3:10 to Yuma - 2007

What It Is: Russel Crowe is the baddest outlaw in the west and Christian Bale plays the desperate farmer who volunteers to escort Crowe to the prison train, when no one else will.

Why I Watched It: Aside from the desire to see anything with Christian Bale, the plot hit enough of the right buttons to intrigue me.

What I Thought: The movie was way better than I hoped!

If character is a big part of every western, then 3:10 to Yuma had it in spades. I could rave about Christian Bale, but the same praise applies to 98% of the films he does. The guy is always amazing. Russell Crowe on the other hand, although very watchable, hasn't really blown me away since Gladiator. Until now. Crowe's outlaw in 3:10 to Yuma was one of the most enjoyable villains I've seen in ages!

There's a healthy amount of gunplay in the movie, but you really come to expect that from a western. What you don't expect is a film overflowing with moral dilemma and ethical introspection. In the movie, Dan accepts the impossible job of escorting Ben Wade, completely aware that Wade's bloodthirsty gang will constantly try to free him. Dan is repeatedly presented with the choice to give up and, as the movie continues, the reward for setting Wade free increases along with the risk for continuing to guard him. Meanwhile, Wade skillfully manipulates his captors, trying to turn them against each other even while he struggles with second thoughts over his own choices.

Does Dan ultimately give in, choosing the safe and prosperous path over the painful but "right" one? Does Wade have a change of heart and rebuke his violent lifestyle? Well, you'll just have to watch the movie to find out. The answer may surprise you!

Highlights: Amazing performances by Christian Bale and Russel Crowe, Ben Foster (Angel from X-Men 3) as the perfect evil lieutenant, thrilling gunplay, tough moral questions, and a healthy helping of wooden leg quips!

Who Should See It: Action fans, western fans, philosophy majors, and fans of Crowe or Bale.

How Soon: There's a lot of interesting movies coming out this month, but if you're looking for the sure thing, this is it!