Guerrilla Graphics

40 YEARS A PRISONER (B) - This is a serviceable companion piece to the much better documentary "Let the Fire Burn," which in 2015 chronicled the 1985 firebombing of Philadelphia's Move compound of black liberationists. "40 Years" takes a more formulaic approach to an earlier event -- the 1978 shootout between residents and police that left an officer dead and a bunch of Move members languishing in prison four decades on.

The hero of the story is Michael Africa, who was born shortly after his parents, Debbie and Michael, were imprisoned and who now is battling to free them from prison. Too often this documentary has a tone and narrative arc akin to that of a special episode of TV's "20/20." Approaching a run time of two hours, it also feels a little loaded down.

The highlights are the archival footage from TV coverage back in 1977 and 1978, which leans heavily in favor of the police and the cretinous mayor, Frank Rizzo. The talking heads include some former Move members who still have that rebellious spark. Michael Africa Jr. is a quite charming presence, but his modern presence tends to make the milieu from 40 years ago seem more like a curiosity than a compelling true story. Still, you have to root for him and his family.

And maybe it's good that a fresh filmmaking voice -- writer-director Tommy Oliver, a Philadelphia native -- drags us into a new era and leaves all that '70s ugliness in the black-and-white dustbin of history.

THE ART OF POLITICAL MURDER (C+) - The plot, from IMDb: "An investigation into the truth behind the murder of Guatemalan bishop Juan Gerardi who was killed in 1998 just days after trying to hold the country's military accountable for the atrocities committed during its civil war."

The plod: I really wanted to sink my teeth into this story, but director Paul Taylor just never gets this noirish tale off the ground. And it was difficult to get into this narrative of fairly ancient Guatemalan history. The pace slackens early on and never really gets traction. In the second half, the names of the various players start stacking up, inviting confusion. 

Taylor tips his hand pretty early about the likely suspects -- mainly hinting at military involvement in the death of the the beloved bishop. He also fails to provide historical perspective -- glancing over both the two decades of civil war that preceded the killing and the two decades since. It seems too much to ask of a casual interloper into the history of Guatemala to do a deep dive into this one event. Thus, it's hard to recommend it to just anyone.