You certainly can recreate something very similar in post, although that’s a bit like saying chiaroscuro lighting is achievable in charcoal, oil paint, and photography: the effect is still going to be distinct depending on the medium. Digital has a whole host of unique qualities and even some distinct advantages over film. But the image of film has a different quality to it as compared to digital: it simply looks different than digital projection or home video, even if you had a pristine, flawless film print. The difference in image is subtle, but your brain recognizes it the moment the projector starts: “oh, yeah, this is how movies used to look.” Just as photography hasn’t superseded all other 2d visual arts, I think it would be a mistake to treat film as unnecessary in the age of digital. I can certainly understand why a director and DP would choose to work with digital for the average case project these days though.
