OJ: Made in America (2016)

Still finishing up my quest to watch all of the 2016 movies that were nominated for Oscars.  This is one that I have been working on for awhile, and when all is said and done, I think 13th should have won.
That said, this is a must watch documentary.  It is an examination of race, domestic abuse, celebrity, civil rights, the LAPD, the legal process and murder over the last fifty years, using the OJ Simpson story as a way to refract society. Its length may seem daunting, weighing in at almost 8 hours in length, but it is well worth the time. It’s that good.
The story follows the rise and fall of OJ.  It is outstanding in construct from beginning up to the end, which is perhaps the weakest link in the whole story.  After being acquitted, OJ Simpson lost his exalted status. He was shunned everywhere he went, essentially descended into a life of drugs and violence, which would result in his conviction for armed robbery. But he was always obsessed with his image.   Whether he was running for a record, leaping through an airport for Hertz, making sure Nicole knew that she was his property or getting angry enough to kill, it was always about OJ and only OJ. To understand OJ, we have to understand how much his life was influenced by what he showed us and how we responded to it as a society.  Remarkable story.