“Disclosure Day” And Ranking Spielberg’s Alien Movies (With Starlee Kine)

It’s Disclosure Week on Critical Darlings, with writer, podcaster, and E.T. super fan Starlee Kine! 

Almost five decades after Steven Spielberg reimagined aliens on screen with E.T. and Close Encounters, he’s delivered another story of extraterrestrial awe. The movie stars Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. But the figure who looms largest over Disclosure Day is Spielberg himself.  We discuss our relationships to Spielberg’s work, how Disclosure Day fits into his slate of alien films, and how the movie worked on us. Like audiences and critics, we’re split. Despite some production quibbles (take off that sweater, Emily!), Spielberg remains a master of the camera. Still, the movie’s optimism for humanity feels behind the times: or, maybe we’re just jaded? Why not both? 

Other topics include ghosts vs. aliens, Spielberg’s longing for the monoculture, E.T. in the wig, and finally, we do a ranking of Spielberg’s alien films. 

Next week, we’re celebrating Pride with two flavors of gay film: the goofy Stop That Train, and the spooky Leviticus. 

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