Our Aliens, Ourselves Pt. 2 — Disclosure Day

Our Aliens, Ourselves Pt. 2 — Disclosure Day

Author: Filmspotting June 30, 2026 Duration: 57:33

Forty-four years after his science-fiction classic about the deep connection between a 10-year-old human boy and an alien visitor stranded on earth, Steven Spielberg is once again considering humanity’s capacity to accept and understand extraterrestrial life with his latest, Disclosure Day. So after sharing our reactions to Disclosure Day, including an ending that’s arguably effective despite — or maybe because of — its corniness, we bring E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial back in for Connections to discuss how these two films literalize the concept of empathy, elevate chase scenes into world-building moments, and center the idea of “home” in very different ways. Then for Your Next Picture Show, we give a taste of what this episode might have been like had we paired Disclosure Day with another, non-Spielbergian, reference point we considered, 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still. (#530)

Please share your thoughts about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Disclosure Day, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Next Pairing: Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl and Joel and Ethan Coen’s True Grit

This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/join/NextPictureShow

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


There’s a particular pleasure in watching a new movie and feeling the ghost of an older one moving through it-a structure, a theme, a visual echo that connects across decades. The Next Picture Show is built on chasing down those connections. Each episode begins with a deep, thoughtful discussion of a classic film, unpacking not just what happens on screen but why it mattered and how it resonated when it was released. Then, the conversation turns to a contemporary movie that, whether through direct homage, spiritual successor, or shared DNA, carries that legacy forward. Hosted by Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias-all former editors of the celebrated film site The Dissolve-this podcast operates on the belief that you can’t fully understand where cinema is today without knowing where it’s been. The discussions are detailed and passionate, less about declaring what’s “good” or “bad” and more about tracing the lines of influence and conversation between films. You’ll hear episodes that might pair a foundational horror film with a modern nightmare, or a beloved studio-era comedy with a recent indie riff on its themes. It’s for anyone who loves the history of the medium as much as its current output, offering a richer context for both the classics you revisit and the new releases you encounter. Tuning into this podcast feels like sitting in on a conversation between deeply knowledgeable friends who are always excited to show you how the movies talk to each other.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Next Picture Show
Podcast Episodes