★ 7 / 10
EXT. IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM - DAY
Lachlan Thiele
EXT. IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM - DAY Occupied City is redefining the 'Documentary' genre. This film is a series of stories passed onto Steve McQueen, now passing…
EXT. IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM - DAY
Occupied City is redefining the 'Documentary' genre. This film is a series of stories passed onto Steve McQueen, now passing them onto us. It narrates those stories whilst giving us a glimpse into the current affairs in Amsterdam. This pure juxtaposition shows how far we have come yet how quickly we can turn back. The reason I've titled this review "It's Belongs in A Museum" is not because I have a ticket for the new Indiana Jones film here at Cannes (but it has little to do with that). This film isn't something to watch during a visit to the cinema; it should be on display somewhere, a four-and-a-half-hour loop of each moment, story, fact and stunning cinematography that this film has to offer.
Suppose I explain why I'm so optimistic about this film yet only giving it 3.5 stars. In that case, it's because, as a film, anything more than 4 hours without a narrative flow is a complicated watch. Still, as I said, this belongs in a museum or an art gallery on display for you to sit and watch for a moment; when you're ready, you can leave but come back anytime. Yet I was in a cinema for more than 4 hours. This film would still be compelling at 2 hours long, yet McQueen leaves nothing on the cutting room floor. There were moments in which I wanted it to be over, but then another story or particular shot would drag me back in. But within this film, there is a tighter, more cohesive narrative where the simpler/less impactful stories are excluded. But it seems that McQueen wanted a leg in the race for the longest film of the Decade award.
Overall, if you can watch this film, maybe not in cinemas but divide it up over four nights, giving you enough time to take in each story this film presents.
FADE OUT.
Added Shout out:
Thanks, Mr McQueen, for giving us an intermission; long, long films need to start having these baked in.
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★ 6 / 10
Meditative, Contemplative, Kinda Hypnotic... Also Unnecessarily long
YayNayorMeh
In one way I admire this movie. The intent of showing the buried and uncomfortable history of a major European city and simultaneously showing the conflicts…
In one way I admire this movie. The intent of showing the buried and uncomfortable history of a major European city and simultaneously showing the conflicts and protests that have become part of the present day is admirable.
McQueen manages to show modern Amsterdam on a city-wide civic scale as well as a personal, private scale and gives equal importance to both.
I also find the focus on multiculturalism admirable. We spend time with people with North African, East Asian, Afro-Colonial & Palestinian heritages. As well as the modern Jewish community of Amsterdam.
But it's very repetitive. The historical anecdotes are very compelling, but after a while they seem to be the same type of story over and over. We also didn't need the journeys of the roofs of trams in Amsterdam.
Bottom line, this documentary DID NOT need to be over 4 hours long. It turns what could have been a truly meditative experience into an endurance test.
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Thank you! Been waiting on this (I live in Amsterdam).