Occupied City is reshaping what we understand as a 'Documentary.' It’s structured as a collection of accounts shared with Steve McQueen, and now being passed on to the audience. The film recounts those narratives while simultaneously offering a look at contemporary events unfolding in Amsterdam. This direct comparison highlights how much progress has been made, but also how swiftly things can revert. My choice of "It Belongs in A Museum" for this review’s title isn't because I have tickets for the new Indiana Jones movie here at Cannes—though that is somewhat related. It’s not a film meant to be viewed during a trip to the movies; instead, it should be exhibited somewhere, an uninterrupted four-and-a-half-hour presentation of each moment, story, fact, and the striking cinematography within it. Let me explain why I feel positive about this film while only awarding it 3.5 stars. It's that, as a piece of filmmaking, exceeding four hours without a continuous storyline makes for a difficult experience. However, as mentioned, its place is in a museum or art gallery, available for viewers to watch whenever they’re ready—returning at their leisure. Still, I spent more than four hours in a movie theater. The film would remain engaging even trimmed down to two hours, but McQueen seems determined to include everything he shot. There were times when I hoped it would end, only to be drawn back by another story or a particularly impressive visual. Within the film itself, there’s a tighter, more unified narrative that could be achieved if less significant stories were removed. It appears McQueen was also vying for the award of longest film of the Decade. Ultimately, if you have the opportunity to watch this film, perhaps not in theaters but broken up over four evenings, it would allow sufficient time to absorb each story presented. Thanks, Mr. McQueen, for including an intermission; longer films really should begin incorporating them.

Source on TMDB