Devil of a time

I just previewed Devil's Knot, the latest film to tell the story of the West Memphis Three, earlier today. Now you can see whether it's a film that interests you or not by checking out the trailer below.

2014 Movie Preview: #22 - Devil's Knot

Release date: TBA

Plot summary: Based on the true crime book, "Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three" by Mara Leveritt, "Devil's Knot" tells the compelling story of three teenagers accused of the brutal 1993 murder of three 8-year old boys in Memphis, Ark. - two of them sentenced to life imprisonment and one to death. The film explores the lives of deeply misunderstood outsiders, their families and communities, and their darkest fantasies. The conviction of the West Memphis Three - Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley, Jr., and Jason Baldwin - riled the American justice system, shocked a tightly knit religious town and outraged the nation.

My take: There have already been several films, both documentary and adaptations on the story of the West Memphis Three. So what makes this one worth a look? Well mainly the pedigree of those working on it. Its stars - Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon - are both Oscar winners. The film is also being directed by Atom Egoyan who has made some very powerful dramas in the past. I have no clue as to if this film can be better than any of the previous attempts or if it has anything new to say about this story, but I'm sure interested in seeing if it can.

RBR: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I actually saw this film several weeks ago but held off doing my review because I had hoped to watch it again before writing my critique of it. Now I'm not sure when or if I'll see it again, so before it completely evaporates from my memory, I figured I better take care of it now. This is one of those dense films that rewards patient moviegoers who enjoy paying close attention to what they are watching. Based off of a John LeCarre novel, the film focuses on an ex-British spy named George Smiley (Gary Oldman) who's tasked with trying to find a mole. Set during the Cold War, paranoia runs high as anyone and everyone is a likely suspect. From a narrative perspective, this is not an easy film to follow. It plays loose with its timeline and it takes you a long trying to figure out who each character is. Those who aren't willing to put in the effort will likely get frustrated with this film quickly. But if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded with several good performances by the cast. The film also creates an effective moody tone that enables a lot of the scenes to crackle with tension and thrills. Still the inaccessible nature of the film makes it tough for me to completely love the film. If you want a challenge, I would recommend you give this film a try, but this is not a movie for everyone. Right now I feel that this film falls just short of my top ten list, although I may be open to reconsideration if I get a chance to rewatch it again at some point. Rating: ****