(Originally from Facebook – August 11, 2013)

There’s nothing new in the presentation, but this is a must-see because of the content. Nearly 20 years ago I watched the HBO documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. The documentary West of Memphis serves as a coda to that film, the tragic tale of the murder of three young boys, further compounded by questions about the official story of events. West of Memphis, produced by Peter Jackson revisits the three teens, now adults, convicted of the crime. Due in large part to the influence of celebrities such as Eddie Vedder and Johnny Depp, who believe the men are innocent, the case has remained in the forefront.

The film gives us a close to the case, or at least as much of a closing as we’ll likely ever get. There are still questions left unanswered, but such is the difference between life and art. It is a hopeful film, but also heartbreaking, for above everything else, three young boys are dead, and if I have any complaint at all, it’s that that fact gets a little lost in the focus of the film. It is a film that will anger you, too. There are no winners here.

IMDB rates it a 7.7, which is a testament to just how engrossing a film it is. I’m going to lower that just slightly, to a solid 7. As I said, we’ve seen the presentation before (although maybe it’s just that the original doc has stayed with me so long). (running time 2:27)