A Three-fer: the Paradise Lost trilogy (1996-2012)

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117293/
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0239894/
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2028530/

These excellent documentaries cover the West Memphis Three saga - three boys convicted (wrongly, as it turns out) for the murders of three other boys in 1993. The first and third films are the best, but the entire series is worth watching to get to know the people involved in the story.

The first film is extraordinary for its access to the people and material - unprecedented footage from the crime scene, the families, the courtroom and the suspects, including the lawyers conferences and meetings with their clients. Like any documentary film, it is not without bias, but it makes a compelling case for the defence.

The second film is necessary but not as compelling, ostensibly covering one of the many appeal hearings (but lacking the extraordinary access afforded to the first film) and taking the opportunity to revisit the scenes and some of the families. This instalment focuses too much IMHO on the one outspoken father, but covers some interesting interactions between him and the activist group working to free the boys.

The third film is perhaps the best (and if you only watch one, this should be it). This film covers the nearly 20-year history of the crime and the case, and catches up once more with the key players in the story. The filming is slicker than the first two - likely HBO at last realized they were on to something - and the access to people and locations, including the courtrooms, it back, providing the drama that was missing in the second film. The film concludes this story well, with the unfortunate acknowledgement that the case remains unsolved.

An interesting element that these films touch on but obviously can't investigate on their own is the influence of the film making on the events themselves. It is clear in all films that many of the people spoke and acted differently than they perhaps might have if there were no cameras on them. Would any of this have been different without the presence and investigations of the filmmakers? Clearly the films played a significant role in raising questions about and interest in the case; the activist groups point directly to their viewing of the first film as their impetus for getting involved. The question of, does study of an event change that event, is something that will likely continue.

The Railway Man (2013)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2058107/

This was a good story given short shrift in this film. The male performances were all very good, and they did a great job casting the characters to match their real-life counterparts; however, I did feel Nicole Kidman was very weak in the role of Patti. The story and message of reconciliation are poignant, but the time period is much better represented in Empire of the Sun (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092965/) and the theme of reconciliation more completely told in Five Minutes of Heaven (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1238291/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_32).