I have a soft spot for Westerns. I'm not exactly sure why that genre of American film is a favourite. Perhaps, I can add a few features I like. Generally, they have stunning cinematography of geography that I find intriguing. As well, the characters usually face some of life's most basic questions and decisions. They are a type of historical dramas although often only a hundred or a hundred and fifty years in the past. This means they may have nearly been 'current events' for several people I've actually met.New Westerns are quite good at showing a truer representation of the ethnic mix of citizens. They are a little less inclined to show the world as black and white. More complex characters can still exhibit heroism, valour, and moral values. It's nice that character flaws are now shown though.
I'm writing this as we just finished watching Appaloosa (2008) on Blu-ray. It'd been on our online rental listing for some time. The film was a little different than what I was expecting. Yet, it probably does represent one example of a fairly accurate picture of the western frontier.