Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to see Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. I realize my Top 10 list should be set in stone as much as possible, but this technical 2005 release definitely earns a place on my favorites list. Tommy Lee Jones stars and directs, while 21 Grams scribe Guillermo Arriaga covers the script.

The western is not a favorite genre of mine. I look back on the classic films spawned at a time when cowboy heroes were the huge rave. To me, they all blend together as the exact same film. Three Burials may be set in modern times, but it is a western down to the bone that performs the cliches but does so with such style and tact.

This is technically not a review, but an addition to my Top 10 of 2005. Three Burials is a gritty masterpiece and should not be missed. If you are sick of seeing Tommy Lee Jones settling for mediocre crap, come see what the man can do for an indie crowd.