Side by Side
"Digital technology is evolving to a point that it may very well replace film as the primary means of creating and sharing motion pictures," Keanu Reeves narrates at the beginning of Side by Side, speaking over quick cuts from Sin City, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, and Avatar—all films shot digitally. Considering the state of cinematography and distribution—with digital cameras and projectors having all but muscled out traditional 35mm—Reeves probably should've just said "has replaced" instead of "may very well replace." Still, Side by Side shows a pretty great cross-section of the film industry as it grapples with one of the biggest transitions in its history, featuring sharp interviews with filmmakers like James Cameron, George Lucas, Danny Boyle, Steven Soderbergh, Robert Rodriguez, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Lena Dunham, and an exceedingly grumpy Christopher Nolan.
by Erik Henriksen