrote, “Girl bye tf not during Black History Month”

Instagram user @amarilevy wrote, “Yikes. The self hatred piece was not necessary at all and you trying to apologize now doesn’t even seem genuine, it gives you got too much backlash and now you gotta clean it up”

Instagram user @rawshadtx wrote, “I’m surprised she hasn’t got hit with a defamation lawsuit yet”

While Instagram user @arynsaesthetic wrote. “False accusations should be a felony!!!!”

Instagram user @prettybrown_gurl wrote, “This is why women are silent these comments ain’t it when shit happens like this especially our community it’s so sad”

Instagram user @Imaojaayyy added, “Unpopular opinion,,, i believe her lowke” 

While Instagram user @rocpaperscissorss wrote. “WELL LET ME PROUDLY SAY ..I LOVE BLACK MEN”

RELATED: Tylil James Accuses Jourdin Pauline Of Blackmail With Consent Footage Following Her Sexual Assault Claims (VIDEOS)

Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Are Unable To Reach Settlement In Ongoing Legal Battle

Recent Court Appearance Was The First Time Lively, And Baldoni Have Been Face-To-Face Since Lawsuit Was Filed

Hollywood A-Listers Reportedly Annoyed To Be In The Middle Of The Legal Drama

Taylor Swift’s Popularity Takes Massive Hit Following Involvement In Lively And Baldoni’s Drama

Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda
Ja Rule Smartly Bitched Out

Published
February 11, 2026
5:45 PM PST

Donna Kelce
No NDA for Travis & Taylor Wedding …
They Know I Can Keep a Secret!!!

Published
February 11, 2026
6:00 PM PST