STACK NZ Aug #65

REVIEWS

BEST OF

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DVD of the MONTH

Justified: The Final Season

It’s kind of fitting that Elmore Leonard’s final completed novel Rayland was devoted to a character that may end up being his most popular screen creation. As we’ve noted before, Leonard’s 40-plus novels have never been particularly well served by Hollywood – honourable exceptions Get Shorty, Out Of Sight and Jackie Brown notwithstanding – but with Justified , an adaptation of a relatively minor Leonard novella entitled Fire InThe Hole , they finally got it right (though the fact that he served as Executive Producer probably helped). The first series in particular perfectly captured his unique mix of laconic wit, lean but ingenious plot lines, and colourful characters

who nearly always haVE at least one or two redeeming features, even if they are stone cold killers. Although subsequent series never quite achieved the same lofty heights, in Marshal Rayland Givens (Tim Olyphant) and hillbilly crime king Boyd Crowder (the wonderful Walton Goggins), Leonard helped create two of the most charismatic law and order adversaries the small screen has ever seen. Sadly, Leonard died in 2013, but you would like to think he would have approved of how things were wrapped up with this, the sixth and final series. After the disappointing fifth chapter, Justified was back to its best for its swansong, with Givens closing in on his

nemesis thanks in the part to his new criminal informant, Boyd’s lover Ava (Joelle Carter). And this series also boasts two memorable new villains in the shape of weed baron Avery Markham (the great Sam Elliott) and his main henchmanTyWalker (Garret Dillahunt), who have their sights on taking over Harlan County. Apparently, the makers of Justified had toyed with the idea of a Sons Of Anarchy crossover, with Raylan facing off against the survivors of that show. As cool as that would have been, it’s only right that Rayland, Boyd and oo have received their own send-off – and it’s not spoiling anything to say that there is still plenty of scope for some Justified spin-offs. John Ferguson

Sleaford Mods Key Markets

ALBUM of the

MONTH

With minimal musical backing, this exciting, political, funny and sometimes bitter duo of singer Jason Williamson and musician Andrew Fearn connect with echoes of Ian Dury, the Pistols, The Fall, Crass, Two Tone acts, the Streets and B-grade British television comedy. They can burn like a potty-mouthed blowtorch or take you down like some barrow-boy nihilist. Few -- from British politicians to

posing rock singers -- are spared in these spewing rants delivered with unremitting venom. Sometimes this has the emotional richness of a bedsit angry- young-man drama from the ‘50s (reset in modern Britain), and at others just broad swipes, which miss as many targets as they hit. However, hang on for the ride and be rewarded. Graham Reid

AUGUST 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

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