Hell or High Water (2016)

A divorced father and his ex-con older brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's ranch in West Texas.

Modern-day Western gives its cops-and-robbers story depth with excellent scenery photography, love for detail and strong characters and some social commentary.

On rewatching:  good movie, fully worth the while.

Hostiles (2017)

In 1892, a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory.

Intense Western with splendid performances and cinematography has some harrowing scenes of violence; the anti-racist message, however, is presented without much depth and is quite predictable.

Leave No Trace (2018)

A father and his thirteen year-old daughter are living an ideal existence in a vast urban park in Portland, Oregon, when a small mistake derails their lives forever.

Subtle and precisely observed, but also stirring examination of an existence outside of society and its boundaries with both leads giving excellent performances.

The Messenger (2009)

An American soldier struggles with an ethical dilemma when he becomes involved with a widow of a fallen officer.

A study of various people and their ways of coping with loss, grief and bonding convinces mainly through its excellent ensemble of characters and some memorable scenes.

Maltin***1/2: "Episodic, but moving look at the different ways people deal with anger, pain, repressed emotions, and grief...Foster and Harrelson are first-rate, along with a fine ensemble who often have just moments to create their performances."

30 Days of Night (2007)

After an Alaskan town is plunged into darkness for a month, it is attacked by a bloodthirsty gang of vampires.

Despite having a far-fetched plot this is in comparison a fairly imaginative variation of the genre.

On rewatching: bloody entertainment for those who can take it.

Maltin**1/2: "Intensely grim, this well-crafted thriller isn't for the faint of heart, as it delivers yet another movie view of vampires. Huston is outstanding as the head bloodsucker." 

Hell or High Water (2016)

A divorced father and his ex-con older brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's ranch in West Texas.

Modern-day Western gives its cops-and-robbers story depth with excellent scenery photography, love for detail and strong characters and some social commentary.

Lone Survivor (2013)

A Navy SEALS team is set out on a mission to capture or kill a notorious Taliban leader, but are left to fight for their lives in one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare.

Warfare drama very successfully tries to recreate the actual feelings an reactions the team are confronted with in a hopeless ambush with emphasis on the personal interactions and omitting any political depth.

Maltin***: "...film manages to convey not only the brutality but the intense loyalty and feeling of brotherhood that exists among the SEALs."