Side by Side

Radio Times“Scorsese feels he's had to learn his craft all over again...” Chris Kenneally's film is both even-handed and surprisingly accessible to both techno-geeks and the general audience alike. Timely and smartly assembled, it's above all hugely entertaining...

The Observer“It's a story of technical emulsion and artistic emotion...” It asks questions about culture and technology, the creation of a new sensibility, and whether we're looking at the debasement of values or a new democracy coming to the arts...

Financial Times“Cine-anorak’s guide to changing screen technology...” It’s sweet and sparkling, as glassfuls of thought are provided by James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, David Lynch, Steven Soderbergh and other champagne cinematic cerebra...

Little White Lies“Only scratching the surface of each vast topic...” The sense you get with Side By Side is that we’re seeing the soundbite-driven highlights of a much larger project, as the film hurtles from shooting to issues of practicality to colour correcting to processing to preservation and to exhibition...

The Independent“Is digital poised to outmode celluloid as the accepted medium?...” The democratisation of digital means that just about anyone can go and make a movie nowadays – but is this a good thing? This film is out with the jury on that one...

The Arts Desk“Film’s durability could yet save it...” Digital technology is heedlessly advancing into a future where it may itself be displaced. Properly preserved cans of film remain the only reliable way to archive cinema. Open one, and its magic works with enduring simplicity...

Guardian“Is film dead? And should we care?... ” Audiences could be forgiven for being baffled as to what the conclusion is. Perhaps digital is simply what is causing cinema to survive: its lowered costs are matching the lowered income-stream caused by the web and changing consumption patterns...

Time Out“A perfect balance for what is still a touchy, ever-evolving subject...” More impressive is the plurality of voices, pro and con, that Side by Side captures with full evenhandedness. Devout celluloid advocates like Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Wally Pfister air understandable frustrations...

Total Film “A history of the tumultuous decade-and-a-half from Dogme 95 to Avatar...” Tech-heavy discussions admittedly make for a niche affair, but it’s a geekgasm for those fascinated by such behind-the-scenes exotica as colour timing or dynamic range...

Empire“Well-researched, informative and absorbing...” Digital technology began to present not only a challenge to the dominance of traditional film, but a threat to its existence. It is at this tipping point that this informed and informative documentary sets out to explore the pros and cons...