Sweet Magnolias creator Sheryl J. Anderson just broke her silence after the show’s shocking cancellation.

“Living in Serenity for five seasons has been a privilege and a blessing,” Anderson wrote via Instagram on Saturday, September 19. “The people I’ve met and worked with — our incredible writers, cast, crew, executives, and producers — have touched my heart and changed my life.”

She continued: “And our fans have been amazing in their passion for our characters. Thank you all. Though our journey has sadly come to an end, I hope Serenity will always have a place in your heart. Keep pouring it out!”

News broke on Friday, September 18, that Netflix chose not to renew Sweet Magnolias for a sixth season. Instead, the streaming service ordered a new drama series from Anderson — with JoAnna Garcia Swisher set to executive produce and potentially star in.

Related: What Would Have Happened in ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 6 Before Cancellation?

Before Sweet Magnolias‘ shocking cancellation, showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson exclusively revealed what would have happened in season 6. News broke on Friday, September 18, that Netflix chose not to renew Sweet Magnolias in favor of working again with Anderson — and star JoAnna Garcia Swisher — in a new series titled Ladies of the House. […]

“All grand adventures must eventually end,” read a post from the show’s official Instagram account. “And here, dear friends, is where ours goes. Sweet Magnolias is now complete with five seasons streaming on Netflix.”

Anderson, for her part, teased their next chapter with Ladies of the House.

“I’m thrilled to be embarking on this new adventure with JoAnna and Netflix,” Anderson said in a statement. “When Jo shared the novel with me, I immediately saw the foundation for a series centered on three women grappling with the complexities of family, friendship, and romance — the kind of stories Jo and I most enjoy telling. I cannot wait to share the Richardson women and their world with Netflix’s global audience.”

Swisher also weighed in on the decision to adapt Ladies of the House, which is a modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility.

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“From the moment I read Lauren Edmondson’s Ladies of the House, I fell completely in love with Daisy, Cricket and Wallis: their relationships, their messiness, their strength, and most of all, their heart,” she said. “I am beyond excited to continue to tell meaningful, female-driven stories alongside the incredible Sheryl J. Anderson, and to bring this to life through our production company Rolling Clover and with our wonderful partners at Black Label.”

She concluded: “Netflix has been my creative home for the past seven years, and I couldn’t imagine a better place, or a better team, to tell this story.”

Sweet Magnolias is streaming now on Netflix.

Dakota Johnson and Machine Gun Kelly may be enjoying a new romance, but insiders are already questioning whether their connection can develop into the serious relationship the actress reportedly wants. The two stars, both 36, have allegedly been spending time together since reconnecting at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding in July. Although sources described them as attracted to one another and happy to see where things go, their different priorities could eventually become an issue. Johnson recently revealed that she hopes to have children, while insiders claimed MGK is not currently seeking marriage or another major commitment.

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Johnson and MGK, whose real name is Colson Baker, reportedly knew each other before attending Swift and Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden. However, the event allegedly gave them an opportunity to connect more deeply.

According to the Daily Mail, the pair’s relationship currently appears to be casual rather than headed toward an immediate commitment. “I heard that it’s casual, what’s going on between them. and they’re just having fun, hanging out and getting to know each other. They might just be a summer fling that turned romantic, but given Dakota’s relationship history, they might not last much longer,” an insider told the outlet.

A separate report from PEOPLE similarly claimed that Johnson and MGK have been quietly spending time together for months. Neither star has publicly confirmed the relationship.

The Daily Mail’s second source emphasized that the pair is not rushing to define what is happening between them. “Things with them are so far, so good. Nothing is super serious, and nobody is picking out china just yet, but they’re enjoying each other and seeing where this goes,” the source said.

The Actress Reportedly Has A Type

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Johnson has previously dated several musicians, including Drowners frontman Matthew Hitt, Coldplay singer Chris Martin, and Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury. “Dakota loves rock stars, she can’t help herself, she says they are sexy,” one source claimed.

Another insider compared Johnson’s apparent attraction to musicians with Penny Lane, Kate Hudson’s character in “Almost Famous.” “Rockstars are absolutely her type. She’s almost the modern-day Penny Lane from Almost Famous – she’s enamored with that whole rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, the music, the chaos, the guys who come with it,” the source alleged.

Johnson was first linked to Martin in 2017. The former couple maintained a largely private relationship before separating after nearly eight years together. PEOPLE reported that the relationship had led to an engagement before the pair ultimately split.

Johnson was later linked to Role Model. The two were first seen together in late 2025, but their relationship reportedly ended earlier this year.

Dakota Johnson Reportedly Appreciates Their Shared Age

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Sources claimed that MGK’s age is another reason Johnson enjoys spending time with him. “She loves that he is in his 30s like she is. They are both 36. Chris [Martin] was way too old for her, he is almost 50, and that dragged her down, like, they could not relate on a lot of things. And Tucker [Role Model] was too young, he was in his twenties,” one insider told the Daily Mail.

MGK also reportedly appreciates Johnson’s Hollywood background. The actress is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson and the granddaughter of Tippi Hedren. “I think Colson is a little starstruck because her family is so famous. I mean, her mom is Melanie Griffith and her dad is Don Johnson, like Old School Hollywood, so that part is pretty cool. And she has A-list friends,” the source said.

Their Different Personalities Could Become A Problem

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Despite their mutual attraction, insiders characterized Johnson and MGK as an unexpected match. “They are an unusual pairing since MGK is more eccentric and loud, while Dakota is more reserved and down to earth. They both also have different styles and hobbies…But you know what they say, opposites attract and this might be the case for them,” one source shared.

Another insider suggested that the pair could have a positive influence on each other. “There’s even a sense that they might be able to tame each other a little bit. Whether that actually happens or turns into something long-term is another story,” the source said.

The insider also addressed speculation that MGK might be spending time with Johnson to provoke his former fiancée, Megan Fox. “None of their friends are exactly holding their breath waiting for wedding invitations, and some of MGK’s friends have thought he could be using Dakota to make Megan Fox jealous,” the source claimed.

“But, at least so far, that doesn’t appear to be the case,” they added. “Right now, it looks much more like two people who are attracted to each other, having fun and seeing what happens next.”

MGK shares a daughter with Fox. The former couple ended their engagement in 2024 and have since focused on co-parenting.

Dakota Johnson Wants To Become A Mother

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Questions about the relationship’s future come as Johnson speaks candidly about her desire to start a family. “I really do,” she told Vogue when asked whether she wanted children. “I didn’t expect to be this age and at this place in my life, but for whatever reason, that’s the plan of the universe. So I would love that.”

However, a source claimed that MGK is not currently focused on marriage. “MGK isn’t looking for anything serious,” the insider said. “If he wanted to be a husband, he would’ve married Megan Fox awhile ago. He has kids and has been in serious relationships before, but he’s not set on married life. He enjoys being free spirited and is very dedicated to his music and career that it makes it difficult to have a serious commitment.”

Johnson and MGK also have demanding schedules. She is promoting “Verity,” while the musician remains focused on his recording career.

For now, sources maintain that the two are enjoying their time together without making any major promises. Whether their casual connection can survive their reportedly different goals may become clearer over the coming months.

Ed Sheeran’s first concert since Macklemore was removed from his Loop Tour drew dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters outside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. Demonstrators gathered near the stadium and a nearby subway station on Saturday, criticizing Macklemore’s removal and calling on Sheeran to take a stronger public position on the Israel-Gaza conflict. The controversy also followed the departure of several opening acts and Sheeran’s longtime backing band, turning the Philadelphia performance into a major test for the remainder of his North American tour.

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According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, dozens of activists carrying Palestinian flags and signs gathered near Lincoln Financial Field and SEPTA’s NRG Station before the concert. One protester yelled, “F-ck your concert, f-ck your fans. Palestine is our demand,” in footage reportedly captured by FreedomNews. “Other demonstrators chanted, “Free Palestine.”

One person wore a red baseball cap designed in the style of President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” merchandise. The hat instead read, “Make Palestine Free Again.”

The Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z had promoted the demonstration online before the concert. “Billionaires, Zionists & Warmongers out of Philly,” the groups wrote.

Other signs targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the messages “Netanyahu has blood on his hands” and “Let Gaza live.”

Ed Sheeran Addressed Gaza During The Show

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Sheeran addressed the controversy from the stage before beginning his concert. The singer condemned the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, while also criticizing the scale of the civilian devastation in Gaza and conditions in the West Bank.

Sheeran apologized for mistakes he made while navigating the controversy and said he was concerned about venues attempting to influence or approve performers’ content. He also emphasized that he wanted his concerts to remain welcoming spaces for people with opposing perspectives.

Sheeran characterized Israel’s response in Gaza as catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate while acknowledging the pain caused by the October 7 attacks.

Macklemore Was Removed From The Loop Tour

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The protest followed Macklemore’s removal from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s North American tour. The rapper had performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall” during Sheeran’s September 4 and 5 concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He also displayed imagery from Gaza and voiced his support for Palestinians.

Macklemore subsequently claimed that Sheeran told him Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium, had contacted the singer about his continued participation. “Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues,” Macklemore wrote on Instagram.

The rapper acknowledged that Sheeran “was in a f-cked up position.” “I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement,” he added.

The Associated Press reported that Macklemore said multiple venues had threatened to cancel Sheeran’s concerts if he remained on the tour. Kraft publicly defended his opposition to Macklemore’s participation, arguing that the rapper’s recent performance and history had caused pain within the Jewish community.

Macklemore has maintained that his criticism concerns the Israeli government’s actions and is not directed at Jewish people.

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Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour’s promoter, Messina Touring Group, and not by him personally.

In an Instagram statement, the British singer explained why he intended to continue with the tour despite calls for him to cancel performances. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living,” Sheeran wrote.

Finneas withdrew from his scheduled tour appearances, stating that “artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.” Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Sheeran’s longtime Irish backing band Beoga also pulled out in solidarity with Macklemore.

Melissa Barrera Praised The Departing Performers

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Actress Melissa Barrera publicly praised the musicians who left Sheeran’s tour. Barrera was fired from the “Scream” franchise in 2023 following social media posts about the Israel-Gaza conflict. She told the Associated Press that seeing other artists support Macklemore brought up complicated emotions.

“It was so beautiful to see Finneas and the band and all the opening acts pulling out in support of Macklemore. It made me emotional,” Barrera said. “You know, I didn’t get that when it happened to me. I didn’t have any of that happen. It was too soon. People were too scared. But it’s good to see that almost three years later, at least things have changed.”

Tickets Remained Available Before The Philadelphia Show

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Hours before the performance, hundreds of resale tickets were still listed online.

StubHub listings reportedly ranged from $51 to $234 for seats in the stadium’s main levels, while pit tickets were available for between $229 and $298. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that some Ticketmaster resale seats dropped as low as $32.25 shortly before the concert.

The available inventory and falling resale prices indicated weaker secondary-market demand. However, resale listings alone do not establish how many primary tickets were originally sold or prove the controversy was solely responsible for the remaining availability.

Despite the protest, supporting-act departures, and public criticism, Sheeran proceeded with the Philadelphia show and directly addressed the dispute from the stage.

Every year, I usher in the first official day of fall with a Nora Ephron movie marathon. Watching cozy, nostalgic films like You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally gets me inexplicably excited for the season — partially because of the characters’ impeccable autumn style, which is still chic today. And now, I’m piecing together a wardrobe that embodies some of my favorite characters.

To create an Ephron-inspired wardrobe, I’m incorporating chunky cable knits, plaid blazers, sweater dresses and more. And with just a few clicks on Amazon, you can get in on the aesthetic, too. I found the most timeless pieces that will last in your wardrobe for years, starting at $24.

17 Nora Ephron-Inspired Wardrobe Staples

1. A Cozy Classic: There’s something so nostalgic yet timeless about an oversized cream cable knit. This will be in your closet for years.

2. Fall Forever: Once I whip out my wool plaid blazer — the one with shoulder pads — I know it’s officially fall.

3. Plaid Forever: I think we can all agree that plaid is the pattern of fall, and it’s ultra cute on this sweater vest dress.

4. Extra Chilly: Name something cozier than this rolled turtleneck knit sweater (especially in brown). You can’t!

5. Perfect Layers: Looking for the ideal layering vest? This pick, with its mock neck and unique crisscross hem, pairs beautifully with a crisp button-down shirt.

Related: PSA: ‘Rachel Green Jeans‘ Are Trending Again — Nail the Look

Sure, there’s a time and place for channeling Carrie Bradshaw and Rory Gilmore, but if there’s one character whose style always feels relevant and fresh, it’s Rachel Green from Friends. I’ve worked in fashion for over a decade, and there hasn’t been a single fall where I haven’t found inspiration in the waitress-turned-Ralph Lauren employee, famously played […]

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6. A Little Crop: Yes, cropped cardigan sweaters are just as cozy as their oversized counterparts. Plus, this one is extremely versatile because it can be worn on nights out or chilly evenings in.

7. Keep It Warm: Fend off the cold from your lower extremities without sacrificing style with these chic wool-blend trousers. The design is pretty much a fall life hack!

8. Better Than PJs: Dressing up shouldn’t be uncomfortable, and it won’t be when you wear this intricately knit sweater skirt.

9. Confidence Boost: Even if you aren’t a huge fan of figure-skimming bodycon dresses, you’ll love what this maxi sweater dress does for your figure — it hugs your curves in all the right places.

10. Color of the Season: Navy blazers exude class and coziness. This structured style will become a year-round staple.

11. Like a Glove: Few things are better than jeans that effortlessly conform to the curves on your body. This expertly-made pair does that from the first wear.

12. Stripes Galore: When I picture cozy fall outfits, an oversized striped sweater like this first comes to mind.

13. Sweater or Blanket?: With how long and fuzzy this maxi cardigan is, it really could pass for a blanket!

14. Closet Staple: It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, everyone needs this lightweight V-neck sweater in their rotation. Psst, this popular one is on sale.

15. Cold Shoulder: Keep things flirty this fall season with this off-the-shoulder midi sweater dress. It shows a bit of skin without making you cold.

16. Modern Vintage: This trendy sweater combines a vintage cable-knit design with a refreshed V-neck silhouette, making it an instant classic.

17. Denim Dreams: No need to be an expert layer-er when you have this denim-cuffed cable-knit sweater in your rotation. It does the styling for you.

What’s better than a film noir and a Western? Yeah, a noir Western. The difference between these distinct genres and their combination lies in some skilled genre-blending—in plain Westerns, the protagonist is usually heroic and a representative of the law and all things good, while in noir films, all the characters are a lot more morally complex and nuanced. A morally ambiguous lone wolf sounds like a compelling protagonist, which is why noir Westerns make for an interesting type of film.

Besides a troubled protagonist, noir Westerns are more cynical and dark, presenting a convoluted plot and a bloody solution that carries a moral message. Some of the greatest noir films are Westerns, and some of the greatest Westerns are most definitely also noir. If you’re a fan of both genres and want to explore their blend, here are the greatest noir Westerns, ranked.

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‘The Ox-Bow Incident’ (1943)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Ox-Bow Incident is a particularly strong film noir with a Western heart. Starring Henry Fonda, it belongs to the group of films that were only ever nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Fonda’s performance greatly captures the moral dilemma and unease of the story, while director William Wellman successfully creates a John Wayne-like story with the atmosphere of Double Indemnity. Though it lacks some style and violence to be a clear-cut noir Western, it’s philosophical, serious, and pessimistic enough to count.

The Ox-Bow Incident is set in a small Nevada town, where a posse forms after hearing that a local rancher has been murdered and had his cattle stolen. Two cowboys traveling through town, Art Croft (Harry Morgan) and Gil Carter (Fonda), join the posse of locals who mob together to find the rancher’s killer (or killers). Incidents of mistaken identities collude with self-righteous choices, and the movie plays out like a pressure cooker, where the wrong side of justice and mob mentality cause inevitable chaos.

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‘Blood on the Moon’ (1948)

Image via RKO Radio Pictures

Blood on the Moon is one of director Robert Wise‘s greatest achievements. His vision here brings true noir to the frontier, from gloomy standoffs and night-vision ambushes to low-ceiling interiors that were lit to feel like seedy detective offices. Blood on the Moon is a perfect combo of cowboy mythology and the moral ambiguity of a noir film, and who better to step in as the lead than Robert Mitchum? When co-star Walter Brennan saw Mitchum in his costume, he was awestruck by how impressive Mitchum looked “in uniform.”

Blood on the Moon follows a cowboy drifter, Jim Garry (Mitchum), who arrives in a frontier town to help an old friend, only to discover he’s being pulled into a scheme regarding a land dispute; betrayal and political corruption mark Garry’s stay in town, where he’s left to choose between preserving his pride and honoring past alliances and friendships. Mitchum is brilliant here, as usual; one could argue he’s the most natural noir face in film history. Because of his presence, Blood on the Moon is an essential stepping stone in the blend of noir and Western, perfectly cast, and beautifully imagined.

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‘Pursued’ (1947)

Image via Warner Bros.

Pursued is often cited as the first true noir Western. It’s structured almost entirely around psychological trauma, repressed memory, and fatalistic violence, all the defining traits of a true noir film. This is another feature starring Mitchum, and he’s joined by Teresa Wright, the then wife of the film’s screenwriter Niven Busch. Busch based Pursued on a real-life story he read in the newspaper, finding the plot of the story—and his film—akin to a Greek play or myth. Raoul Walsh, who was usually associated with directing muscular adventure films, superbly guided Mitchum and Wright in two of their greatest performances.

Pursued follows Jeb Rand (Mitchum), a man who was raised by a foster family after surviving the massacre of his entire family. Jeb, growing up under the dark cloud of the trauma he barely understands, falls in love with his foster sister, Thor Callum (Wright). But Jeb’s past only comes out after Thor’s family starts getting involved in their relationship, including Thor’s brother, Adam, and uncle, Grant (Dean Jagger). The Western here is merely a backdrop, and the plot of Pursued is steeped in psychological thrills and a noir mood.

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‘The Proposition’ (2005)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

The Proposition was written by Nick Cave, the famous Australian musician, and he also scored the movie entirely. John Hillcoat directed Cave’s essentially Shakespearean tragedy, giving it a gritty, almost post-apocalyptic feel. The movie has the key ingredients, from moral rot to fatalistic dread and impossible choices, and its unflinchingly brutal violence is rarely stylized; paired with the harsh Australian outback, The Proposition is a scorching hot, dusty noir film. In some ways, the Australian outback here feels like a much better setting for a Western than any American landscape, though it’s hard to call it a Western in a geographical sense.

The Proposition follows outlaw Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce), who is captured by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) together with his younger brother, Mikey. Stanley promises to let him and Mikey go free and unharmed if Charlie agrees to kill their older brother, Arthur (Danny Huston), who committed a heinous crime. The examination of family, class, and societal structures that Australia was built on makes up a large portion of the narrative and is neither subtle nor presented through hints; it’s a brutal film with a powerful core.

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‘High Plains Drifter’ (1973)

Image via Universal Pictures

High Plains Drifter was directed by Clint Eastwood, and it’s one of his most outstanding works—despite being only his second directorial effort. It’s a ghost story wrapped in a revenge Western, complete with a bow made of moral lessons. Visually, the film gives a lot: bright red buildings all over town, a haunting score, and hints of potential supernatural plots at hand. Eastwood preferred the supernatural twist and the offbeat story at the core; he, in fact, loved it so much that he wrapped it before schedule and under budget and enjoyed talking about “The Stranger” in the film as a ghost that haunts for moral high ground.

High Plains Drifter follows a mysterious stranger (Eastwood) who rides into the isolated town called Lago. The townspeople hire him to protect them from vengeful outlaws, but as he himself seizes control of the town, its dark secrets are exposed, and he turns out to be something other than just their savior. The film’s moral world is pitch-black—the townspeople collectively participate in cowardice and violence while asking for moral retribution against others. High Plains Drifter is a fantastically stylish noir Western that remains unforgettable.

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

Image via Warner Bros.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is one of the most out-of-the-mold Westerns ever, and it’s a pretty clear-cut example of a beautiful noir film. This Andrew Dominik masterpiece is a slow-burn psychological drama disguised as a Western; the focus is less on robberies and shootouts and more on obsession, ego, and fatalism. Dominik’s direction is paired with Roger Deakins‘ grainy cinematography, with the tension emphasized through beautiful, moody lighting. Brad Pitt‘s Jesse James is charismatic and terrifying, while Casey Affleck delivers one of the greatest portraits of insecurity shifting into violence in his portrayal of Robert Ford.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford follows the two titular characters—James, near the end of his outlaw career, when he was becoming increasingly paranoid, and Ford, who takes this chance to infiltrate the inner circle of James, an outlaw he greatly admires. As he gets closer to James, his adoration quickly develops into resentment and obsession, resulting in a final betrayal insinuated in the film’s very title. The film leans heavily on noir psychology and develops poetically into a tragic Western—a perfectly complex blend.

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‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)

No Country for Old Men is one of the greatest neo-Western noir thrillers of all time, and this beautiful and ominous blend of genres only makes it more appealing; the Coen brothers‘ signature noir-style cinematography and storytelling is present, and the entire plot is very much just straight-up noir, despite being more classified as a neo-Western. The tension is palpable in every shadow, silence, and movement, especially when showing the psychotic killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) on the move; as one of the most famous serial killers on film, Chigurh embodies the existential dread that many noir films tend to make us feel.

No Country for Old Men follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), an everyday man living in Texas, who finds a suitcase full of drug money. Feeling guilt for having taken the money, Moss tries to return it, but not before becoming the target of psychopathic hitman Anton Chigurh. No Country for Old Men updates the noir Western for the modern era, and it’s a beautiful, if not haunting, adaptation of Cormac McCarthy‘s nihilistic novel.

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‘Ride the High Country’ (1962)

Image via MGM

Ride the High Country is Sam Peckinpah‘s masterclass in hiding the noir in plain sight. It’s a crime story wearing a Western disguise, remaining deceptive and nostalgic, but carrying a bleak noir essence. Stylishly directed and elegant, it builds a bridge between old Hollywood Westerns and the noir-filled revisionism of the latter years. There’s everything: betrayal, ethical dilemmas, doomed relationships, and inescapable pasts, you name it. The chemistry and tension between the two classic Western heroes, Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea, is what drives the plot forward most of the time. This was Scott’s final role.

Ride the High Country follows two former lawmen, Steve Judd (McCrea) and Gil Westrum (Scott), who join forces after a long time for a mission to escort a gold shipment through some highly treacherous terrain. As they travel, Westrum plans to steal the gold while the still honorable Judd tries to uphold the law and morality in the situation. The two classic Western heroes, Scott and McCrea, come together in this legendary story of deception and fading moral codes. Some also find Ride the High Country to be quite an emotional tale of right and wrong.

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‘The Wild Bunch’ (1969)

Image via Warner Bros.-Seven Arts

The Wild Bunch is a classic Western drenched in blood and infused with a deeply noir premise, boasting one of the few antiheroes as the protagonist of a Western. This is another Peckinpah feature, so it’s no surprise it finds its way among the greatest; beyond that, it’s also a revolutionary film for its (then) novel uses of slow motion and quick cuts. The frontier Peckinpah depicts here is Western-coded: morally crooked, corrupt, and full of betrayals and temporary loyalties. What the film ends up depicting is highly noir: a group of men clinging to codes that don’t matter in such environments.

The Wild Bunch follows Pike Bishop (William Holden), an aging outlaw who leads a group of men similar to him, who plan to finally call it quits after one last robbery attempt in Mexico. The job takes place in a revolution-riddled place, inevitably trapping the outlaws between political factions and old acquaintances. There are a few Western films darker than The Wild Bunch; this one may be fatalistic, but it’s the gold standard in many ways, most notably for being a great mix of noir and Western, and for marking a true end of an era in Western-style storytelling.

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‘The Searchers’ (1956)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Searchers is a movie that inspired cinema throughout history, sometimes in the unlikeliest places. Some analyses draw parallels between The Searchers and Taxi Driver; others find its unique Western setting and noir storytelling to be unlike anything ever made. The protagonist, Ethan Edwards, is one of cinema’s most complex antiheroes; he is charismatic, heroic, and dutiful, yet underneath bigoted, hateful, and often terrifying—he’s someone fairly realistic in a setting that usually depicts glorified, larger-than-life types of heroes.

The Searchers follows Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) as he returns home to Texas after the Civil War. Edwards is invited to become a Texas Ranger, and though he refuses, he goes on a mission with them; while there, Edwards and the Rangers realize it was a ploy to draw them away from their homes. Edwards’ niece, Debbie (Natalie Wood), is abducted and his brother and his family are killed; he embarks on a quest to find Debbie, becoming obsessed and impulsive. As the search lasts, his outbursts of violence make him a threat and a target at the same time. With this, noir is effortlessly present in the film; nearly every theme is there: obsession, vengeance, and alienation. In many ways, the reason it was transposed onto the frontiers of the Old West was to break the myth of the Western genre and critique it.

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The Searchers

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Release Date

May 26, 1956

Runtime

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119 minutes

Director

John Ford

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Writers

Frank S. Nugent

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• 
• 

  Jeffrey Hunter

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  Martin Pawley

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Sydney Sweeney has found herself at the center of another heated debate following the release of a provocative campaign for sports trading platform Novig.

While the campaign succeeded in attracting attention, it also sparked criticism from female athletes and others who questioned the message it sent about women in sports.

However, experts believe the controversy is unlikely to damage Sydney Sweeney’s career because the campaign fits the public image she has already established.

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Sweeney’s Novig campaign quickly became a talking point after images from the shoot appeared online and on billboards. In the ads, the “Euphoria” star posed mostly nude while different pieces of sports equipment were positioned across her body.

“Think you know sports? Prove it. Novig is just sports. So, they wanted a show,” Sweeney said in the campaign. The attention that followed, however, was not entirely positive.

As reported by The Blast, several female athletes criticized the approach, including Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ariarne Titmus, British sprinter Amy Hunt and former American gymnast Gracie Kramer. Some social media users also argued that the campaign relied too heavily on Sweeney’s body rather than celebrating women for their sporting achievements.

Sweeney later explained that the campaign was intended to be playful. She said the idea was to “cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports,” describing its execution as confident and humorous.

Why The Actress’s Provocative Approach Is Unlikely To Hurt Her Brand

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Despite the backlash, communications expert Adrienne Uthe does not believe the campaign will cause lasting harm to Sweeney’s public image.

Instead, she argued that the actress has the freedom to decide how she presents herself, even if others disagree with those choices.

“Women having agency also means allowing women to make choices about their image that other women may not personally agree with,” Uthe told Fox News Digital. She acknowledged that athletes and members of the public are equally entitled to criticize the campaign.

However, Uthe said she does not think the controversy is “materially damaging” to Sweeney. In her view, appearing in the Novig campaign is not a dramatic departure from the actress’ existing image or the types of projects she has previously chosen.

Still, Uthe cautioned against assuming that widespread online attention automatically translates into successful marketing. “Going viral tells me they captured attention. It doesn’t tell me they captured the customer,” she explained.

Expert Feels The Negative Reactions To Sydney Sweeney’s Sport Campaign May Be Blown Out Of Proportion

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The controversy has developed into a larger discussion about whether Sweeney’s campaign represents personal empowerment or contributes to the objectification of women in sports.

Uthe noted that both interpretations have gained traction, with different audiences viewing the same images in completely different ways.

She argued that online discussions can make the loudest viewpoint appear more widespread than it really is.

Once a particular interpretation dominates a person’s feed or aligns with their existing beliefs, Uthe said that perception can begin to feel like reality.

Critic Brands The Actress’s Ad’ Bad For Women In Sport’

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Olivia Bennett, Senior Account Director at Go Up, was far more critical. She described the campaign as “bad for women in sport,” arguing that Novig should have anticipated the reaction when it chose Sweeney for a national campaign.

Similar criticism also came from a commenter who identified herself as a former athlete.

“I’m genuinely disgusted and deeply disappointed by this campaign,” she wrote, arguing that women have fought to be recognized for their “talent, strength, and achievements-not reduced to our bodies.”

The contrasting opinions show why the campaign has generated such a heated conversation. What some see as confidence and personal choice, others see as taking away from the achievements women have fought for.

Sydney Sweeney Has Long Embraced Nudity As Part Of Her Brand

5

Sweeney’s willingness to appear nude is not limited to advertising. The actress has previously discussed her comfort with on-screen nudity and how portraying Cassie Howard in “Euphoria” helped her develop greater confidence.

“I don’t get nervous,” Sweeney told W Magazine when discussing nude scenes, per People. She explained that she views the female body as “a very powerful thing” and approaches such moments according to what she believes is necessary to tell a character’s story properly.

For Cassie specifically, Sweeney has viewed her character’s relationship with her body as another method of communicating her emotions and experiences.

“We all get naked in real life,” she previously told Teen Vogue, explaining that Cassie’s body functions as “a different form of communication for her.”

Those comments show that Sweeney has long treated nudity as something she is willing to incorporate into her work when she believes it serves a purpose.

Some of the greatest Westerns of all time aren’t particularly fun, or they’re engaging in ways that are a little different from “entertaining,” making it feel a bit strange to call them “fun.” So, the likes of Unforgiven, The Wild Bunch, Once Upon a Time in the West, and (obviously) The Great Silence will not be found below, even if they are some of the best Westerns ever made, and indeed better than some of the movies ranked here.

What matters here is that the Westerns are fun. These ones might well be good to watch if you’re not hugely fond of the genre, or if you are, then maybe they’ll prove extra entertaining. They can all count themselves among the most entertaining and broadly fun Western movies of all time, thanks to being action-packed, or funny, or particularly fast-paced, or maybe even all of the above.

8

‘Young Guns’ (1988)

Image via 20th Century Fox

As the title implies, the main characters of Young Guns are indeed young, but it’s not really a kid-friendly movie, nor particularly identifiable as a coming-of-age one. It’s about Billy the Kid and other outlaw members of the Regulators, but without much that’s historically accurate, though that’s okay. It’s not really that kind of movie, and the Old West is filled with stories of a more legendary variety, anyway.

It’s engaging and scarcely boring, containing a bunch of great actors and a fair amount of action for something that’s ultimately quite short, as far as feature-length films go. Young Guns is just all-around solid stuff, and it does what it needs to without worrying about going much further. It works, and that’s all that really matters, with the things that might be dated honestly feeling kind of charming, at least in some ways.

7

‘¡Three Amigos!’ (1986)

Image via Orion Pictures

¡Three Amigos! is pretty much a comedic The Magnificent Seven, and The Magnificent Seven was pretty much a Western take on Seven Samurai. You do the math there (a kind of math, at least) and what you have is a comedic Western about people who are hired to defend a village from attackers, but the “warriors” here are actually just actors, and they don’t have the skills that traditional gunfighters have.

If that also sounds like A Bug’s Life, that’s because yes, A Bug’s Life builds on ¡Three Amigos!, which builds on The Magnificent Seven, which builds on Seven Samurai. There may be some other steps involved in that whole chain. Anyway, the main thing is that ¡Three Amigos! is a good deal of fun, and also one of the best Western comedies of all time (the absolute greatest came out a little over a decade earlier, though, and will be mentioned shortly).

6

‘Westworld’ (1973)

Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

It’s easy to put Westworld here because, on one hand, it’s about people seeking fun, and there’s vicarious fun as a viewer in watching people do that. And then there’s a thrill in seeing things go wrong, because the source of “fun” here is a futuristic amusement park where visitors get to be immersed in an Old West kind of playground, but it’s also a sci-fi movie, and the technology malfunctions, because of course it does.

While that makes it sound very similar to Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton wrote both, so at worst, he was plagiarizing himself. But not really, because the Western feel of Westworld helps it stand out, and then it’s also entertaining because of how straight-to-the-point, well-paced, and punchy it is, doing quite a lot within a runtime that doesn’t exceed 90 minutes.

5

‘The Quick and the Dead’ (1995)

Image via TriStar/courtesy Everett Collection

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Sam Raimi made a Western. It’s The Quick and the Dead. It’s fun as a Western the same way his horror movies are fun (especially the sequels to The Evil Dead, which lean more into comedy) and his superhero movies are fun (hey, Spider-Man trilogy). There is something of a plot here, but it’s mostly concerned with assembling a bunch of colorful characters and having them take part in a quick-draw tournament.

It’s one of the more underrated Westerns of all time, too, getting overshadowed by those other Sam Raimi films, and also suffering a little popularity-wise, perhaps, from clearly being a cult classic. Still, why shouldn’t it be a more conventional classic, too? There’s a lot to like here, alongside all the offbeat and strange things (which you might also dig anyway), so it’s worth devoting a couple of hours of your time to, if you’ve never seen it before.

4

‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)

Image via 20th Century Studios

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A movie about a pair of outlaws who go on the run after taking things a bit far with all their robberies and stuff, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is effortlessly fun, and always has been. It’s old now, coming up on its 60th anniversary in not too much time, honestly (at the time of writing), but it’s timeless, so who cares? It doesn’t really feel like it was made in 1969.

Also, it’s obvious to say, but Paul Newman and Robert Redford are dynamite together on screen, even in the scenes that don’t involve actual dynamite. They’re so good together that you kind of wonder why, after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, they only shared the screen in one other movie (The Sting, which is another crowd-pleaser directed by George Roy Hill, albeit certainly not a Western).

3

‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the best spaghetti Western of all time, and it also happens to be the most entertaining. You’ve got three main characters here, more or less alluded to in the title, and they’re all trying to get to some buried gold first, and that’s the movie. It’s three hours almost, all up, with an obvious MacGuffin, and also not much that could be called unpredictable, but that’s all good.

It’s more than all good. And it’s not bad, nor is it ugly. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is phenomenally paced and also one of the best-looking movies of its time, and maybe of all time, too. What else do you need? What else can be said? It’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, for crying out loud.

2

‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974)

Image via Warner Bros.

It is a parody of Westerns, yes, but Blazing Saddles is still a Western, just a very silly one. For what it’s worth, though, it gets the look and feel right, in terms of replicating classic Western films, which can also be said about Young Frankenstein and the old horror movies it parodied, with that movie coming out the same year as Blazing Saddles, and Mel Brooks directed both.

Sorry, that’s a bit of a tangent, but it’s always impressive how Brooks’s two best movies (and two of the funniest films of all time) came out the same year. Anyway, Blazing Saddles has non-stop jokes, and the vast majority of them hit the mark. You can hate Westerns and still find a lot to love here, or love Westerns, and enjoy this as a good-hearted parody. Or if you fall somewhere in between, that’s all good. This is a winning film in any event, really.

1

‘The Good, the Bad, the Weird’ (2008)

Image via CJ Entertainment

No one should be surprised to learn that The Good, the Bad, the Weird has pretty much the same premise as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. There are three main characters, and they’re all after the same thing. They race each other, they compete, and all that expected stuff. It’s not so much the plot that matters here, though, because what is important is what The Good, the Bad, the Weird does tonally and regarding genre.

Like, it’s not necessarily a better movie than The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (like, not much is on that film’s level), but it’s arguably even more entertaining, owing to its emphasis on action, comedy, and some other potentially unexpected genres. It’s a film where it feels like every weird and/or creative idea was thrown into the mix somehow, and while the final product isn’t the most consistent thing in the world, by any means, it is ultimately ridiculously entertaining, and that’s the main thing worth considering, for present purposes.

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The Good, The Bad, The Weird

Release Date

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July 17, 2008

Runtime

139 Minutes

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Director

Kim Jee-woon

Writers

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Kim Jee-woon, Min-suk Kim

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