Peter Mullan

TV Review: Brilliant, Captivating ‘Top of the Lake’ with Elisabeth Moss

BrianTT — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:06:58 -0400

CHICAGO – Jane Campion’s “Top of the Lake,” premiering tonight on The Sundance Channel, is one of the best things you’ll watch on TV this year. It’s a stunning accomplishment that gets deeper, more complex, and more fascinating as it goes along. With spectacular work by Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”) and typically fantastic turns from Peter Mullan & Holly Hunter, this is a must-see.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

A 12-year-old girl named Tui Mitcham begins walking into a freezing lake in the community of Laketop. She is rescued and it is learned that she is five months pregnant. When asked to name the father, she simply writes “No one.” A local detective with a dark past of her own named Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) is brought in to investigate the pregnancy and support the girl but becomes involved in something much greater when Tui goes missing.

Just before she disappears, Tui makes contact with a new group of women who happen to be taking up residence on land that Tui’s father, a notorious drug lord named Matt Mitcham (the stellar Peter Mullan) considers his property. On this gorgeous expanse of flat land, a women’s support group, led by the seemingly detached GJ (Holly Hunter), has taken up residence. They sit around on a tract of land called “Paradise” and just seem to live there, not planning out activities but just being, which drives Matt Mitcham kind of crazy. The women of Paradise are clearly thematically designed as something that shakes up the entire world of Laketop. As you might imagine knowing Campion’s work, roles for women in modern society and rampant sexism in general plays a major role in “Top of the Lake.”

Top of the Lake
Photo credit: The Sundance Channel

Back to the mystery at hand (and, yes, part of the genius of “Top of the Lake” is that it is so easy to get involved in the other themes and characters without constant focus on the mystery…it’s more of a drama than a thriller) - where is Tui? Did her father kill Tui rather than face the embarrassment of a granddaughter to his teenage girl? That seems too easy. Was it the father of her unborn child? Someone else? Campion weaves a story in which it feels like there’s something dark and foreboding around every corner. In this part of the world in which people exist in wide open spaces (I love the fact that the women of Paradise are on flat land in giant, open trailers, always leaving visual space for the neverending horizon), there’s no room for secrets.

Top of the Lake
Photo credit: The Sundance Channel

The performances in “Top of the Lake” are all-around incredible. The two that steal the piece at the beginning (I’ve only seen the first pair of episodes, both airing tonight) are Moss and Mullan. No one should be surprised by the latter as he’s been one of our better character actors for years. He’s perfectly coiled here; a man who seems constantly on the edge of violent action and is fully aware of how that unpredictability can be used to get him what he needs. Moss is just as good, even if her accent is reportedly a bit shaky. She’s beautifully subtle in the way she navigates this testosterone-heavy world, realizing that she’s going to be one of the few people calling for justice for a 12-year-old girl who most male cops don’t seem to care about in the slightest. David Wenham and Holly Hunter are strong in the premiere as well. In fact, there’s not a single weak performance in the ensemble.

And credit to that goes to Campion and co-director Garth Davis. It will be interesting to watch something that very clearly feels like a 6-hour movie cut up into chunks on TV. In fact, the biggest flaw of “Top of the Lake” may be in its presentation. Most people don’t have Sundance Channel in HD (neither Xfinity or DirectTV carries it in 1080p) and the cinematography is beautiful (and I would argue an essential ingredient to the show’s success through the atmosphere it creates). And the telefilm could get clunky given how it’s not been conceived for commercial or episode breaks. I really wish that “Top of the Lake” had been released on something like Netflix — all at once, able to appreciate and admire without the structural flaws inherent in episodic television. Yes, my biggest complaint about “Top of the Lake” is that it’s too much like a great, epic feature film and not enough like a TV show. You won’t read that often in a TV review. “Top of the Lake” is not a typical TV show.

“Top of the Lake” stars Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan, Thomas M. Wright, Holly Hunter, Jay Ryan, Kip Chapman, and Jacqueline Joe. It was written by Jane Campion & Gerard Lee and directed by Campion & Garth Davis. It premieres on the Sundance Channel on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 8pm CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-ray Review: Lavish Set For Steven Spielberg’s ‘War Horse’

BrianTT — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:32:13 -0400

CHICAGO – Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” is a well-intentioned and well-made film that nonetheless comes off as a major disappointment both in the context of the filmography of one of our most important filmmakers and the potential of the storytelling here. It’s a technically strong film and so its strengths are amplified by HD and the Blu-ray includes a healthy quantity of special features but the movie is a disappointment.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

“War Horse” plays almost as if Spielberg is answering the critics who claim he can be too maudlin and overly sentimental with a film that REALLY fits both those criticisms. “War Horse” is an old-fashioned piece with remarkable technical qualities that still feels about as flat as a TV movie of the week when it comes to character, subtlety, and overall purpose. It’s a beautiful movie that never stirs the soul as much as one may admire the people who made it. The HD transfer of the Blu-ray release is admittedly stunning (the movie looks prettier than I remembered in theaters) and John Williams’ score was BUILT for HD audio. So, if you are a fan of “War Horse,” there’s little reason to complain about this release.

War Horse was released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 3, 2012
Photo credit: Disney

Synopsis:
From legendary director Steven Spielberg comes the epic adventure War Horse, a tale of incredible loyalty, hope and tenacity. Based on the Tony award-winning Broadway play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt story begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and his young trainer Albert. When they’re forced apart by war, we follow Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals — and complete with never-before-seen bonus — War Horse is a “Genuine Movie Masterpiece” (Rex Reed, The New York Observer) and one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship ever told.

Special Features:
o War Horse: The Journey Home
o An Extra’s Point Of View
o A Filmmaking Journey
o Editing & Scoring
o The Sounds Of War Horse
o Through The Producer’s Lens
o War Horse: The Look

“War Horse” stars Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson, Niels Arestrup, and David Thewlis. It was directed by Steven Spielberg. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 3rd, 2012.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 10 DVDs of Oscar-Nominated ‘War Horse’ From Steven Spielberg

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:29:16 -0400

CHICAGO – In our latest history/war edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: DVD, we have 10 DVDs up for grabs for the highly anticipated home entertainment release of Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film “War Horse” starring Jeremy Irvine!

“War Horse,” which was nominated for six Oscars including best picture, also stars Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, Benedict Cumberbatch, Celine Buckens, Toby Kebbell, Patrick Kennedy, Leonard Carow, David Kross, Matt Milne and Robert Emms from director Steven Spielberg and writers Lee Hall and Richard Curtis.

The film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack on April 3, 2012. To win your free “War Horse” DVD courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this Hookup and win can be found below.

“War Horse” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack on April 3, 2012.
Image credit: DreamWorks

Here is the synopsis for “War Horse”:

“War Horse” – the Academy Award-nominated best picture – is a story of incredible friendship, loyalty, courage, hope and tenacity. Based on the Tony Award-winning play and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt tale begins with the remarkable friendship between a feisty colt named Joey and his young trainer, Albert (Jeremy Irvine).

When they’re forced apart by war, the film follows Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. No matter where they go or what they experience, both boy and horse keep forging ahead – driven by devotion and the hope of returning home. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals, “War Horse” is one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship and love ever filmed.

The trailer for “War Horse” DVD and Blu-ray can be watched below.

To win your free “War Horse” DVD, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win.

Next, simply answer our question. You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Comments have been disabled on this page.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. You must own a DVD player. Please answer our question below.

What’s the story of an animal who has impacted you the most?
Note: Comments have been disabled on this page.

This Hookup is simple: 10 lucky readers will be randomly selected as the winners of our free “War Horse” DVD Hookup! The winners will be mailed their DVDs at our expense. Good luck!

Disclaimer
HollywoodChicago.com LLC is a promotional partner with the studio
and its partners and doesn’t assume any liability for this giveaway.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Film Review: Steven Spielberg Casts a Golden Light Upon ‘War Horse’

PatrickMcD — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:53:32 -0500

CHICAGO – Opening on Christmas Day is a film about a boy, his horse and war, brought to the screen by America’s most popular living director. “War Horse” is the most critic proof film ever realized. Kidding. This equine epic is Steven Spielberg’s latest, taking advantage of precise filmmaking, emotion and cinematography to deliver a decent holiday package.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

“War Horse” relies on the tugging of the heart strings, which depending on your mood will either bring out the handkerchiefs or get a nice cynical round of jokes going. But the film’s emotional state is in the right place, looking to bridge the gap between the factions in World War One, and hoping like Spielberg’s previous hero “E.T.” to bring War Horse home where he belongs. If that’s not the Holiday Spirit, then we all deserve to be visited by the three ghosts.

The film begins with a horse auction, attended by an English farmer named Ted (Peter Mullan), who needs a plow puller. He spies a spirited stallion named Joey, and despite the animal not being proper for the work, he is determined to buy it. He outbids Lyons (David Tewlis), who is the town rich guy and his landlord, and when he wins the horse Lyons threatens to foreclose on the farm. He sheepishly brings Joey back to his wife Rose (Emily Watson) and son Albert (Jeremy Irvine).

The boy takes a shine to Joey, and when Lyons pressures the family to plow or leave the farm, actually teaches Joey how to be a work horse. But there are storm clouds on the horizon, in the form of England going to war against Germany. Father Ted leads the beloved Joey to town, and sells him to an available warrior, Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston). Albert is heartbroken, and Joey begins an adventure that will see him participating in both sides of the world conflict, with a stop in between to give a sick girl named Emilie (Celine Buckens) some hope. Oh War Horse, is there anything you can’t do?

”War Horse” opens everywhere on December 25th. Featuring Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Celine Buckens, David Thewis and Benedict Cumberbatch. Screenplay adaptation by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Rated “PG-13”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “War Horse”

Jeremy Levine as Albert and Joey in ‘War Horse’
Photo credit: Andrew Cooper for DreamWorks Pictures

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “War Horse”

Film Review: Paddy Considine’s ‘Tyrannosaur’ Packs a Gut-Wrenching Punch

mattmovieman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:38:03 -0500

CHICAGO – She first finds him hiding behind a rack of clothes in her small charity shop. He’s the sort of a battered soul that her Christian instincts naturally desire to protect. The way he crouches on the floor and snarls at her causes him to resemble a threatening animal, but the calming prayer that she recites quickly reduces him to tears. Even before their eyes have had the chance to meet, a vital connection has been made between the two strangers.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

This is an early scene from the Sundance darling, “Tyrannosaur,” a brutally raw but deeply moving drama that marks the directorial debut of chameleon-esque character actor Paddy Considine. He appears to have followed in the footsteps of his fellow countryman, Tim Roth, whose first (and only) feature, 1999’s “The War Zone,” was uncompromisingly grim but also exhilaratingly well acted. It’s clear that both Roth and Considine’s experience in front of the camera has greatly contributed to their ease in directing actors.

Read Matt Fagerholm’s full review of “Tyrannosaur” in our reviews section.

As studios churn out their expensive awards campaigns for A-list stars, small foreign gems like “Tyrannosaur” nearly always get lost in the shuffle. That’s a real shame, considering moviegoers will be hard-pressed to find two better performances this year than the ones delivered here by Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman, both reprising their roles from Considine’s 2007 short, “Dog Altogether.” As Joseph, the man hiding behind the clothes rack, Mullan proves he is as deftly convincing at portraying the inner demons of an alcoholic psyche as he was in Ken Loach’s 1998 effort, “My Name is Joe,” for which he received the Best Actor prize at Cannes. When the shop owner, Hannah (Colman), gently asks for his name, Joseph replies, “Robert De Niro,” an appropriate choice considering that there is a touch of Travis Bickle in his consuming rage and disgust at the neighbors he despises. He makes Clint Eastwood in “Gran Torino” look like Mr. Rogers, but as the film progresses, Considine’s script gradually unearths the shattered man beneath the ferocious exterior. The only glimmer of friendship to be found on the embittered widower’s block is offered by a young boy. Joseph spends much of his time leering across the street at the boy’s ineffectual mother and her sadistic boyfriend, whose bark is almost certainly worse than his bite. Yet the dog that the boyfriend keeps at his side proves to be the real threat, since the poor creature can only take so much abuse before it finally snaps.

‘Tyrannosaur stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell, Ned Dennehy, Samuel Bottomley and Sally Carmen. It was written and directed by Paddy Considine. It opened Nov. 27 at the Music Box Theatre. It is not rated.

Continue reading for Matt Fagerholm’s full “Tyrannosaur” review.

Peter Mullan stars in Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur.
Photo credit: Strand Releasing

‘Red Riding Trilogy’ Simultaneously Captivates, Infuriates

BrianTT — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:40:06 -0400

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Much ink has been spilled about how HBO is at the forefront of made-for-TV filmmaking in the world, a fact already demonstrated this year by the brilliant biopic “Temple Grandin” and the stellar WWII mini-series, “The Pacific.” Yet Britain’s Channel 4 deserves just as much attention and praise for producing the “Red Riding” trilogy, which has been routinely compared to HBO’s classic series, “The Wire.”

“Red Riding” originally aired in the U.K. last March, and has been currently playing across America in a limited theatrical release. With their convoluted plotting, brutal intensity, and combined running time of nearly five hours, these three crime thrillers are best seen separately. But moviegoers with the ability to schedule three trips to the theater are well advised to do so, since each “Red Riding” installment is cinematically lensed for a big-screen canvas.

Read Matt Fagerholm’s full review of “Red Riding Trilogy” in our reviews section.

The trilogy is based on a quartet of novels by David Peace, which delved into the complex web of corruption surrounding the Yorkshire Ripper case in the 1970s and 80s. All three films are written by Tony Grisoni, who collaborated with director Terry Gilliam on two of his most divisive pictures, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Tideland.” For the most part, his adaptation is splendid at capturing the various protagonists’ paranoia as they search for a truth that often seems as elusive as Don Quixote’s “impossible dream” (oddly enough, Grisoni’s next project is Gilliam’s “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote”).

There are times when it seems like everyone on the West Yorkshire police force is harboring a terrible secret. The professional guise of their uniforms barely conceal the animalistic nature lurking within their power-hungry, money-grubbing souls, causing them to resemble wolves capable of devouring any young innocent. As in David Fincher’s “Zodiac,” the identity of the killer in “Red Riding” almost seems irrelevant in light of the head-swirling corruption that pervades the society in which he inhabits. A line assured to resonate in viewers’ heads is the repeated proclamation, “This is the North, where we do what we want!” The three films may vary in style, but the brooding tone remains consistent throughout.

‘The Red Riding Trilogy’ stars Andrew Garfield, Paddy Considine, David Morrissey, Mark Addy, Peter Mullan, Warren Clarke, Jim Carter, Sean Harris, Maxine Peake, Robert Sheehan, Rebecca Hall, Eddie Marsan and Sean Bean. It was written by Tony Grisoni and directed by Julian Jarrold, James Marsh and Anand Tucker. It opened on March 12th at the Music Box. It is rated R.

Continue reading for Matt Fagerholm’s full “Red Riding Trilogy” review.

Red Riding 1974
Photo credit: IFC Films