Plot: Written by Nick Cave, this poetic ensemble piece about
three brothers is set in the Australian Outback of the
late 1800s. The "proposition" is morally complex:
the middle brother must kill his elder brother so that
the youngest one won't be hung by a British captain.
Perks: "What fresh hell is this?"—
Technically, a western should be set in the Western
United States, but in this case, the godforsaken landscape
of the Outback is a fine stand-in as the backdrop
for a difficult decision. Enjoy this Shakespeare-quoting,
beautifully gritty gem about a dusty, lawless time.