A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

Okay, it's time to catch up on movie reviews. I saw 3:10 to Yuma a couple of months ago and I think that it has to rank as one of the best movies of the year. The acting is taut and expert, the storyline offers up a compelling opposition between good and evil without descending into clichés and amidst a lot of violence and death, the movie manages to be tremendously uplifting. I was very impressed and am interested in seeing the original production now that I have seen this year's version.

One of the best aspects of the movie is the psychological drama between Ben Wade and Dan Evans. The clash of each character's mindset, values, beliefs and philosophies is very well presented and done in a manner that allows for some sympathy for the rogue, Wade, even as one must ultimately take Evans's side in the drama. This is the strength of the movie; it is immensely good at allowing us to step in the shoes of each character and thus permits us to understand their points of view thoroughly and intimately. It is nice to see that a Western doesn't have to be purely and completely a movie about one gunfight after another and that rather, it can be a genre that is good at displaying the internal conflict between characters as well. A very nicely done film and one well worth seeing.