Werner Herzog’s exploration of death row – and death itself – through its occupants, their executioners, their victims, and their victims’ families is everything you would expect from the master filmmaker. Herzog pushes unflinchingly through that conversational discomfort zone where most would stop short of certain questions, and it’s that extra distance that allows him to tell a riveting story. With Herzog’s measured, distinct voice as our guide, and 28-year-old murderer and death row inmate Michael Perry as a starting point, we’re taken beyond the standard stories and tropes to find intimacy in the inhumane, and to experience unforgettable portraits of darkness and light.