STACK NZ Jan-Feb #59

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34 SUMMER EDITION 2015 JB Hi-Fi
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Fittingly, this final season of Boardwalk Empire brings
the focus back to pivotal figure Nucky Thompson (Steve
Buscemi). The end of prohibition is in the air, and the
appearance of Eliot Ness also adds the historical weight
that might end up being the noose around Nucky’s
neck. There’s also no shortage of the gangland brutality
that has made this series a natural successor to The
Sopranos, with the first three episodes signposting
the kind of violent world Nucky and his associates
inhabit. It’s also the kind of world Nucky is determined
to rise above, as he attempts to morph from bootlegger to a legitimate
business figure by courting the big money of Wall Street. True to
form, Nucky finds that getting out is much harder than he thinks.
Bringing this series full circle, showrunner Terence Winter’s
gripping vision ensures Nucky bows out in style.
The End of an Empire
BOARDWALK EMPIRE: COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON
This is an epic family crime drama with the charismatic
Irish actor Cillian Murphy (Inception, 28 Days Later) at its
helm, utilising his natural grace and matching it with a
ruthlessness we’re not used to seeing in the actor.
He plays Tommy Shelby, the leader of the real-life Peaky
Blinders, who were the most notorious razor-wielding
gang in Birmingham during the 1920s. Although fiercely
ambitious and brutal, Tommy’s depth and complexity
make him one of the more compelling gangster
characters out there, as he transforms his
small-time droogs into a sophisticated criminal organisation.
Beautiful cinematography, dapper costumes and absorbing
performances — Sam Neill is equally good as Tommy’s nasty
police nemesis – set this one apart. Fans of Boardwalk Empire
should check it out; a second season is due later this year.
Brummie Empire
PEAKY BLINDERS: SEASON ONE
Following in the footsteps of Hannibal and Fargo,
Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino’s 1996 crime/vampire
splatterfest has been reinvented as 10-episode TV
series, featuring an all-new cast and delving deeper
into the mythos surrounding those bloodsucking babes
of The Titty Twister. The first half of this debut series
is basically a retread of the film, with Gecko brothers
Seth (D.J. Cotrona) and Richie (Zane Holtz) hitching a
lift across the border with preacher man Robert Patrick
and his kids, and winding up in a vampire den. If you
find yourself thinking “I might as well just watch the movie again”,
stick with it. Things get progressively more insane when vampire
queen Santánico Pandemonium (Eiza González) makes her entrance,
and the show begins to settle into its own unique groove.
Return to the Titty Twister
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: SEASON ONE
The early promos hinted at a Rosemary’s
Baby meets Gravity hybrid, with astronaut Halle
Berry experiencing an immaculate conception
of sorts whilst on a solo mission in orbit. But there’s
a lot more to this Steven Spielberg produced sci-fi
series, which also throws in X-Files-like conspiracies,
android children and, of course, alien offspring.
Moreover, Extant creates a convincing future world
where for once, artificial intelligence isn’t out to
destroy humanity. Production values are top notch,
episodes are consistently eventful, and a star of Berry’s calibre
adds extra prestige. Extant has been renewed for a second
season, which will hopefully clear up a few errant plot points
left dangling in the final episode.
A new Sci-Fi Series is Born
EXTANT: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
Format: Release Date:14/01/15
Format: Release Date: 14/01/15
Format: Release Date: 28/01/15
Format: Release Date: 28/01/15
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