True Grit (2010)

True Grit. A remake of the 1968 classic, this modern western betters the original, and is in every way, a classic Coen creation. Jeff Bridges' acting is once again brilliant, and his portrayal of the ruthless Sheriff, Rooster Cogburn is equal to that of John Wayne's performance. Finely tuned and beautifully filmed, this stands as one of the best westerns of the last decade, riding along with films such as The Proposition, 3:10 to Yuma, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, True Grit is unpretensious, sophisticated cinema. Newcomer, Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie, a young girl out to avenge her father's death, accompanied by Matt Damon's Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf. Both performances are strong and hold the film together, with a script from The Coens that lives up to the standards of Fargo, No Country for Old Men and Blood Simple. Josh Brolin also appears in the film and as always, nails it. The cinematography is brilliant and is accompanied by a fabulously adapted screenplay (For which it won an Academy Award), True Grit is a highly recommended film and a worthy companion to the Charles Portis book.