Rio Bravo (1959)

"A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy."

Long before "Titanic", "The Lord of the Rings" and modern blockbusters, there was Rio Bravo - one of the most popular movies in the genre. It features a classic plot where the sheriff (John Wayne) tries to defend the order in the town, similar to "High Noon" but in a more lighthearted manner.

Another distinct feature of the movie is that it stars two musicians - Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson who was immensely popular at a time.

RIO BRAVO - My Rifle, My Pony, and Me/Cindy - Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan

The Proposition (2005)

Now here's an interesting modern western, in some ways similar to the Eastwood's revisionist classic "The Unforgiven".

"Set in the Australian outback in the 1880s, the movie follows a series of events following the horrific rape and murder of the Hopkins family, likely committed by the infamous Burns brothers gang."

I'm not sure if I really liked the movie or not. It's that weird. It's slow on moments and dull, but then you realize the script is smart and the characters have real depth to them. My biggest gripe is that the premise is slightly ludicrous - the captain of the wild and untamed Australian land makes the deal with the outlaw - he'll let go his younger brother if Charlie (Guy Pierce) kills their older brother. Of course, there're many surprises along the way, but it's still a little absurd.

Scenes of the wild and "yellow" land are great, accompanied by no-less-weird Nick Cave's soundtrack, who tested himself as a writer on this one. (Cave and director John Hillcoat would work on another project, the recent Lawless.)

IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt0421238/
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7V-CW_SUos

Maverick (1994)

"Bret Maverick, needing money for a poker tournament, faces various comic mishaps and challenges, including a charming woman thief."

Western and comedy mix had a successful history (like Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles or Support Your Local Sheriff) before Mel Gibson ventured into the remake of a classic TV series of the same name. 

"Maverick" is a real gem, and shows all of Gibson's comedic talent. The script is full of sharp and witty humor, and the laughter never stops. However, it also blends action, tension and adventure into it, with some lovely Old West scenery.

Maverick is accompanied by Annabelle, played by Jodie Foster, while the star of the original series, James Garner, assumes the role of Marshal Zane Cooper. There're also other familiar faces and cameos, like the "Lethal Weapon" gag:

IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt0110478/
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObDecyoLHBo