The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

THE GIST: Six unrelated tableaux about life in the Wild West. The protagonists of each one are a gunslinger, a bank robber, a traveling impresario, a gold prospector, a pair of siblings moving west, and a couple of bounty hunters.

Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was such a pleasant surprise. Westerns is probably my least favorite genre, but I do tend to like the Coen brothers' work, so I decided to give it a chance.

I'm so glad I did. All six stories have some interesting aspect and they're all well written and executed. The production values are incredible, starting with costumes and set design.

Finally, just to name some of the talented actors in the sprawling cast: Tim Blake Nelson, Clancy Brown, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Harry Melling, Tom Waits, Brendan Gleeson, Saul Rubinek, and Tyne Daly.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're a fan of the Coen brothers don't miss this. Definitely recommended.

Grade: 8.5