Everyone should watch this western before it disappears this week

Christmas might be a time to snuggle up in the warmth of home while it's cold outside (depending on your hemisphere), but that doesn't mean it can't be a great time to watch a Western. Cowboy movies, to put a simpler label on them, can be a fantastic option over the holidays.

Some of them are more subtle than others, but most of them offer up satisfying action and memorable characters – and one of my all-time favourites is about to leave Netflix here in the US. The 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma is a brilliant movie, for my money, and you've only got until 31 December to catch it.

3:10 To Yuma (2007) Official Trailer #1 - Russell Crowe, Christian Bale Movie - YouTube

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The movie, like the 1957 original, has all the elements that make a truly great Western, including characters with multiple motivations pulling them in different directions. It stars Christian Bale as a principled rancher who finds himself in a unique position, tasked with transporting Russell Crowe's surprisingly erudite bandit leader to a prison train.

He's got a clock ticking down before that train leaves, a long way to go, and some of Crowe's gang chasing him down the whole way. Plus, his teenage son has tagged along and is having his ear pricked by the philosophising of his prisoner. It's a heady mix that makes for some amazing moments, with many of the tense conversations at camp proving just as memorable as the spikes of action.

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It also has some lovely scenery to look at, with rugged desert backgrounds and rock formations – as well as some superb costuming. Plus, the movie sounds amazing, and rightly received a couple of Oscar nominations, for Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing.

3:10 to Yuma is basically one of those incredibly well-rounded mid-budget films that it sometimes feels like Hollywood has backed away from making, in favour of huge franchise productions. It boasts a terrific cast and a gripping, well-thought-out story, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Much like Christian Bale in the film, though, you've got a clock ticking down before it disappears. Netflix will lose the movie at the end of 31 December, so be sure to get it queued for before then. More movies will replace it, of course, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a loss for the library of a platform that wants to be the best streaming service on the market.