A contemporary classic

If you watch enough great old movies, you begin to think that their quality can never be matched by contemporary films.
That's why the 10-year-old "Lone Star" is so refreshing.
I watched John Sayles' contemporary classic last night on DVD.
The plot twists and turns like one of those great old movies, the cast is superb (Chris Cooper shines as the sheriff uncovering some painful truths) and Sayles effortlessly innovates -- he pans to transition into flashbacks (for example, the camera pans to a table during the present and pans back up into the past).
One of the pleasant surprises in the film is the appearance of some celebrated actors in some smaller roles.
Frances McDormand, for one, compellingly plays the sheriff's bipolar and football-obsessed ex-wife.
To sum up: If anyone ever tells you "they don't make movies like that anymore," you tell them they do, and one is called "Lone Star."