Grifty G (jackamaku)

Each Paradise Lost sequel has assumed that the viewer is unfamiliar with the story from the first film, and has relied heavily on recaps and flashbacks to bring the audience up to speed. Paradise lost 2 did this by just showing scenes from part 1 and lots of on-screen text telling you what has happened. Paradise Lost 3 begins with a long and very well done recap of the highlights of the first 2 films told through news reports and interviews. Some footage is stuff we've seen, some is old footage we've never seen, all mixed in with new footage. Having just watched Paradise Lost 1 & 2 in preparation for this screening, I was impressed by how well this was put together. Filmmaking and editing wise, this is the best of the 3 films. Although it doesn't replace the earlier films, it does stand very well on it's own. Paradise Lost 1 has all the detail of the trials. Part 2 casts more doubt and shows the impact of the documentary on the public perception of the convicted kids, and part 3 gets to show the entire story, and really shows the passage of time and how the people involved have changed over the last 18 years. A great ender to a great series.

Decent action film from Soderbergh, elevated by it's interesting cast and a female lead who can actually kick your ass in real life. There's not a whole lot of range in her character, but Gina Carano does a passable job and has a certain amount of screen presence for a non-actress. The action scenes are done well, not too over-the-top (mostly), and shown with minimal cutting and no music, so they have a real grittiness to them that's missing from a lot of today's action. The story is ok, but the filmmaking and cast are what makes this worth watching.