Kelsi and Trey are educators searching for meaning in movies and shows! The Extra Credits podcast covers new releases with deep dives, interviews, and more!
The Legacy of Ridley Scott with @SeanFennessey
We discuss Scott’s career vs. Spielberg/Scorsese, his reputation for "style over substance," the divisive Alien prequels (Prometheus hive), and how Nolan/Villeneuve continue his project in interesting ways.
https://t.co/mIWnOnwQDK
Very sorry to disclose that Disclosure Day is very bad. Spielberg tries to make Arrival for people who think the problem with American tribalism is that we all need to listen better. It’s like a Pod Save America alien movie with two good set pieces. Kinda embarrassing in 2026.
@albiedamned Rating systems are obvi very subjective. But to me, 2.5/5 literally means 50 percent of the movie works. So yeah, pretty bad! And that’s being charitable bc it’s Spielberg.
@BoomKat99 Ppl are literally sitting down to talk to each other about empathy/humanity who fundamentally disagree with one another the entire runtime. It then tries to offer extremely reductive solutions/positions on a collective apathy. It gestures at big ideas, but w no follow through IMO
@NWFreeZone Awesome. To be clear for future commenters: I'm genuinely happy ppl are having a fun/interesting time with this. I'm just giving my own critical pov.
@alibrooke4ever I hear you, but the film treats apathy as a failure of feeling, when often it’s produced by power. If empathy were enough, the images/videos from genocides (Palestine) would change society. It avoids more complex political readings because it would complicate its liberal appeal.
@OKjonnyd I expect a bump up to 3 on rewatch at theater, bc I’m sure I’ll be able to appreciate certain filmmaking moments after I’ve had a few days away from the screenplay/story issues. We’re fans of Spielberg, to be clear. Just disappointed of the movie in a vacuum and as a fan.
The aliens symbolize the need for empathy bc “we’re all children of the Holy Spirit”…which was so strange when the harder questions abt a divided society are abt nationalism, empire, capitalism, & self-interest, THOSE are the interesting bits, not weightless critiques of apathy.
Disclosure Day evokes modern atrocities, like Israel’s occupation of Palestine, through normalized images of captivity & violence framed as security, but then treats the crisis like humanity just needs to “feel more.” Which is sooo politically vague/naive and morally convenient.
Disclosure Day is a total disaster narratively and Spielberg’s signature camera movements and blocking are totally mismatched. Starts out politically ludicrous and ends up repugnant.
Disclosure Day confirmed something I’ve been feeling since The Fabelmans: a lot of critics now treat Spielberg less like an artist and more like the E.T. of directors; like he’s this innocent, magical grandfather-child figure they can’t quite read objectively anymore. V strange.