If you're an avid UFO buff, there isn't much new in this documentary. It is, however, an excellent narrative of all the known "facts" to date. The highlight is definitely the children from the Zimbabwean primary school and their reactions to their contact experience. For anyone interested in the phenomena, this is a must see introduction to the most sinister cover up in human history.
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ScoobySnacks6626 October 2020
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agentkmartyn8 October 2020Let me explain. I've had an interest in this subject for many years. I've watched thousands of hours of documentaries, youtube videos, discussions, interviews and so I have to agree with one of the other reviewers here that there was nothing in this movie that was new to me. It's basically the same old stories that have been in every other documentary and TV series. Before its release there was promises of revelations, bombshells and the like and if you're new to the subject then that would seem to be the case, but in reality all these events and incidents have been replayed and revisited in a hundred other documentaries. I did like the animations of various craft. It gave me an idea of what the witnesses were actually seeing at the time, and this is a topic that needs as much exposure as possible to pressure the world's governments into revealing the truth so the more dicussion this movie gets, the better. From the way this was advertised, I was expecting an even more explosive version of Dr Steven Greer's documentary 'Unacknowledged'. Sadly it wasn't the case and it looks like 'Unacknowledged' will remain the pinnacle of UAP exposure movies for some time to come. I gave it seven stars as it was very well put together and will help to get the message out there but it lost three stars for not containing anything new or explosive or anything even resembing a bombshell.
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horrorjunkie11 November 2020I've seen just about every documentary there is about this subject, so naturally I watched this one too! I really liked it, I liked it even more because they avoided the usual frauds and attention seekers in this field. (Maybe with the exception of George Knapp but he was barely featured - thankfully!) So it immediately had more credibility than some of the other docs about the UFO phenomena. If you are interested in the truth or just want to know what's happening in your own "backyard" this is a good starting point.
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pdavis-8787526 October 2020I've been a science guy all my life. A little over 20 years ago I worked the Drake equation with numbers that seemed pretty reasonable to me and came up with N a bit less than 1, meaning that the odds were, we were alone in our galaxy and that other life probably exists in other galaxies, but we're alone here. I caught the David Fravor episode of Joe Rogan Experience and that really kinda did it for me. The thing about this documentary is that the vast majority of the witnesses are sober, serious, credible people. Generals, naval aviators, presidents, senators, defense department officials, missile launch officers, etc. These are not easily excitable whack jobs. What is abundantly clear is that they are out there. They are also, for the most part, not interfering. Here's my theory on it: They made a huge display of force and a "hey, here we are" back in the early 50s. Then Roswell happened, and the government started trying to suppress discussion of it to the point where it became fringe, "whack-job" seeming territory. The "visitors" probably decided that we're not ready for them and backed off. Here's the thing: I think as a species, we're desperately in need of help. I think we're on the fast track to extinction. According to a 2010 Nature article, since 1950, 40% of the phytoplankton in oceans has disappeared due to ocean heating and acidification. Phytoplankton accounts for half of our oxygen supply and it's quickly disappearing. The other half of our oxygen supply is rapidly being burned to the ground and we have an addiction to oil that's making all this worse. And this isn't our only problem. We have lots of them. Nuclear waste, biological weapons (and the capability now for anyone with a few tens of thousands of dollars, to build custom viruses. How long until an psycho biologist wipes us out?). We're doing a lot of things wrong and I think most of us feel overwhelmed by the problems and I think as a species, we're overwhelmed and don't know how to fix these things. We should ask them for help. They're clearly not here to hurt us. Maybe they're just waiting for us to ask the question. I think the UN should send a signal out, doesn't matter where. Just broadcast. They'll get it. If they're inclined to help they will. If they don't, we're no worse off. But if nothing else, maybe us asking for help will also be us admitting we have a problem and that may be a big help too.
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James Fox and his associates have delivered the best UFO documentary to date with "The Phenonmenon". It's a linear journey with ample supporting historical sightings and excellent witness corroboration. Though you likely have heard of many of these they are simply better presented here. There are also some you likely never heard of too. They go together quite well. You have big statements such as Senator Harry Reid's bombshell revealing the bulk of what the government actually knows is still tightly suppressed and he knows enough to say this. Christopher Mellon flatly states he is 100% certain we have been visited and there is proof yet to be disclosed. What really is appreciated is the somber seriousness of this documentary. We get, perhaps, in one film the best and most compelling witness testimony gathered together in one place. That makes this film really rise above the whole UFO phenonmenon as a kind of leveraging tool which should spur, finally, some real groundbreaking disclousre. In the mean time this will do as striking proof that, yes, we are not alone.
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ferguson-66 October 2020Greetings again from the darkness. One has to hand it to documentarian James Fox. He is nothing if not persistent. And persistency is a requirement for anyone involved with researching and reporting UFO sightings that now date back more than 70 years. To give you an idea of Mr. Fox's commitment to the cause, he also directed OUT OF THE BLUE (2003, which was also narrated by Peter Coyote) and I KNOW WHAT I SAW (2009), and produced (with his father Charles) UFO'S: 50 YEARS OF DENIAL (1997).
Peter Coyote is back as narrator for Mr. Fox's latest project, apparently inspired by the 2017 New York Times report of the secret Pentagon UFO program called Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which details US Navy Pilots' multiple encounters with Unidentified Flying Objects. And just this year (2020), the US Defense Department confirmed encounters classified as 'unconfirmed'.
For many years now, we have heard the claims that, "We are not alone in the Universe", and "There is something else out there." This film lays out the photographic evidence and the eyewitness testimony, as well as researching the secretive nature of the government on this topic for so long. We hear from some of those affiliated with Project Blue Book, the UFO investigative initiative formulated by the US Air Force. Many pilots and crew have documented what they've seen, and there is even a 1998 interview with Astronaut Gordon Cooper, providing more credibility to the sightings and encounters.
The film somewhat works as a timeline, but director Fox chose to bounce around in time, which provides some structure, while also working against a chronological perspective. It goes back to 1947, when pilot Kenneth Arnold reported an encounter with multiple flying saucers in formation near Mount Rainier, and then details more sightings that occurred over the next few decades, including: 1952 invasion of secure airspace, 1955 military pilot William Coleman, 1957 Levelland, Texas sheriff, 1966 landing in Michigan, and the 1966 Congressional hearings. We learn of "The case that changed everything", a 1964 New Mexico encounter with Officer Lonnie Zamora, which left evidence such as landing gear imprints, footprints, and a burn area.
As you would expect, Dr. Jacques Vallee and Dr. J Allen Hynek are included here. They are two of the foremost experts on UFO research, and Dr. Vallee was the inspiration for Francois Truffaut's Dr. Lacombe in Steven Spielberg's classic CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977). Director Fox does a nice job mixing the interviews with experts, historians, military personnel, intelligence officers, and eye witnesses - interviews that have taken place over many years. For skeptics, plenty of international work is blended in, as we learn of the students in 1966 Australia, the 1982 Ukrainian nuclear site, and in the "Contact" section, we hear of 1959 New Guinea where the aliens "waved" back, and 1994 Zimbabwe, where students reported being communicated with telepathically.
Billionaire Laurance Rockefeller held a lifelong interest in UFO's and used his influence during the Clinton Presidency to drive the de-classifying of crucial documents pertaining to the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico incident. We also learn how the government has invoked similar cover stories for the public for many decades ... does "weather balloon" sound familiar? Harry Reid, Senate Majority leader from 2007-2015 also pushed for more transparency, but even with his "insider" power, it seems clear some things fall into the "Above Top Secret" category, and will likely never see the light of the day. That's part of what causes the "stigma" for those who speak up, and why certain folks remain persistent in uncovering the truth ... it's out there. Cue the "X-Files" music. -
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the subject of Unidentified Flying Objects. Director James Fox's explosive documentary is one the most credible and revealing films ever made about the long-standing global cover-up and mystery involving unidentified aerial phenomenon. Including shocking never-before-seen testimony from high-ranking government and military officials, NASA Astronauts, and riveting footage, the timely film includes bombshell reveals about UAP incursions at nuclear weapon facilities and the monumental events behind the NY Times' recent disclosure of The Pentagon's secret UFO Program. Providing eye-opening evidence that mankind is not alone in the universe.
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remsey-0705118 October 2020This movie shows us how the coverup started, and that the phenomenon is here. And that the phenomenon continues to be here. I loved to see the Westall school students as adults. And the Ariel.School witnesses too. All credits to James Fox and crew! Definitely a game changer. Watch it!
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robtyrrell-9860712 January 2021This documentary presents a lot of solid evidence and information. Sources are all credible, intelligent and believable.
What keeps it from being a 10 has nothing to do with the subject itself, but the fact that much of this show is old material that's been presented numerous times before. My other criticism is that it's far too "America-centric". There's info about cases in Zimbabwe, Australia, Papua New Guinea and England, but a lot of time is spent rehashing old US cases that have been familiar for decades.
Will you remain skeptical about UFOs after seeing this? It's really, really hard to discount everything that's presented here. And as someone said years ago, even if you discredit all of the thousands and thousands of UFO sightings over the years, except for one....you're left with one real, actual alien spacecraft. -
Ashitaka13723 October 2020I don't get how this is not the biggest story in the History of Humanity! People are choosing to bury our heads in the sand; and that's never been a solution for anything.
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bheadher21 February 2022I was impressed with the presentation really. At first I thought "Oh nooo, another UFO conspiracy movie", but what impressed me most is that they didn't concentrate on all the well known sightings you see in every other documentary...they showed ones that I've never heard of before, and I have watched just about every one made.
No, this film is well done and has photos and interviews that make it the best compilation of sightings ever done... -
heratyplant20 November 2020I've seen most if not all documentaries on this topic over the last 40 years & this is just a wonderful addition to the subject & one of the best, if not the best!
They present some of the most compelling cases with irrefutable evidence, often from high ranking military witnesses, surely they can't all be delusional?
Beautifully done, as usual from the lovely James Fox, watch with a non believing friend, they'll have a hard time arguing with you afterwards. -
dreamparadise7 March 2023I was disappointed that a reputable psychologist interviewed the children in Africa about what they experienced, but his evaluation was not mentioned at all. Which made this effort much more like other sensationalized UFO documentaries instead of a more professional evaluation of the subject. Also, the UFO phenonom did not begin in the 1940s. Mention of ancient experiences would have provided a better introduction. Also, I find it very telling that no mention is ever made about what the Naziis of World War 2 thought about UFOs. I am still awaiting a more reputable film on UFOs before I can decide that maybe there is something to them.
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deacon_blues-886329 August 2022A man slings a serving dish into the sky while someone snaps a picture of it. Blurry photos and videos of objects that could be anything or nothing. Eyewitnesses without any solid corroborating evidence. Phenomena that last for hours, but no one bothers to take any quality video. Tiny distant specks on a video that could be, once again, anything or nothing. Isn't it telling that, in this age when everyone with an iPhone has professional video production literally in the very palms of their hands, all we have is such poor evidences from the technologically impoverished past to rely on? The eyes of children are no more compelling than any other uncorroborated here-say accounts. This is just another waste of our time by crack headed people with overactive imaginations. If these advanced aliens are really so advanced, they certainly are terribly inept at clearly communicating what they want us to know. If they're so reticent about letting us know about their actual existence, I think we should ignore them and let them alone to complete their mysterious mission! After all, they're the superior intelligence; they should be the ones to solve whatever problems that they think we need to correct about ourselves, especially since they seem completely incapable of clearly communicating that message to us. Just the delusions of a collectively guilty human conscience that sees aliens as our only hope for salvation. Stupid and silly.
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praxus-3205722 December 2020I'm over 50 and this documentary finally convinced me that we are being visited by others of some sort. Whether they are from another planet or the future or something else is of course undetermined. But so many reliable witnesses as well as the captured footage is convincing. If the former Senate majority leader believes then you probably should too. The two events witnessed by multiple children are also very convincing. There is no way you can get 20 or 30 kids to agree on a lie and flawlessly maintain the lie over decades. They very likely have stealth technology, so the one comment that stands out is "why are they allowing themselves to be seen at all." My guess would be to prepare us for an eventual public contact. But hey who knows. Maybe their stealth technology is unreliable :)
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charlly-0161211 October 2020People talking trash need to understand one thing. The importance of this documentary is not in the next new undeniable evidence, its about keeping the awareness on the UFO subject and the fact that we are still waiting for disclosure. And the doc is doing exactly that by delivering the statements of the most credible military/government officials sources in the last 60+ years. Densley packed and on point. Jamie Fox continues to be our hero and fighter for the Truth.
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Gordon-1116 May 2021This is a very compelling documentary, that will make you believe that UFO's are real.
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Element11527 April 2021If you already have an interest in UFO's, read the books and watched other documentaries on this subject then you will realize that this is nothing new but just a rehash of stories already known. I would recommend Steven Greer's 'Unacknowledged' better than this.
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brenttiefenbach7 October 2020The best ufo and witness testimony video I've ever seen. The whole world is an illusion we've been fed and the lid is coming off. We have brothers and sisters from other planets we've been denying their existence.
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JurijFedorov22 July 2023Camera work: 6 Editing: 2 Budget: 4 Story: 4 Theme: 4 Pure entertainment factor: 5 Video quality: 8 Pacing: 3
Because mainstream media is starting to pick up various UFO and aliens stories these sort of docs are getting popular. These docs are always based on people who have "seen" mysterious things. This is why they are called UFOs as in: unidentified flying objects. In reality an air balloon or plane can be an UFO if it is seen and not understood in the moment. Similarly UFO enthusiasts will keep calling these objects UFOs forever even if it is proved later on it was a fighter jet or weather balloon. Even just flashes or short visions are UFOs as the person seeing the object in his head or in reality cannot explain it right then and there. Furthermore, modern secret military flying objects are also UFOs to all observers as they are "unexplained". And these objects are also kept hidden from the public and covered up when uncovered. So who knows what UFOs even are? With a few loose terms you can make any kind of argument.
The doc frantically goes over the UFO sightings in the 20th century mostly in USA. There are some sightings at a military base in Ukraine and various sightings at a similar nuclear base in USA. Then single people and small groups claim they saw something. We have very low quality videos and photos of many of the more boring events with just a singular object flying 10 kilometers away. While the stuff without any photographic evidence can be kids or adults who saw actual aliens on the ground or UFOs hovering right above them. Personally when it pertains to UFOs when it's verbal or on video I dismiss it outright. Unless you have physical evidence it could just as well be video manipulation, a lie, or an illusion. But if you want physical evidence of Bigfoot or UFOs you will just have to ignore these subjects as you will never see any. So I guess this doc is as much evidence as you will ever see on UFOs.
The main issue is that it tries to be a proper overview of modern UFO sightings. Yet it kinda jumps from place to place often with jarring fast cuts and at some points even jumps back in time. They did find a lot of info yet the presentation is off. I would also have liked them to be a tiny bit more critical as it would reveal more details. Even if you assume it's a cover up. Clinton ordered a full overview of Roswell where the government admitted a coverup. The event was initially presented as an UFO in the media by the state sector then right away they started claiming it was just a weather balloon while taking away the debris and replacing it with a weather balloon. It was a giant and expensive report that could have been explored alongside other government reports. The doc loosely presents them, but we get no info or details from them.
Overall as an overview it's a bit weak as it's super rushed. It also starts in the space age where all big nations had jets and ergo the technology to put extremely fast flashy flying objects in the sky that very often would be mistaken for other objects. Hence why passenger planes were being shot at during the Cold War as they were often mistaken for fighter jets or missiles even though they have next to nothing in common as they are way slower and bigger. They should practically never be mistaken for fighter jets. Yet exactly this happened multiple times showing how experts who control radars or fly planes can be extremely mistaken and even misconstrue obvious sightings.
Overall I think this doc will make you stop believing in any UFO sightings as if this is it it's basically nothing. They also don't mention a single alien abduction. Which to me seems like more proper evidence than just "I saw a flash in the sky 20 km away for 10 seconds". At least this stuff is harder to be mistaken about. But again, unless there is physical evidence it's all quite dry at the end of the day. It is quite curious have many people from the government sector fully believe in UFOs. Both Democrats and Republicans and multiple presidents. And they all want it all uncovered yet nothing has been. So it's either some secret weapons programs or nothing of note. -
jameshaydon11 October 2020I loved the fact that even the old ufo cases where not ones I have seen time after time. The new material covered is done very well. I was glued to the screen. Really presented everything in a great way.
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Snorreplop13 December 2020The Phenomenon is a recent documentary currently available on demand at Vimeo and on Itunes. The documentary is made by James Fox and narrated by Peter Coyote.
The 2017 story in the New York Times shook up the near dormant world of UFO chasers and believers. A main stream media outlet seriously weighed in on the topic, with viable sources and credible video material.
This documentary zooms in on some of the major events with footage of people that were present or in function at the time. To name a few; the Rosswell incident of 1947, the Westall sighting in 1966, the Ruwa Zimbabwe incident of 1994 and the tictac UFO event in 2004, the last one was also covered in the NYT article.
The Phenomenon is certainly entertaining. The only thing I disliked is the structure of the film, the mishmash of big and small items and chronological ordering left a chaotic impression with me. -
j_ryberg9 December 2020First, I saw Joe Rogan experience #1574, free on Spotify where Joe interviews filmmaker James Fox and UFO expert Jacques Vallee. Fascinating, their telling of their EXTENSIVE research, going from the 1940s to 2020. Then, for $4.99 on Prime, I saw their movie, "The Phenomenon". It is the most COMPLETE history of Unidentified Flying Objects, on and around our planet, that I've ever seen. The whole film is very interesting, but the 15 minutes at the end Where are you see and hear young school kids in Zimbabwe South Africa, who have seen, close up, a craft that landed and the beings on top of it... YOU WILL BELIEVE. Then, 19 1/2 years later, some of them are brought back together, and they still all agree as to what they saw. I hope that you will see this film. There are many films, photos and 4 stories of CONTACT between humans, and people from somewhere else.
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For those that have been interested in UFO's. Abductions, etc., there is a lot here that you will already know. But the amount of information that is brought forward for people that haven't been interested in the topic this is the best thing out there. It's high time someone make a proper film about what happened at Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe.
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stanrohrer10 October 2020Just another rehash of already known information. I've seem most of this stock footage about a dozen times in other "UFO" type series. This is a good overview for people that don't already know all this or haven't seen the info elsewhere.