Category Archives: western

“The Dead Don’t Hurt” Trailers, Poster and Images

drama, historical, western, ,

Viggo Mortensen’s new Western feature, The Dead Don’t Hurt, written and directed by Mortensen, blends the action, grit, and thrills of the American West with a captivating story of two pioneers embarking on a life journey fraught with obstacles. 

Hopefully, Mortensen sets this film apart with his unique storytelling, keeping the audience on the edge. 

The story depicts the conflict between revenge and forgiveness and offers a unique female-forward perspective, adding depth and complexity. 

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Vicky Krieps received the Tribute Performer Award. 

The story begins with star-crossed lovers on the western U.S. frontier in the 1860s. Krieps plays Vivienne Le Coudy, a fiercely independent woman who embarks on a relationship with Danish immigrant Holger Olsen, played by Mortensen. 

After meeting Olsen in San Francisco, she agrees to travel to his home near Elk Flats, Nevada, where they start a life together. The outbreak of the civil war separates them when Olsen makes a fateful decision to fight for the Union. Vivienne must fend for herself in a place controlled by corrupt Mayor Rudolph Schiller, played by Danny Huston, and his evil business partner, powerful rancher Alfred Jeffries, played by Garret Dillahunt. Alfred’s violent, wayward son, Weston, played by Solly McLeod, aggressively pursues Vivienne, who is determined to resist his unwanted advances. 

Olsen returns from the war. He and Vivienne must confront and make peace with the person each has become. It’s a portrait of a passionate woman determined to stand up for herself in an unforgiving world dominated by ruthless men.

“Surrounded” Trailer Poster and Images

drama, western

Directed by Anthony Mandler and written by Andrew Pagana and Justin Thomas, the Surrounded stars Letitia Wright, Jamie Bell, and Jeffrey Donovan, with Brett Gelman and Michael K. Williams.

Five years after the Civil War, freedwoman and former Buffalo Soldier Moses “Mo” Washington travels west to lay claim to a gold mine. It’s the summation of years of toil for Mo and her community. It is a mean, dangerous world for an unaccompanied Black woman in 1870 America, so Mo travels into the deep frontier disguised as a man.

After a group of murderous thieves ambushes her stagecoach, Mo is forced to hold legendary outlaw Tommy Walsh captive while the remaining surviving passengers seek help.

A battle of wills blurs the line between captor and captive as they try to survive the harsh Western landscape.

“Hell On the Border” Poster and Trailer

action, drama, historical, true stories, western, , , , , , , , ,

Written and directed by Wes Miller, Hell on the Border follows the story of Bass Reeves, played by David Gyasi. The movie appears to be an action-packed Western about Reeves, who was the first black U.S. marshal in the Wild West. 

Having escaped from slavery after the Civil War, Reeves arrives in Arkansas seeking a job with the law. To prove himself, he must hunt down a deadly outlaw, played by Frank Grillo, with the help of a grizzled journeyman, played by Ron Perlman. 

As Reeves chases the criminal deeper into the Cherokee Nation, he must not only dodge bullets in hopes of earning his star but severe discrimination and ends up cementing his place as a cowboy legend.

The cast includes Chris Mullinax, Jaqueline Fleming, Rudy Youngblood, Nick Loren, Marshall Teague, Gianni Capaldi, and Zahn McClarnon.

https://youtu.be/Pg1dkyEsuq0

“The Kid” Poster and Storyline

adventure, western,

Directed by Vincent D’Onofrio, The Kid is a Western that follows a young boy named Rio, played by Jake Schur. He finds himself in a terrible situation with a violent father who beats his mother. He shoots his father and kills him on the spot.

His uncle, played by Chris Pratt, is worse than his father. His uncle is not happy about the death of his brother. Rio runs across the American Southwest in a desperate attempt to save his sister, played by Leila George, from his uncle.

While running away, he encounters Sheriff Pat Garrett, played by Ethan Hawke. Garrett is hunting for the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, played by Dane DeHaan. Rio becomes entwined in the lives of these two legendary figures as the cat-and-mouse game of Billy the Kid’s final year of life plays out.

Finally, Rio is compelled to decide the kind of man he becomes. Either the outlaw or the man of courage uses his self-realization in a final act to save his family.

Pratt’s playing a villainous role is unique and intriguing. While on hiatus from Stranger Things, DeHaan as the Kid is a perfect role for him. He looks good in the trailer, as does Hawke. Schur is new to the movies, and I hope he is good.

The movie trailer cuts and jumps a lot, so it is hard to tell what happens or if it is shot well. D’Onofrio makes this film his first time stepping behind the camera as a director. He is used to being in front of the camera. He starred in episodes from Ghost Wars to The Wizard and the mini-series The Cell. In movies, D’Onofrio starred in The Magnificent Seven as one of the seven gunslingers, along with Denzel Washington and opposite Bruce Willis in Death Wish.

The movie also stars Adam Baldwin, whom I haven’t seen in a film for some time.

“Five Fingers of Marseilles” Trailer and Poster

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Written by Sean Drummond and directed by Michael Matthews, Five Fingers of Marseilles is a western taking place in South Africa. The studios call it a pistol-packing and thrilling tale. Similar to such classics as Once Upon a Time in the West and counterparts like The Proposition and No Country for Old Men.

Set against the backdrop of post-Apartheid South Africa, the movie takes place in a small town run by shady local officials. The movie stars Vuyo Dabula, Hamilton Dhlamini, Zethu Dlomo, Kenneth Nkosi, Mduduzi Mabaso, Aubrey Poolo, Lizwi Vilakazi, Warren Masemola, Dean Fourie, Anthony Oseyemi, Brendon Daniels, and Jerry Mofokeng.

The story is about the residents of the colonial town of Marseilles. They are under the thumb of police oppression and only the young rebels known as the Five Fingers are willing to stand up to them.

Their battle is just until Tau kills two policemen and flees the scene. The remaining rebels disband while the banished Tau resorts to a life of crime. Twenty years later, Tau is released from prison and is a feared outlaw by the name of The Lion of Marseilles.

He returns home, desiring only peace and to reconnect with those he left behind. The battle for South Africa’s freedom has been won, and former comrades-in-arms are in prominent positions as mayor, police chief, and pastor.

But it quickly becomes clear to Tau that Marseilles is caught in the grip of a vicious new threat — and he must reconstitute the Five Fingers to fight frontier justice. Standing against former allies and new enemies, the re-formed Five Fingers saddle up and ride out, and put their lives at risk to save their beloved Marseilles.

The movie trailer is well done and shows what to expect from the movie. Obviously, it is in English subtitles, but once the western action starts shooting the subtitles will be ignored.

 

“The Sisters Brothers” Trailers, Featurettes, Movie Clips and Posters

based on a book, comedy, drama, western, , , ,

Directed by Jacque Audiard,  who won the Venice Film Festival Award for Best Director 2018 for The Sisters Brothers. Based on Patrick Dewitt’s novel of the same name, the story takes place in Oregon in 1851 and follows two brothers, played by John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix, Eli and Charlie Sisters.

The brothers are hired to kill a prospector who has stolen from their boss. The movie is a dark comedy with unique comedic elements. Audiard is best known for his Palme d’Or Winning Dheepan, which premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Another poster arrives.  The images of both brothers is an awesome visual with “Brothers By Blood, Sisters By Name” at the top.

The sarcasm in the “Wanted” featurette is so thick and bitting. I wonder if the movie flows the same way.

The “Story” featurette tells about the movie and the relationship between the two brothers. The more I see of the movie the more I want to see it.

The “Meeting Mayfield” movie clip shows the talented acting as well as the skillful camera work with snappy dialogue.

https://youtu.be/BQlB0hB3GYw

Here is the final trailer, and I like the style. The trailer tells us the movie is a true western about two brothers on a journey of retribution and redemption.

Each poster is quite different from the others. I like the one with the skull as a dust trail. The first one is too simple with just bold lettering. Event the different colored lettering doesn’t help because the stark poster says nothing about the movie.