Spielberg's Disclosure Day is a film of complex emotionality worth wrestling with. It led me to think about my own stubborn hopefulness and the problem with mistaking cynicism for wisdom.
Thank you so much for such an impassioned defense of this film - the cynical response has been so overwhelming I was beginning to wonder if I was a fool for being affected by it. Choose hope always ❤️
Like the film, this such a moving piece thats incredibly articulate about how it arrives at its optimism. I'm very sorry you had to live through that pain and am glad you are able to see humanity alongside it as you say.
I completely agree with your take that the film isn't necessarily arguing against the reality that people don't care about genocide and government abuse (Really, we're talking about the American public which the film is about as much as it posits these revelations having a global scale.) Personally as a Spielberg fan, I dont want to completely dismiss the criticisms of the ending which (I think rightfully) stem from the director being a billionaire liberal zionist. Although I disagree with the read that the aliens are some kind of stand in for Gaza which I think falls apart if you think about it for two seconds. There is an allegorical framework here to some extent but I think its predicated on the aliens just being aliens. I also think as you point out that there's a real emotional complexity to this film. Like AI and Fabelmans, there's a real darkness to this film, I love how the core of it is less aliens than it is trauma as telepathy, which is such a fascinating concept for a sci fi chase film to employ. The house sequence is so terrifying and beautiful at once. Spielberg's ambivalence is captivating because unlike many filmmakers, he understands you dont need emotional detachment to have it and if his anything his investment increases ambiguity. Even if the ending is "boomer liberalism" which I've gone back and forth on, the things going into it very much aren't.
Disagree about the pacing as I felt it went a little too fast for you to bond with the characters and wasn't a fan of most the 1st and 2nd acts + CGI. But...I hate when folks go overboard on the "authencity" of character choices and "plot holes". You can just not like a movie for that sake and it's okay.
I'm so very sorry that pain was shoved on to you. I wish you joy, happiness, and success.
On cynicism: It's just a way of writing a "cover your ass memo" in case the cynic has uncomfortable emotions, often empathy.
On lefties saying "People wouldn't act that way. Look at how they treat Palestinians!" First, it's a freaking fictional movie. Second, one way art words is by providing us with non-literal messages that can prepare us for deeper experiences. It's a bit like the saying that "Science fiction is always about the present."
Absolutely loved the review, Angelica! One of your best, which I highly agreed with all the way through, with this paragraph especially:
the film’s empathy and curiosity is framed as out-of-touch and sentimental to a fault. I find it troubling that a belief in truth and hope is being branded as a “boomer” ideology. The hosts tie Spielberg’s belief in releasing the truth and its potential to change hearts and minds as an inherently boomer ideology. But to read it like that is an odd misreading of the film.
Though I would label the criticism more liberal-coded not boomer, I can not argue with it on a materialist standpoint considering our modern world (Gaza, Climate Change, Epstein, etc.)
However as you said, asking film to be a direct mirror is a foolish endeavour, and rather see the film as a lament of hope by Spielberg to believe in the best of humanity in face of the abject worst.
I love this so much!!! Spielberg movies make emotional, almost dreamlike sense, not perfect logical sense, and the conversation holding it to an airtight CinemaSins logic is ridiculous and misses the point. (I’ll concede there are moments it tests my suspension of disbelief, and the script is not great - I loved it anyway though)
Oh Angelica, your writing always astonishes me. I hadn’t really thought about seeing Disclosure Day but now it’s on my list, especially after learning Kaminski is the cinematographer. About that rule “Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever”, I think that’s why Backrooms did not work for me. Lastly, I want to thank you, my fellow sensitive soul, for sharing with us the gorgeous "What do we owe each other, this planet that nurtures us, and the creatures we share this Earth with? Everything. We owe each other everything.” xoxoxo
Love this essay. I agree 100%, and my second viewing helped solidify my reaction too. The movie literally ends “Listen”! I don’t want to be so cynical I can’t accept listening as useful advice in a chaotic world. No matter how difficult it may be to achieve the change we want, listening is definitely part of the formula.
Two-and-a-half hours. <This did me 8n, tbh>
Include Tickets+commute+lines+hassle
That is half a day for a movie that has been out for almost three weeks.
And...I did not feel the sense of wonder in the rrailers.
Thank you so much for such an impassioned defense of this film - the cynical response has been so overwhelming I was beginning to wonder if I was a fool for being affected by it. Choose hope always ❤️
Like the film, this such a moving piece thats incredibly articulate about how it arrives at its optimism. I'm very sorry you had to live through that pain and am glad you are able to see humanity alongside it as you say.
I completely agree with your take that the film isn't necessarily arguing against the reality that people don't care about genocide and government abuse (Really, we're talking about the American public which the film is about as much as it posits these revelations having a global scale.) Personally as a Spielberg fan, I dont want to completely dismiss the criticisms of the ending which (I think rightfully) stem from the director being a billionaire liberal zionist. Although I disagree with the read that the aliens are some kind of stand in for Gaza which I think falls apart if you think about it for two seconds. There is an allegorical framework here to some extent but I think its predicated on the aliens just being aliens. I also think as you point out that there's a real emotional complexity to this film. Like AI and Fabelmans, there's a real darkness to this film, I love how the core of it is less aliens than it is trauma as telepathy, which is such a fascinating concept for a sci fi chase film to employ. The house sequence is so terrifying and beautiful at once. Spielberg's ambivalence is captivating because unlike many filmmakers, he understands you dont need emotional detachment to have it and if his anything his investment increases ambiguity. Even if the ending is "boomer liberalism" which I've gone back and forth on, the things going into it very much aren't.
Disagree about the pacing as I felt it went a little too fast for you to bond with the characters and wasn't a fan of most the 1st and 2nd acts + CGI. But...I hate when folks go overboard on the "authencity" of character choices and "plot holes". You can just not like a movie for that sake and it's okay.
I'm so very sorry that pain was shoved on to you. I wish you joy, happiness, and success.
On cynicism: It's just a way of writing a "cover your ass memo" in case the cynic has uncomfortable emotions, often empathy.
On lefties saying "People wouldn't act that way. Look at how they treat Palestinians!" First, it's a freaking fictional movie. Second, one way art words is by providing us with non-literal messages that can prepare us for deeper experiences. It's a bit like the saying that "Science fiction is always about the present."
Thanks for your beautiful writing.
Thank you for reading and this kind reply!
Beautiful essay. Thank you. ❤️
Perfect, no notes.
Absolutely loved the review, Angelica! One of your best, which I highly agreed with all the way through, with this paragraph especially:
the film’s empathy and curiosity is framed as out-of-touch and sentimental to a fault. I find it troubling that a belief in truth and hope is being branded as a “boomer” ideology. The hosts tie Spielberg’s belief in releasing the truth and its potential to change hearts and minds as an inherently boomer ideology. But to read it like that is an odd misreading of the film.
Though I would label the criticism more liberal-coded not boomer, I can not argue with it on a materialist standpoint considering our modern world (Gaza, Climate Change, Epstein, etc.)
However as you said, asking film to be a direct mirror is a foolish endeavour, and rather see the film as a lament of hope by Spielberg to believe in the best of humanity in face of the abject worst.
I love this so much!!! Spielberg movies make emotional, almost dreamlike sense, not perfect logical sense, and the conversation holding it to an airtight CinemaSins logic is ridiculous and misses the point. (I’ll concede there are moments it tests my suspension of disbelief, and the script is not great - I loved it anyway though)
Oh Angelica, your writing always astonishes me. I hadn’t really thought about seeing Disclosure Day but now it’s on my list, especially after learning Kaminski is the cinematographer. About that rule “Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever”, I think that’s why Backrooms did not work for me. Lastly, I want to thank you, my fellow sensitive soul, for sharing with us the gorgeous "What do we owe each other, this planet that nurtures us, and the creatures we share this Earth with? Everything. We owe each other everything.” xoxoxo
Love this essay. I agree 100%, and my second viewing helped solidify my reaction too. The movie literally ends “Listen”! I don’t want to be so cynical I can’t accept listening as useful advice in a chaotic world. No matter how difficult it may be to achieve the change we want, listening is definitely part of the formula.