Stories live forever. People don't.

Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Willie Watson, Clancy Brown, Tom Waits, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Harry Melling, Tyne Daly, Brendan Gleeson, Willie Watson, Bill Heck, David Krumholtz, Stephen Root, Tom Proctor, Sam Dillon

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Well, don't let my white duds and pleasant demeanor fool ya. I too have been known the violate the statutes of man... and not a few of the laws of the Almighty." - Buster Scruggs, aka The San Saba Songbird

Why watch this? This neo-Western anthology film is so whimsical and real that you'll taste the prairie dust.

Plot Summary: This anthology is comprised of six distinct stories set in the American West. Each vignette offers a unique and often darkly humorous look at life, death, and human nature on the frontier. From a singing cowboy's misadventures to a prospector's quest for gold and a woman's journey westward, the film showcases a range of characters and their struggles in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Dad's Preview: This film visually tells six stories from an old Western anthology novelette. Each yarn about the American West is completely unique, and starring some of filmdom's top talent. They range from traditional to eerily odd, and are all entertaining, even if not all have happy endings (much like the real West itself). My two favorites are, first, the title story, which features Tim Blake Nelson as a successful gunfighter who is a bit of a dude. I also warmly love All Gold Canyon starring Tom Waits as a crusty prospector who finally finds the perfect, secluded valley to ply his trade and hopefully strike it rich after years of trying. On the odd side is Meal Ticket, starring Liam Neeson and Harry Helling, a tale of a traveling sideshow barker who finds a twisted way to make some money. All stories address the hard life and lessons of that brutal time in our history, but there a few funny and poignant moments, too.  

Annapurna Pictures, Mile Zoss Productions; Netflix