West of Memphis

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Peter Jackson-produced West Memphis Three Documentary WEST OF MEMPHIS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 29th, 2012 at 4:17 pm

Following its much-anticipated premiere at last month’s Sundance Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to director Amy Berg’s documentary West of Memphis. Produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, the film chronicles the new investigation surrounding the “West Memphis Three”, a trio of innocent men who were wrongly convicted of murdering three young boys in Arkansas in 1993 despite the fact that there was no evidence linking them to the crime. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. served nearly 20 years in prison (Echols on death row), before finally being released late last year. West of Memphis not only follows the fight to free the innocent men, but also seeks to provide evidence that convicts the true perpetrator of the crime.

I’m pleased to see that Sony Pictures Classics is handling the distribution, as I’m itching to get a look at the film. It premiered to positive reviews at Sundance, and Echols is actually a credited producer on the pic. There’s no word on what kind of distribution model is planned, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s given an awards push later this year. Hit the jump to watch the powerful trailer, followed by the full press release.

Peter Jackson-produced Documentary WEST OF MEMPHIS Unveils Breakthrough New Evidence in West Memphis Three Case

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 20th, 2012 at 12:37 pm

The trial, conviction, and release of the West Memphis Three have been well covered on many fronts over the past 16 years. The documentary trilogy Paradise Lost was tantamount to the eventual release of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley, who were convicted of murdering three young boys in 1994. While the State of Arkansas released the trio through a legal loophole that maintained their guilt (thus protecting the state from a multi-million dollar wrongful conviction lawsuit), the killer remains at large. A new documentary produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Echols called West of Memphis premiered at the Sundance Film Festival today and revealed a breakthrough in evidence against one of the victims’ stepfathers, who has been the primary person of interest since new DNA testing connected him to the crime. Hit the jump to find out what evidence may finally exonerate the West Memphis Three.

First Trailer for Peter Jackson-produced West Memphis Three Documentary WEST OF MEMPHIS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 13th, 2012 at 11:19 am

The first trailer for the documentary West of Memphis has gone online. Produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, the film takes a new look at the circumstances surrounding the West Memphis Three. If you’re unfamiliar with the case, three teenagers were convicted of murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1994 with virtually no evidence. They were recently freed through a complicated legal maneuver (saving the life of Damien Echols, who was on death row), but the true killer remains at large and the Arkansas legal system is refusing to admit their mistake.

The case has been well covered by the Paradise Lost trilogy of documentaries, so I was curious as to why Jackson felt the need to produce yet another documentary. This trailer makes clear that Jackson and director Amy Berg’s intent is to clear the names of the West Memphis Three and bring to justice the real murderer of the three boys from West Memphis. It’s engaging stuff, and I can’t wait to check the full film out once it’s released. Hit the jump to watch the trailer. West of Memphis will premiere at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.

New Posters for STAR WARS: EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D, GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGANCE and WEST OF MEMPHIS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 12th, 2012 at 3:54 pm

We’ve got quite a few new posters to share with you today. First up are five new posters for the 3D re-release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. They’re pretty fantastic, as a few of them run off the theme of a lightsaber. The Darth Maul lightsaber one is sufficiently badass, though there’s a quote-laden one highlighting Maul’s face that kicks considerably less ass. We’ve also got a new international poster for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance that puts star Nicolas Cage on full display.

Finally, we’ve got the poster premiere for Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh’s West Memphis Three documentary West of Memphis. Though the three wrongly convicted men are now free, Jackson and Walsh are working hard to bring justice to the case and solve the 18-year-old triple murder. The poster is excellent and brings their message across loud and clear. West of Memphis will screen at the Sundance Film Festival. Hit the jump to check out the posters.

Sundance 2012: Sundance Film Festival USA to Include Films featuring Frank Langella, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Olsen, Vera Farmiga, and More

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 13th, 2011 at 12:52 pm

In September, we reported that the Sundance Film Festival would be taking its show on the road by offering a handful of festival selections to theaters across the country.  Sundance has now announced the nine films that might be coming to your city provided your city is Ann Arbor, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, San Francisco, or Tuscon.  This year’s Sundance Film Festival USA slate includes movies featuring Frank Langella, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Olsen, Vera Farmiga, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Isla Fischer, Adam Scott, and many more.

Hit the jump for the line-up and theater which each film will be playing.  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival will run from January 19 – 29th.  All Sundance Film Festival USA screenings will take place on January 26th.

Sundance 2012: Premieres Line-Up Announced; Includes RED HOOK SUMMER, LAY THE FAVORITE, and WEST OF MEMPHIS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 5th, 2011 at 2:13 pm

Last week, we learned what the 2012 Sundance Film Festival had lined-up in its In-Competition categories, plus the out-of-competition Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=>, and New Frontier selections. But today Sundance has announced the heavy-hitters with the “Premieres” category.  That’s not to say these are the best films or the ones that will get the biggest buzz.  But they’re the ones that will pack the gigantic Eccles Theater bright and early every morning.

The Premieres category will include Spike Lee‘s Red Hook Summer, Rodrigo Cortes‘ Red Lights, Stephen Frears‘ Lay the Favorite, James Marsh‘s Shadow Dancer, Ice-T‘s Something from Nothing: The Art of Wrap, and the Peter Jackson-produced West Memphis Three documentary, West of Memphis.  There’s plenty more than these few films and you can check out the entire line-up after the jump.  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th.

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