Killshot Revisited

The first time I watched Killshot a while back, I thought it was pretty good.  Of course, it couldn't touch Elmore's writing, but isn't that always the case?  Well, unless Raylan Givens is involved, but I digress.  So, I watched Killshot again the other night and I'm elevating it to really good.  It was fast-paced, fun, and full of thrills, but it avoided becoming sensational or unbelievable in the way the action was presented.

Mickey Rourke was great as Blackbird even if he doesn't seem like a great choice to play an indian, and both Diane Lane and Thomas Jane were solid.  However, the real star here was JGL, who completely disappeared in the part of Richie Nix, a thoroughly unlikable low-rent hood with big dreams, a bigger mouth, and a very small brain.  He was awesome, and he gave the flick a lot of life. 

So, yeah, if you didn't catch Killshot when it hit the shelves (it was in limbo for a while before being released to little fanfare, so you may not have heard about it until now) or if you found it rather lukewarm on the first pass, give Killshot a chance.  Or a second play.  You know what I'm saying. 

Justified Keeps Getting Better and Better

Man, I love Justified.  For those of you who know me well, this is old news.  For those of you who don't, it's probably hard to grasp.  I'm not really a big TV guy unless it's football season, and then I'm mostly there for the NFL.  On average, I follow maybe 2 or 3 shows, and there have been numerous points in my life when I didn't follow any.  I love movies and I read like it's something I'm paid to do, but television has always been the red-headed stepchild of my entertainment family.

And then there's Justified.  I'm a big Elmore Leonard fan, I love Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins, and this show has thrilled me from the very start.  Picking my favorite season would be like trying to pick a favorite child.  In some way, shape, or form, each one is my favorite, and thus far the fifth season has been no different.

As we head toward next week's finale, I've never been more excited to see what comes next.  Justified has mastered the art of wrapping each season around one big story and telling a multitude of little stories along the way.  The way the characters and their relationships have evolved and the way the show has managed to add great talent to the mix each and every year is nothing short of remarkable.  I think the series is positively golden, and I can't recommend it enough.

Much of this is old news, I've praised the show frequently before on a number of platforms, and this isn't the first time I worked to spread the Harlan Gospel with my blog.  I just want to make sure everyone understands that this love story is really no different from my marriage to the most wonderful woman on the planet; I'm still head over heels in love, I'm still being surprised and thrilled every step of the way, and I'm always eager to tell someone about my joy. 

Justified, where the good guys aren't all good, the bad guys aren't all bad, the outcome is never predictable, and the dialogue is impeccable.  I firmly believe this is the best show ever, and I can't wait for next week's season finale.  Forgive me, however, if I'm trying really hard not to dwell on the fact that the next season will be the last season.