SkimIt
An intriguing variety of trailers have been released in the last week, from a gritty documentary to a pair of films starring some of our most reliable comic actresses. Let's have a look at what will be on our screens in the coming months.
West of Memphis (opening December 25)
The Details: As you may remember from the Paradise Lost trilogy of documentaries by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, a trio of misfit teenagers from the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas were wrongly convicted and eventually exonerated of the 1993 murder of three younger children. This documentary by filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil) covers the entire story from the murders to today, with a particular focus on the ways in which the state's case against the three teens fell apart.
The Trailer: Even for anyone who saw the three other documentaries about the case, this trailer feels like a different take on the story. Alternatively, it approaches the story by examining the local police and prosecutors who railroaded the three teenagers, and how they stonewalled due to compelling new evidence pointing at a different murderer. A scene in which one of the prosecution's key witnesses admits that she lied on the stand is particularly damning.
The Buzz: Not exactly a feel-good movie for the holiday season -- as the trailer's last line points out, the likely murderer remains free today -- this still looks like a compelling new view at a miscarriage of justice.
