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Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Reviews: Essays on Cinema by Robert K. Beshara analyzes a select collection of films, filmmakers, and concepts with analysis, personal opinions, and thoughtful conclusions. This collection covers topics and films that primarily range between 2010 and 2017 with many subjects taken from viewings at the Toronto International Film Festival. These are also reflections of the author’s time as a graduate student with each essay exploring a different topic that ranges from a film, filmmaker, or genre. You can see this reflection through highlighted aspects covering technical behind-the-scenes and artistic vision, showcasing how these elements go into storytelling and set each film apart. A little bit of everything can be found in this book from documentaries to dramas to renowned names. Also featured are the author’s thoughts regarding the filmmaking process, film festival challenges, and the goal of celebrating marginalized filmmakers.
The different essays touch upon a wide range of topics from controversy in films to documentaries, each one supported with specific examples supporting the arguments presented. The collection opens with the essay “Ethical Questionability,” presenting a case study on a controversial silent film that shows the power films have to influence history, even negatively. This sets the tone for what to expect from each subsequent essay. It is a prime example of a writing style that blends opinion with technical facts, historical support, and artistic expression. Other essays include “Multilayered Structure of Reality,” which takes the most philosophical approach and will have you thinking deeper about how you regard film. Additionally, “Roger Waters, Prometheus, and Radiohead” creates similar feelings as we empathize with characters or situations. Several themes are highlighted such as presenting the truth in “An Enemy of the People,” freedom of speech and censorship in “Microphone,” and studying the past to examine the present in “The Future of Documentary Films.” Hal Hartley and David Lynch are two names that Beshara examines in their respective genres. Reviews: Essays on Cinema by Robert K. Beshara is a thought-provoking resource that is useful for film students, individual study, and beginner film critics as it shows how to think deeper, analyze, and draw intellectual opinions on artistry, technical aspects, and genre.
