Creation

A story is more than a mere consumable product.

I desire to understand what makes a compelling story. What we initially notice is merely the surface level.

[Creation @story_analysis]

"We may project any number of additional details about characters on the basis of what is expressly said. If a girl is portrayed as 'blue-eyed,' 'blonde,' and 'graceful,' we assume further that her skin is fair and unblemished, that she speaks with a gentle voice, that her feet are relatively small, and so on."

Source:
Chatman, Seymour. 1978. Story and Discourse : Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.‌

[Creation @story_analysis]

@lunwi75 That doesn't explain why the audience should care.

[Creation @story_analysis]

I think a big issue with the movie is the way it prioritized a lukewarm message over delivering a compelling story.

Often, a big reason the audience cares about a story is following along and watching as the protagonist grapples with their belief in a Lie. The story then continually forces the protagonist to make a decision, whether they continue to accept a false reality or embrace the Truth. Watching this internal battle continue until the final irreversible decision is made is why a story is able to grab the audience.

You'd think that Disclosure Day would be a character-driven story.

Nope. It's a plot-driven story. The characters are just along for the ride. Things are constantly happening to them. Honestly, I don't think their decisions matter; the story would've ended exactly the same because the plot demanded it.

The interesting part is how the main characters (the whistleblower and the weather girl) are relatively static throughout the film. Of the two, the weather girl has a change that's forced upon her at the beginning of the movie, and after that scene, she's pretty much the same throughout the story. There is a scene where she grapples with the situation, but it feels like the moment only exists because of the lack of character development. It's an afterthought of a scene.

What's funny is how the characters don't know why they're heading to various locations throughout the story. None of the destinations are due to their personal decision. Their movement is like the writer not knowing how to get the characters from Point A to Point B, so the writer is forced to just tell them where to go.

[Creation @story_analysis]

Disclosure Day is a surprisingly unremarkable movie. 😐

My initial view is that the movie should be rated as 2 out of 5 stars. While my mind can be changed after watching other movies to compare them to this one, I think the highest could be a 2.5 out of 5 stars—but this is purely dependent on what my research unveils.

The areas that I'm focusing on are plot, characters, and theme. Each of these areas are fairly jumbled, revealing the issues in the story itself. I do admit that the story has glimmers of greatness, but these are quickly lost as the story progresses.

I do not recommend watching this movie at the theater. If you do want to watch it, I recommend renting the movie if you're able to get a discount. Spending full-price at the theater (without factoring in money spent on concession stand items) for this movie isn't a good idea. Too many scenes involve stuff happening because the story demanded it, not from the character making active choices for themselves.

Additionally, if you didn't enjoy Backrooms, I don't think Disclosure Day is a good choice for you.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@dimmiek @st3ll4r0ss1 I would wait for it to release on a streaming platform.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@sxspirium https://t.co/1FyIXfcnOo

[Creation @story_analysis]

Here are a few reasons:
• The main characters have little to no growth.
• The characters seem to lack general agency, just moving from one location to another because the plot demands them to move—and not because of an active decision on their part that reflects the inner turmoil between the Lie and the Truth.
• Action scenes feel unnecessary and simply there to artificially increase tension.
• The narrative events seem to fight the main theme being hinted at throughout the story.
• Shifting between characters makes it feel like the main characters aren't interesting to watch, which is honestly the case.
• There are numerous times where characters are saved because the story demands it, not because of the choices made by the characters and hinted at in the past. An example is the alien device which seems to have whatever powers necessary to get the characters out of an impossible situation.
• The movie seems to care more about spreading a message in a manner akin to someone who first read a Erich von Däniken and became enamored by the wacky theories.

I think a fair rating would be a 2 out of 5 stars. Save your money and wait for it to appear on a streaming platform.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@Anthony606061 @sxspirium Agree.

I noticed comments demanding examples, so here are some thoughts I had after watching Disclosure day.

https://t.co/0uLv5g1yJF

[Creation @story_analysis]

I think a big issue with the movie is the way it prioritized a lukewarm message over delivering a compelling story.

Often, a big reason the audience cares about a story is following along and watching as the protagonist grapples with their belief in a Lie. The story then continually forces the protagonist to make a decision, whether they continue to accept a false reality or embrace the Truth. Watching this internal battle continue until the final irreversible decision is made is why a story is able to grab the audience.

You'd think that Disclosure Day would be a character-driven story.

Nope. It's a plot-driven story. The characters are just along for the ride. Things are constantly happening to them. Honestly, I don't think their decisions matter; the story would've ended exactly the same because the plot demanded it.

The interesting part is how the main characters (the whistleblower and the weather girl) are relatively static throughout the film. Of the two, the weather girl has a change that's forced upon her at the beginning of the movie, and after that scene, she's pretty much the same throughout the story. There is a scene where she grapples with the situation, but it feels like the moment only exists because of the lack of character development. It's an afterthought of a scene.

What's funny is how the characters don't know why they're heading to various locations throughout the story. None of the destinations are due to their personal decision. Their movement is like the writer not knowing how to get the characters from Point A to Point B, so the writer is forced to just tell them where to go.

[Creation @story_analysis]

Here are a few reasons:
• The main characters have little to no growth.
• The characters seem to lack general agency, just moving from one location to another because the plot demands them to move—and not because of an active decision on their part that reflects the inner turmoil between the Lie and the Truth.
• Action scenes feel unnecessary and simply there to artificially increase tension.
• The narrative events seem to fight the main theme being hinted at throughout the story.
• Shifting between characters makes it feel like the main characters aren't interesting to watch, which is honestly the case.
• There are numerous times where characters are saved because the story demands it, not because of the choices made by the characters and hinted at in the past. An example is the alien device which seems to have whatever powers necessary to get the characters out of an impossible situation.
• The movie seems to care more about spreading a message in a manner akin to someone who first read a Erich von Däniken and became enamored by the wacky theories.

I think a fair rating would be a 2 out of 5 stars. Save your money and wait for it to appear on a streaming platform.

[Creation @story_analysis]

I don't understand what a person's political stance has to do with viewing this movie as mediocre with significant issues with narrative clarity?

There's also the issue of the characters general lack of agency, where they're not making active choices but instead reacting to events around them. Aside from the scene with the bird or the boxcar, the characters don't have any significant growth. The boxcar scene feels more like an afterthought that's disguised as the character's inner conflict being shown to the audience.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@zentreya Legitimately, this needs to be made into a short film. 💯

[Creation @story_analysis]

Disclosure Day is a surprisingly unremarkable movie. 😐

My initial view is that the movie should be rated as 2 out of 5 stars. While my mind can be changed after watching other movies to compare them to this one, I think the highest could be a 2.5 out of 5 stars—but this is purely dependent on what my research unveils.

The areas that I'm focusing on are plot, characters, and theme. Each of these areas are fairly jumbled, revealing the issues in the story itself. I do admit that the story has glimmers of greatness, but these are quickly lost as the story progresses.

I do not recommend watching this movie at the theater. If you do want to watch it, I recommend renting the movie if you're able to get a discount. Spending full-price at the theater (without factoring in money spent on concession stand items) for this movie isn't a good idea. Too many scenes involve stuff happening because the story demanded it, not from the character making active choices for themselves.

Additionally, if you didn't enjoy Backrooms, I don't think Disclosure Day is a good choice for you.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@ohmypleaseno1 @BrainDamageReal A big issue with the Backrooms is that the characters feel incidental to the setting of the Backrooms. It didn't have to be Clark who first stumbles upon the liminal space.

[Creation @story_analysis]

A story has three main components: plot, character, and theme. In each of these, Obsession is clearer when compared to Backrooms.

That's all there is to it.

I'm not saying one is better than the other. My point is that Obsession follows a conventional storytelling format.

The difference can be seen with how Backrooms splits the story using two main characters. Obsession just follows one character.

Let's look at Clark, particularly the scene where he invites his employees to help him with "research." The audience is divided on what's his motivation for having the guy descend into the lower level. Did Clark plan to use the guy as bait to see what happens? Are the employees there to give him validation that he's no longer a failure but instead someone deserving of admiration and respect?

There's little to no ambiguity in Obsession. When the audience follows Bear through the story, it's easy to understand his Want and Need. It's easier to connect with him.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@rubygongdue2

[Creation @story_analysis]

@MatthewZook2023 @corememunlocked That's what the thick carpet is for. 😆

[Creation @story_analysis]

@TheOldTurtleDen Do you have a Turtles in Time machine inside your TMNT-themed pizzeria? 😃

[Creation @story_analysis]

Clark sees himself as a good guy, so it would be unlikely that he consciously performed an act that society would deem as evil. His self-image can be seen when he role-plays during the therapy session, where he lists out everything he sacrificed to allow his wife to waste time while she attends school. The roleplay reveals his Want. Clark wants to be seen as someone who is good, sacrificial when necessary, and limited due to uncontrollable circumstances. He is someone who is worthy of both admiration and respect.

The mysterious space allows him an opportunity to become someone great, something he didn't get to be as an architect. When the new opportunity is viewed through his Want, him using his young employees as research material is unlikely because they're the most likely to view what he's doing as great. He wants their admiration and respect, particularly due to the low effort needed to get it.

When he says "research," it's merely a pretext to get them to the location. His goal is to show them something fantastical, so that they see him in a new light and no longer as a failure. This can be seen by how he confidently guides them through the eldritch environment in a manner entirely different from how he behaves in the real world. In the Backrooms, Clark views himself as an authority, which wasn't granted to him when calling himself an architect by others.

While he subconsciously knows that the environment has a dangerous element, he believes that he's in control due to his false authority over it. He genuinely doesn't think he's placing his employees in danger.

[Creation @story_analysis]

The key is to not misattribute the cause of Obsession's unique success.

While the movie is enjoyable, the likely reason for its continued success is connected to a few scenes resonating on platforms like TikTok. The "no no no" scene is a popular instance from the movie and frequently used for a variety of reaction/commentary videos.

People are seeing the videos being shared across social media, so they head to the theater to watch the movie. The virality of the clips is likely a significant factor for what's pushing people to watch the film, not necessarily the film itself. A good example for comparison purposes is with people sharing their disappointment with Backrooms because it didn't align with the expectation built from seeing clips and posts about the movie.

This doesn't mean Backrooms is bad or Obsession is amazing, but instead, the attention being generated and leading to bigger sales should be understood. Another factor could be that Obsession presents an easier to understand premise for the audience, relative to what Backrooms is able to deliver.

Both are enjoyable films for what's presented in their respective plot, characters, and theme.

[Creation @story_analysis]

@nostalgia_ I miss the lower prices. . . 🥲