Ever since the earliest days of cinema, the Western genre has stood as an integral pillar of the medium. The sweeping visuals, the arresting stories of morality and justice, and the historical allure all conspire to make the genre one that is unique in its connection to the big screen. Many of its defining entries were produced during the genre’s heyday throughout the 1950s and 60s, when such filmmaking icons as and directed some of the greatest movies audiences have ever seen.

Despite this dominance in the mid-part of the 20th century marking an obvious high-point for Western cinema, stories of life on the frontier have remained relevant, with . They range from intense revisionist spins on the genre laced with thematic might and violence, to stylistic flourishes that stand among the most entertaining movies of all time.

Western cinema has long been defined by its thematic focus on morality and crime, where those two ideas intersect, and how they exist within society. implements this focus into a modern setting with mindfulness and intelligence. The neo-Western crime thriller follows two brothers who, when the bank states it is going to foreclose their family ranch, carry out a series of robberies on the bank’s branches. Their crime spree attracts the attention of two Texas Rangers.

It boldly re-imagines what a heist movie can be, that thrives off the back of screenwriter ’s grounded characters and the actors who bring them to life. Despite being released just nine years ago, Hell or High Water has become something of a cult classic of both the Western and crime genres. It remains an underrated gem of modern cinema even though it was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Famous for being the movie that finally secured his first ever Oscar win, is an arresting and mighty Western epic that ended up winning three Academy Awards from 12 nominations. With a loose basis on historical events, it follows fur-trapper (DiCaprio) as he embarks on a monumental quest for revenge after John S. Fitzgerald () butchers his half-Pawnee son and leaves him for dead.

The brutal narrative combines with the film’s beautiful display of the unforgiving winter setting to provide a spectacle of engulfing gravitas and exhausting intensity. . Whatever it lacks with regard to thematic depth and new findings in the genre, it more than makes up for with the sheer magnitude of the viewing experience and absorbing commitment of the cast, particularly DiCaprio and Hardy.

While spaghetti Westerns are a popular offshoot of the genre coming from Europe, the meat-pie Western—the moniker given to Western films from Australia— is, perhaps, less celebrated. There is an injustice to this, as Australian filmmakers have used the nation’s coarse outback environment and its intriguing history to weave engrossing stories of morality and law enforcement. Directed by and making use of a phenomenal ensemble cast, is quite possibly the best Western to come from the land down under.

In 1880s Australia, outlaw Charlie Burns () is arrested along with his complicit though naïve younger brother. Undermanned and desperate, the local police captain frees Charlie with a cruel ultimatum: he must find and arrest the gang’s leader—his sadistic older brother, Arthur ()—or his younger brother will hang in nine days. as it revels in the complexity and grit of its characters.

No director in recent years has so effectively re-captured the fun of the spaghetti Westerns of old as . An underrated gem from the much-adored filmmaker is the contained Western thriller . It focuses on the tensions that arise when eight reprobates are forced to take shelter together in a small cabin as a blizzard descends upon them. Bounty hunter John “the Hangman” Ruth () intends on taking the notorious crook Daisy Domergue () in alive so she can hang, but others in the cabin may not be so eager to see the fugitive face the noose.

There is a point to be made about The Hateful Eight not winning Tarantino any new converts. Those who adore his penchant for suspense, comedy, and eruptions of violence will be sated, whereas viewers who have their reservations about the director’s tastes probably won’t be appeased. However, Tarantino’s tastes and stylistic impulses marry perfectly with the spectacle spaghetti Western cinema has typically offered, more so than enlightenment. In this regard, The Hateful Eight is an exceptional feat for all genre purists.

“Remake” has become a dirty word in Hollywood, and for good reason, but one of the few gems to thrive as a rehash of a past classic is the ’ refreshing iteration of the hit . Exploring revenge and justice with enticing nuance, it follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross () in her effort to see her father’s killer arrested and executed. She hires the grouchy and drunken U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn () to help her pursue the notorious criminal responsible, though the duo are soon joined by a Texas Ranger who wants to see the culprit hang for a separate crime.

It is perhaps more accurately described as a new adaptation of ’ novel rather than an adaptation of the John Wayne picture, but regardless, True Grit excels beyond the grandeur of its 1969 predecessor with its astounding performances and the trademark magnificence of ’ cinematography. Interestingly, it also sees . The end result is one of the finest Westerns of the 21st century, if not of all time.

Ensnaring with its methodical pacing, its poetic and intimate narration, and its breathtaking visuals courtesy of , has become a beloved cult classic of Western cinema since flopping at the box office. The biographical epic transpires in the last year of ’ () life, focusing on ’s () involvement in his gang and how his attitude towards the notorious outlaw descends from adoring idolization to vitriolic spite.

Both Pitt and Affleck are at their captivating best in the film, with their chemistry being appropriately unnerving as Ford’s disdain for James festers into a murderous opportunism. Also , the film is one of rich ideas and deft execution. It also thrives with its historical accuracy that only grows more engrossing as the film unfurls, culminating with an entirely compelling epilogue that explores the fate of the gang’s members and the impact of James’ death on the nation.

Some of the most intriguing Westerns, both in recent decades and throughout the history of cinema, have been the ones that have used genre tropes to explore stories of romance against the backdrop of hostile societies. is undoubtedly the greatest modernization of this idea audiences have seen thus far. It follows shepherds Ennis () and Jack () as their work together leads to an intimate relationship. While their love is genuine, complications arise over the years as both men marry their girlfriends and struggle to define the nature of their bond.

Brokeback Mountain is an outstanding example of how themes embedded within a genre can be re-contextualized and applied to new stories. Brilliantly realized by two exceptional performances, Jack and Ennis’ tumultuous love affair is given added depth by the sensitivities and scope of the Western genre. It is a profoundly powerful picture, a heartbreaking masterpiece of injustice in love, and .

Given it subverts the genre’s typical thematic focus on justice and morality in lieu of a scorching analysis of the brand of greed and savagery American capitalism can encourage, may sometimes be overlooked as a Western masterpiece. However, with ’s outstanding screenplay and direction, ’ utterly arresting and terrifying lead performance, and its barnstorming originality, the captivating epic can only be celebrated as a stunning showpiece of major Hollywood cinema at its most bold and piercing.

It follows Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), a ruthlessly ambitious oil prospector who relocates to California in pursuit of vast riches. His soaring success is matched only by his horrifying moral decline, one that is accentuated by his vicious and growing rivalry with Eli Sunday (), the duplicitous local preacher. It was the recipient of two Academy Awards from eight nominations, and .

Rich with slickness and style while still telling a resonant story of romance and revenge, is a thrilling dose of Western spectacle that sees Quentin Tarantino at his impressionable and wickedly entertaining best. It follows Django (Jamie Foxx), a black slave freed by German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to help him identify a target. As the two form a bond, Schultz agrees to help Django rescue his wife, who has been sold to the notoriously cruel plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

The energy of Django Unchained is gravitational, the presentation so absorbing and intoxicating that audiences can’t help but be engulfed by the unashamedly heroic tale of vengeance and salvation. Like many of the genre’s defining masterpieces of yesteryear, it is a Western that excites and pulsates, one that ensnares viewers with its thunderous effervescence and blood-soaked brilliance. Granted, Django Unchained may not be the most thematically-loaded movie Western cinema has ever seen, but it is one of the most divinely fun.

It turns out that 2007 may be a sneakily outstanding year in the context of the history of Western cinema. While several defining highlights of the genre were released throughout the year, the outright best was No Country for Old Men. Another genre gem from the Coen Brothers, the neo-Western thriller follows hunter Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he takes a stash of money from the sight of a cartel shootout and finds himself being tracked by the psychotic hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) as a result.

The volatility of its narrative is nothing short of addictive, with every standoff between Moss and Chigurh realized with heart-stopping tension and, from a narrative sense, outstanding intelligence and dare. Unafraid of taking unconventional twists as it explores how the world has changed in regard to traditional Western themes of law enforcement, morality, and justice, No Country for Old Men is simply the defining modern masterpiece of Western cinema, one that stands tall among the greatest pictures the genre has ever seen.

NEXT: The 50 Best Westerns of All Time, Ranked