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 This week we had the new film from Steven Spielberg, as well as a few smaller releases. Below is my take on the new films I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Disclosure Day (Theaters)
Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Colin Firth
Synopsis: Back in the 1990s, on the X-Files, the tagline was, “I Want to Believe.” I’d assume that concept resonates with Steven Spielberg. Dating back to his early work in the 1970s, extra-terrestrials have been a part of his cinematic landscape. One of his earliest hits, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, featured a man coming face-to-face with beings from another planet. He followed in the 1980s with ET, and later with a new version of War of the Worlds. This summer, he’s again returning to visitors from outer space with Disclosure Day. And it’s a vision of the subject and the world that is among his best films. We begin with Daniel (O’Connor), who works for a secret organization that works with the Department of Defense to keep the biggest secret in the world. But Daniel no longer feels comfortable being part of that system. So, he’s taken evidence he wants to share with the world. But his former employers, led by Mr. Scanlon (Firth), want that evidence back, and they’ve threatened his girlfriend, Jane (Hewson), as a means of getting it back. That forces Daniel and Jane to go on the run. Jane has her own struggles with faith and the world, and being thrust into a secret she couldn’t imagine. And Daniel’s working in tandem with Hugo (Domingo), a former co-worker who introduced Daniel to the plan for rebellion. Into that mix comes Margaret (Blunt). She’s living with her boyfriend (Wyatt Russell) in Kansas City, working as a weather woman, when an on-air meltdown leads to a discovery. Margaret has a connection to these other worldly beings, and to Daniel. And she’s drawn to both as everyone makes their way toward an end game. This is a heady topic. It’s similar in themes and concept to films that Spielberg has done in the past on the subject, but it takes things in a different, more ground direction. The script, from David Koepp and Spielberg lays out an engaging story that quickly builds the world and the characters. It drops you into the middle of the action and takes you on a ride. This has a lot of familiar Spielberg touches. There are moments of childlike wonder and beauty. There are moments of humor. And there is plenty of pathos and tension. It explores the state of the world, the nature of governments and secrecy, and even the implications for religion. I found these explorations compelling, not only driving the plot forward but creating emotional engagement. I appreciated the cast, too. O’Connor, Firth, and Domingo are all great in their roles. But it’s the ladies—Hewson and Blunt—that resonated the most. I deeply appreciated the journey for Hewson’s Jane, and her grappling with what it means for her faith. It was an engaging and well-handled plot point. But the star here is Blunt. She has to carry a lot of the trickiest portions of the film, and she does it beautifully. She gives a compelling and engaging performance throughout. You can’t take your eyes of Margaret, the focal point of much of the narrative. Disclosure Day is one of the biggest releases of the summer. It has big ambitions and a big pedigree. And it delivers. It’s a stirring and engaging journey that’s worth seeing on the biggest of screens. It’s the best release of the year so far, and one of the best of Spielberg’s storied career.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for action/violence, some bloody images and strong language.
Verdict: Four and a half stars out of five

I Am Frankelda (Netflix) 
Starring: Mireya Mendoza and Arturo Mercado, Jr.
Synopsis: This new animated feature for Netflix is a Mexican production. It’s meant to be something of a gothic fairytale, told in the style of stop-motion animation. It’s an ambitious undertaking that creates a vibrant and at times visually fascinating world of imagination, where creatures’ dwell. It comes from writer/directors Arturo and Roy Ambriz. It focuses on a talented writer, Frankelda (Mendoza), who struggles to find someone to believe in and publish her tales. One day, after years of frustration, she’s confronted with Prince Herneval (Mercado). He is just as she imagined, and he’s come to bring her to a dark realm of fantasy that has been calling to her--and inspiring her stories—for years. The realm needs Frankelda and her vivid stories because their current featured storyteller has lost his creative edge. It’s a chance to embrace her joy and desire for writing in a place where she can be appreciated. It is incredibly difficult to create a stop-motion world. Even more so when you make it such a fantastical world and mix in a musical element. And yet, that’s what Arturo and Roy take on here, and they create something with visual flourish. If you’re a fan of darker animated tales—in the vein of The Nightmare Before Christmas—this will be appealing to you. It’s a bit edgier than other animated films and has a bit of a wilder and darker story. But I appreciated the craft and the look. The songs, which are used judiciously, are moving and help drive some of the plot forward. I enjoyed the characters, and I thought the film had a nice flow. It’s worth checking out.
Rating: Rated PG for scary content throughout, some violence, bloody images, thematic material and brief language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Jinsei (Limited)
Starring: Ace Cool
Synopsis: There are a lot of things that can be done in animation. While most people tend to think of Disney fairytales and films for kids, the modern animated film covers a breadth of topics and genres. In many cases these films tell very complex and adult stories, just done in a different cinematic style. That’s the case with Jinsei, which opens in limited release on Friday, June 12. The film’s title is the Japanese word for Life, and that certainly covers the immense scope of the film. It follows one man’s journey through life, its many chapters, and it’s nearly 100-year time span. Jinsei follows our hero, who dons a different name in each chapter of his life. At times he’s a J-Pop idol, and one of the most recognizable stars in the world. At times he’s an outcast, living on his own. He has a young period where he struggles to connect before finally making a friend that changes the course of his journey. We see a chapter where he’s viewed as an oracle, inspiring many around him. The film moves through time. It looks at different eras in a vastly changing world and culture. We look to the past. We embrace the present. And, eventually, we journey into a radically view of the future. All of it through the eyes of our hero, and the way he adjusts to a changing role and a changing world. This is an ambitious project. It has a unique animated style that brings you into the story and really builds out the different phases of this world. That’s a credit to Ryuya Suzuki, who is the writer, director, and creative force behind the project. It’s a clear and ambitious vision that draws you in with its unique approach to telling the story and its captivating visual style. The lead is voiced by Rapper Ace Cool, which will connect with fans. I enjoyed the journey of his life and his many different phases and roles. It was an interesting approach to telling this kind of story that was full of heart and imagination. At times, I felt a little disconnected from the story. It makes some abrupt shifts at times to fit in a lot during its 93-minute run. But it’s an ambitious project that provides a great example of the depth and range of the animated format. It’s worth checking out for fans of the genre.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five.