In a world bedazzled by intractable images, do we need the essay film now more than ever? Kevin B. Lee weighs up this distinctively self-aware, searching form of cinema through both video and text.

Being James Bond
2021
7.8/10

As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty
2000
7.8/10

Report
1967
6.1/10

McQueen
2018
7.4/10

Love, Antosha
2019
7.4/10

Room 237
2012
6.1/10

Cameraperson
2016
6.7/10

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
2019
6.9/10

X-Rated: The Greatest Adult Movies of All Time
2015
6.4/10

Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition
2026
8.5/10

28 Up
1985
7.5/10

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
2022
8.4/10

Western Stars
2019
7.0/10

Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red
2022
6.8/10

Vampir Cuadecuc
1972
6.1/10

I Am Heath Ledger
2017
7.4/10

42 Up
1999
7.6/10

Aquaman: Heroines of Atlantis
2019
6.2/10

Fuck
2006
6.4/10

Directed by John Ford
1971
7.0/10
Sarasota Half in Dream
2017
0/10