tech
An Alien Movie for a Post-Truth Moment
Steven Spielberg makes a plea for empathy with Disclosure Day.
TL;DR
- Steven Spielberg's new film, *Disclosure Day*, is set in the present day and addresses contemporary anxieties.
- The plot follows a whistleblower named Daniel Kellner who steals evidence of government cover-ups concerning alien visits.
- A meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild, develops telepathic abilities and becomes entangled with the government agency hunting Daniel.
- The film critiques a "shadowy Department of Defense contractor" (Wardex) and its CEO, Noah Scanlon, who wants to bury the truth.
- Spielberg's work often examines cycles of violence, the abuse of authority, and the importance of a free press.
- *Disclosure Day* reflects Spielberg's anxieties about the "diffuse, disconnected character of American life today" and a new geopolitical crisis.
- The film's revelations involve typical alien conspiracy tropes like UFOs, Area 51 cover-ups, and futuristic technology.
- Emily Blunt's performance as Margaret, a character experiencing "super-empathy" as a burden, is highlighted.
- The movie is described as an action film that focuses on "ordinary people confronted with extraordinary circumstances," urging viewers to use their "hearts and heads."