Urbanized, the third film in director Gary Hustwit’s ‘design trilogy’ is currently in limited release in cinemas, and also as a pay-per-view streaming rental via the film’s website. Kickstarter backers of the project were granted a free rental, and I’ve just watched mine.

The film is a great addition to Hustwit’s set of accessible, enthralling documentaries. Just as an interest in typography wasn’t essential to enjoying the trilogy’s first film: Helvetica, you don’t need to have much knowledge of architecture to get a lot from Urbanized. The film looks at a lot of different facets of the city: what it means for people, the environment, politics &c. and does so even-handedly. Hustwit displays a fine sense of when a point has been related adequately to give a glimpse of its complexity without bogging the film down in detail. As a result, when the credits roll, you’re apt to have more questions about the topic than you started with, and enough knowledge to begin to investigate the issues raised.

Find a screening, or rent online.