JamesBenning’sfirstfilmcalledTheUnitedStatesofAmericawasa1975tripacrossthecountry,capturingitsscenerythroughacarwindshieldThissecondonealsocrisscrossesthenation,butwithoutacar,carvingitupinsteadintoaseriesofstaticshotsofjustundertwominutes,oneforeachstate,presentedalphabetically,fromHeronBay,AlabamatoKelly,WyomingThenamesoftheplacesarenondescript,buttheimagesattachedtothemareanythingbut,immaculatelycomposedshotsoflandscape,cityscapeandthespacesinbetweenAswemovefromAtoZ,theimagescoalesceintoaportraitoftoday’sUSA,tracingoutitsfaultlinesalmostinpassing:fencedofffacilities,ariverbedrunningdry,factoriesandrefineries,rundownstreetsandgasstations,acampunderabridgeThepastistheretoo,seepingupthroughthesongsandspeechesthatsporadicallypiercethebackgroundnoiseorthemotifsthatevokeawholecareer;theclouds,trainsandcabinsarestandinsforfilms,notjuststatesAsalways,there’stimeformoreabstractthoughtstoo:eachimagemaystandforastate,butrepresentativityisslipperyWhichstateismorecinematicthantherest