Western films found new life in the 2000s, with stories beyond the American West

Western films were made less often in the 2000s than in earlier decades, but the period still produced films praised for their storytelling.

Appaloosa, directed by and starring Ed Harris, is set in 1880s New Mexico Territory and follows two lawmen brought in to restore order to a town.

Their partnership is tested by a new arrival, a widowed pianist.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird moves the Western style to 1930s Manchuria, where three men chase a treasure map.

Its setting, under Japanese occupation, gives the action a historical backdrop.

These films show how Westerns could draw on familiar ideas such as loyalty and pursuit while taking different approaches to the genre.

The story ranks 10 Westerns from the decade, though the details provided cover only two of them.