4. 3:10 to Yuma
The 1957 original, directed by Delmer Daves, is a strong Western of its period, with solid starring turns from Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, but in 2007, James Mangold completely blew it out of the water with his barn-storming take, which stands among the best Western films of the last few decades. Mangold's real coup was in hiring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe as the protagonists - Bale is the kindly farmer whose livelihood is threatened, and Crowe is the rogue who he must keep track of - for they harness their notably intense personas for every drop that they are worth. It's not a particularly complicated story, but Mangold tells it with expert efficiency, alongside gorgeous visuals, and aside from the fantastic central turns, Ben Foster is particularly excellent as one of Crowe's brash buddies. It's an homage that fans of old Westerns will get a kick out of, but similarly, younger viewers are likely to be taken with its intense energy, and thrilling action.