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Ti West began his career as an independent filmmaker in the early 2000s, slowly climbing the industry ranks to become more mainstream. Although firmly steeped in the low-budget horror genre early in his career, West has graduated to bigger-budget commercial projects, including cable TV shows The Exorcist, The Resident, and most recently, the X trilogy. While steeped in the horror genre, the most off-brand movie West has made thus far in his career is the 2016 western In A Valley of Violence, starring Ethan Hawke and John Travolta.

Although In A Valley of Violence is inspired by several movie westerns, in 2014, West professed his undying admiration for a little-known western called The Homesman, directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones. To trace the dramatic roots of In a Valley of Violence, it's worth exploring what drew West to The Homesman, why he feels it's such a great must-see movie, and perhaps most importantly,...

The Homesman is a brutal look at American frontier life in the 1850s, showcasing harsh realities and unrelenting struggles. Lead performances by Swank and Jones shine in this underrated Western, exploring themes of isolation and mental illness. The film's bleak ending highlights the unforgiving nature of the frontier, resonating with modern discussions on mental health.

Co-written, directed by, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman is an unflinching period western exploring the cruel and unforgiving life on the American frontier in the mid-19th century. Based on the 1988 novel by Glendon Swarthout, the story concerns Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank), a New York educator searching for a better life in Nebraska Territory in the 1850s. When a trio of women who suffer from mental illness require Mary's assistance, she teams up with George Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones) to escort the afflicted to Hebron, Iowa.

With The Homesman celebrating its 10th anniversary this November,...

The latest episode of the long-running live-music series Austin City Limits includes a loving tribute to the songs of the late, great Guy Clark, who died in 2016. Hosted by Steve Earle, and featuring his band the Dukes, the hour-long episode includes Clark and Earle’s fellow Texans, Rodney Crowell, Joe Ely, and Terry and Jo Harvey Allen.

Kicking off the episode is Earle’s stirring performance of Clark’s wistful “Dublin Blues” — the title cut off the songwriter’s 1995 album — which opens with the sweetly prophetic line, “I wish I was in Austin.

When Guy Clark recorded his 1988 album Old Friends, he enlisted a bevy of musician buds to fulfill the title, from Rosanne Cash and Vince Gill to Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. Those last two appear on Steve Earle’s new version of the LP’s title track, the latest song released from his upcoming tribute to Clark, Guy.

In the hands of Earle and his band the Dukes, “Old Friends” is a solemn prayer, with Harris harmonizing with Earle on the opening verse. She did likewise on Clark’s original recording of the song,...

Stars: John Goodman, David Byrne, Anne McEnroe, Spalding Gray, Jo Harvey Allen | Written by David Byrne, Stephen Tobolowsky, Beth Henley | Directed by David Byrne

I have a soft spot for weird movies made by music artists who’ve been thrown a bunch of money. I guess this is why I’m the one person who enjoys Prince’s Under the Cherry Moon. In 1986, following the success of Talking Heads’ 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense, Warner Bros wanted another hit, so they gave virtually complete creative freedom to lead vocalist David Byrne.

The result is True Stories. It flunked at the box office, but that’s only because it’s unsellable: a truly unusual and infectiously joyous celebration of Americana and the power of the creative individual. Apparently inspired by the tall tales told in tabloid newspaper cuttings, the setting is the small town of Virgil, Texas, and the cast are the oddball citizens,...

Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank discusses her unique character Mary Bee Cuddy in our exclusive preview for The Homesman, which arrives on Blu-ray and DVD February 17. Based on the award-winning novel by Glendon Swarthout, Hilary Swank stars as a woman who is tasked with taking three deranged women across the frontier. Along the way, Mary rescues George Briggs, played by director Tommy Lee Jones, who reluctantly helps Mary transport three women driven mad by the harsh frontier life across the treacherous land - where a kindly minister's wife (Meryl Streep) has offered them hospice.

The unlikely pair soon realize just how daunting the journey will be as the group traverses the vast Nebraska Territories, marked by stark beauty, psychological peril and constant danger. Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones co-wrote, directed and stars in this critically acclaimed film, which features an all-star cast including John Lithgow, Miranda Otto, James Spader and Hailee Steinfeld.

NEW YORK -- Just about everyone producer Peter McCarthy has ever worked with, from both behind and in front of the camera, can be found in fleeting parts in his feature directorial debut, "Floundering". Showing up for appearances ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes, they include John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Jo Harvey Allen, Jeremy Piven, Nina Siemaszko, Alex Cox, Dave Alvin, and Ebbe Roe Smith.

McCarthy, who also produced and scripted, explores life in modern-day Los Angeles (specifically Venice) through the eyes of John Boyz (James Le Gros), an unemployed flounderer obsessed with the decaying society around him. Endlessly watching videos of the L.A. riots, he spends his days chronicling his rather meaningless existence, observing the ants wandering around his apartment, spying on an attractive woman down the street and trying to survive. His unemployment has run out, his druggie brother (Hawke) refuses treatment and his money has been seized by the Internal Revenue Service.

John is particularly disturbed by the despicable chief of police, Merryl Fence, and fantasizes about blowing him away. (The chief, mocking him directly from the television screen, dares him to do it.) What John Does instead is kidnap the girl of his dreams and drive her into the desert, where she proves an all-too-willing hostage.

Like many of the films McCarthy has produced, "Floundering" is stylistically audacious, containing numerous fantasy sequences and possessing a stream-of-consciousness structure. Although some of the segments click, more than most don't, and the result is a less than subtle social satire.

Le Gros, who seems to be headed for stardom, brings a shaggy-dog appeal to the leading role, but his character's angst quickly proves wearisome. A strong alternative music score is provided.

FLOUNDERING

Strand Releasing presents a Front Films Production

Writer-producer-director Peter McCarthy

Associate producer Greg Eliason

Director of photography Denis Maloney

Film editors Dody Dorn, Peter McCarthy

Music Pray for Rain

Cast:

John James Le Gros

JC John Cusack

Jimmy Ethan Hawke

Jessica Lisa Zane

Running time -- 97 minutes

No MPAA rating

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...