What You Missed: Dec. 20, 2014

Written by O’Boyd

Another new feature in Cinema Corner 2.0 is our wrap-up file of all the movie-related events from the day. Think the Drudge Report meets Hollywood.

Why should you have to search all over the Internet for movie news when you can get it all right here. We’ll list here some of the stuff we’ve posted from earlier in the day along with other items we think you should check out. Each day, we hope to provide you with a roundup of sorts of the things we believe you’ll enjoy and want to read about.

As always, enjoy.

From Walt Disney Studios’ Facebook page. Remember, there’s less than a week before Christmas. Be sure to get those presents wrapped.

OUR HEADLINES

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ says ‘thank you’

First picture of Spielberg, Hanks in Cold War spy mission film

Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart team up in first ‘Get Hard’ trailer

Well, looks like we’re down to four directors for next ‘Star Trek’ film

Legendary Pictures really wants you to get to know ‘Seventh Son’

JoBlo.com gives us six featurettes to educate us on “Kingsman: The Secret Service”

Andy Serkis can finally spill the beans, somewhat, on ‘The Force Awakens’

Watch the new trailer for ’71’ before you go see ‘Unbroken’

Jim Carrey teaming up with ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ producers for ‘Deep Cover’

Coming to Theaters: Dec. 19, 2014

What You Missed: Dec. 19, 2014

THE LATEST ON THE SONY HACK AND “THE INTERVIEW”

• Obama: Sony made a mistake in canceling “The Interview.”

• Sony’s CEO: “We have not caved.”

• Sony says it spoke to White House before and after “The Interview” was pulled.

• Sony hackers gloat over the studio pulling the plug on “The Interview.”

• Three actors from “The Interview” speak about the film and their roles.

• Sean Penn gives his opinion. So does George Clooney.

• Screen Junkies has six Seth Rogen/James Franco movies that also should be banned.

• Vulture has a great story about how “The Interview” has renewed interest in Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator.”

• Wanna see how Americans look in North Korean films? It’s not very flattering.

A new trailer for “The Interview,” approved, of course, by Guardians of Peace.

REST OF THE NEWS

• Kate Winslet is the latest to be considered for the Steve Jobs biopic.

• Is Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) going to make an appearance on the ABC television show “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

• Why hasn’t a redhead ever won an Oscar? The Hollywood Reporter explains.

• The first official trailer for “The Duke of Burgundy” makes “50 Shades of Grey” seem like a walk in the park.

• There are two 30-second TV spots for the Johnny Depp film “Mortdecai,” which hits theaters on Jan. 23. I’ll let you think on that.

You have seen the Christmas lights display set to songs from “Star Wars” and “Frozen.” You haven’t? Well, here you go.

• See Sarah Michelle Geller in a clip for the video-on-demand film “Veronica Decides to Die.” It releases on Jan. 20.

• The next movie on the Schmoes Know 25 Days of Christmas: “Elf.”

• Peter Jackson has never read a comic book and has no plans to make a Marvel film.

• Children’s movies are really sad and violent, a study concludes.

• Here’s the cast from “The Santa Clause” 20 years later.

• Screen Rant’s worst movies and best movies of 2014.

• Screen Crush’s best and worst movies of 2014.

• Bad Ass Digest has its best films of 2014 list.

What You Missed: Dec, 17 2014

Written by O’Boyd

Another new feature in Cinema Corner 2.0 is our wrap-up file of all the movie-related events from the day. Think the Drudge Report meets Hollywood. We’ll list here some of the stuff we’ve posted from earlier in the day along with other items we think you should check out. Each day, we hope to provide you with a roundup of sorts of the things we believe you’ll enjoy and want to read about.

As always, enjoy.

And we thought the “X-Men” series was confusing. This series takes the cake. Hopefully, they’ll sort it all out like “Days of Future Past” did.

Our headlines from Tuesday …

Carmike Cinemas opts to not show ‘The Interview’ after new threats issued in latest Sony hack

Viola Davis slated to be final piece to ‘Suicide Squad’ puzzle

New international trailer for Disney’s ‘Cinderella’ remake hits web

Could there be a ‘Ghostbusters’ film involving Channing Tatum, Chris Pratt?

‘Kong: Skull Island’ adds J.K. Simmons to cast

Next ‘Star Trek’ film has narrowed list to five directors

‘MoonQuake Lake’ isn’t real … and that’s a good thing

‘Let’s Be Cops’ tops DVD rentals for first time

‘Selma’ star’s next project is ‘Americana’

• On top of all the recent hacks, Sony is now being sued by two former employees.

• Activists plan to drop ‘The Interview’ DVDs over North Korea via balloon.

• Could the “Christmas Gifts” the Guardians of Peace hackers are referring to be the 20 or so unreleased films from Sony Pictures? And what are the films?

• BadAssDigest.com says the chances of Spider-Man being in “Captain America: Civil War” are slim to none now.

• Did Roberto Orci leave the third “Star Trek” movie because it’s being made in the same realm as “Guardians of the Galaxy?”

• Brad Pitt and his children sat in for Angelina Jolie at a premiere for “Unbroken.” Why wasn’t Jolie there? She has chicken pox.

• Christoph Waltz says he’s not playing the main villain in “Spectre.”

• With “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” coming out Wednesday, Rotten Tomatoes ranks Peter Jackson’s 10 best movies.

Get prepared, or something like that, for “The Battle of the Five Armies” by watching this Honest Trailer of “The Desolation of Smaug.”

• Variety says “Five Armies” will make around $70 million its opening weekend in the U.S.

• Did you know Chris Pratt was “discovered” waiting tables in Hawaii? Read more from Cinema Blend.

• The “Frozen” director apologizes for the song “Let It Go.” Seriously!

• Jason Reitman is re-staging ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ for a one-night-only live-read that involves two pretty big stars.

• Natalie Portman says Mike Nichols was her savior after the “Star Wars” prequels.

• J.K. Rowling says she feels guilty for killing off this “Harry Potter” character.

• Jamie Dornan says he visited sex dungeons to prepare for “Fifty Shades of Grey”

• The Mickey Rourke fight was all a sham … at least that’s what the guy who Rourke beat says.

• MoviePilot.com has the 10 scariest horror movies you likely didn’t see in 2014.

Seth Meyers has already figured out the plot for the latest James Bond film, “Spectre.”

• Schmoes Know’s next film in its 25 Days of Christmas is “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

• Robin Williams topped Google’s list of top searches for 2014.

• The Marvel Experience will be a pretty amazing … experience.

What You Missed: Dec, 9, 2014

Written by O’Boyd

Another new feature in Cinema Corner 2.0 is our wrap-up file of all the movie-related events from the day. Think the Drudge Report meets Hollywood. We’ll list here some of the stuff we’ve posted from earlier in the day along with other items we think you should check out. Each day, we hope to provide you with a roundup of sorts of the things we believe you’ll enjoy and want to read about.

As always, enjoy!

Harry Potter and Twitter … always a good mix.

• More bad news about the Steve Jobs bio pic as it appears Natalie Portman has backed out.

• The voices of the parents in Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out” are chosen.

• Sticking with animated films, Collider has more details about the plot for Disney Pixar’s “Finding Dory.”

• Sony hackers leak more documents and also call for “The Interview” to not be shown in theaters.

• This could be really big: Al Pacino has met with Marvel.

• MovieWeb.com shares a clip of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on its “Guardians of the Galaxy” Blu-Ray and DVD. Also,  Marvel also opened the website for “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

• Stan Lee seems to appear in every Marvel project, including the television show “Agent Carter.”

• “Spectre” began filming today in London. Above is a photo that was posted on social media to mark the event.

• Leonardo DiCaprio is apparently not suffering after the breakup with his model girlfriend.

• Famed director Peter Jackson received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday. Click here to watch the ceremony.

• Emma Thompson doesn’t have nice things to say about the “Harry Potter” franchise.

• And here’s “Family Guy” with their take on “The Force Awakens”, via the TBS Facebook page.

• Disney had its world premiere for “Into the Woods” in New York City. Check out the photos on Disney’s Facebook page.

• Another day of the Schmoes Know 25 Days of Christmas brings us “Joyeux Noel.”

• The Rock has high expectations for “San Andreas.”

• Starting Tuesday, IMDB.com will begin rolling out its best of 2014.

 And don’t forget our stories from Monday …

• Ron Howard directed ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ releases international trailer

• Gina Carano added to ‘Kickboxer’ remake

• Toho Japan planning to release new Godzilla film in 2016

• George Lucas hasn’t seen ‘The Force Awakens’ trailer

• Anna Kendrick gets nostalgic in ‘The Last Five Years’

• Julianne Moore shines in first trailer for ‘Still Alice’

• Coming to DVD: Dec. 9, 2014

Reviews of the past: ‘West of Memphis’

The next set of reviews we’ll be publishing are some of the ones Roger Thomas has done exclusively for The Stanly News & Press. Roger has written movie reviews for The Stanly News & Press and other outlets for years, long before starting this blog. So we decided it would be good to give readers a sample of his previous work, in addition to posts of reviews of current films. Other reviews will run daily.

Henry Rollins and film director Amy Berg

I saw “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills” when it played in theaters in 1996. At some point during the viewing, it became my favorite documentary. A position it has held for nearly 20 years. I own a copy of it, along with the two sequels “(Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory).” Many know part of the story told in the films; it is a story that everyone should witness.

Now there is a fourth film, “West of Memphis,” that holds the distinction of having Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, the producers of the “Lord of the Rings Trilogy,” as producers of this powerfully moving documentary. It is difficult to separate this new film from the previous trilogy for all four contribute to the telling of a remarkable story of injustice, politics and murder.

On May 5, 1993, three eight-year-old boys were murdered in West Memphis, Ark. Three teenagers were eventually arrested for the murders. “Paradise Lost” tells the story of their trial. The films that follow continue to offer insight into the crime and speculation about the guilt or innocence of the three teens that would eventually become known as the “West Memphis Three.”

The new film, “West of Memphis,” which is now in theaters, reveals the most recent twists and turns in a case that has haunted me since I saw the original documentary. Any fan of true crime stories will find this entire tale captivating, though it is not always easy to watch it unfold.

But beyond the crime, “West of Memphis” reveals a great deal about humanity. There are many tragedies in these events, and the murders are far from the only sinful atrocities that are committed. The numbers of guilty persons, in this simple but vast story, are nearly incalculable.

On the other hand, there are many heroes in these accounts. “West of Memphis” depicts individuals and crowds who stand up for true American values of justice and integrity, and against political ambition, convenience, dishonesty, and an absence of the pursuit of truth.    

I also found myself thinking, “Where would I have stood if I were a part of the West Memphis Community?” These crimes were committed, oddly enough, on my 30 birthday. I tried to remember back to what kind of person I was at 30. Would I have been a part of the voices of righteousness or the machine that rolled over truth in order to bring a swift conclusion to the disruption of the community?

“The Paradise Lost” films and “West of Memphis” appeal to me so much because I have lived in small southern towns most of my life. I understand the dynamics that exist in places like the community where this tragedy happened. These films ask a lot of questions and expose much of the underbelly of the wholesome perception that is often associated with small town life. This story could have happened many places across our nation, and the question lingers, “Would it have played out any differently somewhere other than west of Memphis?” Probably not, if the citizens were as eager for resolution over all else even truth and justice. And that’s an individual choice. Mobs are only as big and strong as the number of people who choose to grab pitchforks and torches; and that potential is in most of us.

I, of course, started to understand this story in 1996 when I first saw “Paradise Lost.” I do not think you need to see that film or its sequels to find “West of Memphis” to be a truly remarkable documentary. On the other hand, if you get a chance to rent “Paradise Lost,” before or after watching “West of Memphis,” I think you will discover a true gem. These films tell a story that everyone needs to hear, and needs to remember. True injustice should never be forgotten in the constant pursuit to not repeat others’ past mistakes or our own.

Box Office results

Domestic gross: $310,154

Foreign gross: Not released

Production budget: NA

Opening weekend: $13,360

NOTE: Information from Boxofficemojo.com