Taking characters from the classic western and transporting them into the modern age, Hell or High Water has its requisite share of cowboys, Indians, and cops and robbers, though it cleverly pairs the cowboy and Indian as two Texas Rangers hunting down a pair of outlaw bank robbers. Written by Taylor Sheridan and directed by David Mackenzie, the story follows brothers Tanner (Ben Foster) and Toby Howard (Chris Pine) as they travel through small Texas towns, robbing bank after bank as they go. Tanner, the older sibling, is a wild card criminal who has spent ten of his thirty-nine years behind bars. The brains of the operation, however, is Toby, a charming, clever man who meticulously plans each robbery. He has a melancholic aura, as the death of his mother, as well as a strained relationship with his ex-wife and two sons, has left him flapping alone in the wind.

Guillermo del Toro has quickly elevated himself to the level of super-stardom. The horror leaning director crafts loving stories that revolve around the monsters that haunt our nightmares, concocting vivid worlds that both touch our hearts as well as stop them – using stunningly crafted eerie atmospheres and shocking spectacles to succeed. So, I thought that I would reflect back on the director’s first motion picture, 1993's Cronos. Written and directed by the horror maestro, the film contains many of his staples that we have come to know and love – including rich characters, gothic horror elements, a fix of Ron Perlman, as well as countless other things.

Depicting the slow decline of a wealthy family, Orson Welles’ follow up picture to Citizen Kane, 1942's The Magnificent Ambersons, provides us with a melancholic reflection on how the more simple life of the nineteenth century transitioned into a more hurried, less enjoyable one as the new century was ushered in. We are transported into the socialite world of the Ambersons, a well-to-do American family living in the then small city of Indianapolis. Residing in a gargantuan mansion, the family sit at the top of the food chain when it comes to the pecking order in the area. Welles provides the voice-over narration as he introduces us to the family, including Isabel (Dolores Costello), daughter of patriarch Major Amberson (Richard Bennett), a young lady who is being courted by the thoughtful Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten). After a disastrous attempt at performing a serenade for her, the romantic man is shunned by the young debutante – she sees his failure as an ominous sign.

Containing two of the big time film noir players, 1949's The Set-Up follows down and out boxer Stoker Thompson (Robert Ryan) as he prepares for his next bout. Ryan, who starred in 15 film noirs throughout his career, perfectly encapsulates the aging veteran, with his domineering height, craggy athletic look, and pained eyes that show the seemingly endless struggles he has had in the ring. His long suffering wife, Julie, is played by Audrey Totter. The dame, who passed away back in 2013 at the age of 95, took on 14 very different roles in the bleak genre. The attractive blonde is less femme fatale in this one, this time showing her range as the pained woman who can no longer watch her husband take beatings night after night.