whatsupwabbaloo Reviews

Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story (2022)

A good documentary in conjunction to other existing specials

[7/10 · 1 June 2022]

American here. I'm not judging you guys- we have a lot of creeps in our pop culture that are so obviously creepy and yet we're surprised by the obvious...still an immensely tragic, disturbing, and infuriating story.

I would recommend watching this in conjunction, preferrably after viewing "The Other Side of Jimmy Savile" special and Louis Theroux's "Savile" - between all three, you as an outsider and an insider will have the whole story. Those two specials have a most/more interviews with survivors who paint the image you need to know of the real Savile- what this film does is provide the context for what makes those crimes all the more disgusting.

I think, because I'm American and obv don't know this guy, it felt like just another particuarly bad abuse scandal and not a culture-shattering revelation that absolutely ruined a nation's childhood- like Bill Cosby has for me. A good comparison/companion documentary to this doc and the specials I mentioned earlier would be "O. J. Made in America". I knew of the OJ Simpson trial before all that, obviously, but I was born in 96- it doesn't hit you how much an obstruction of justice and devastating revalation about a celebrity that is until you've seen all that laid out for you. Of course, the OJ Simpson story also involves a lot of background into the culture outside of it's subject so "Made in America" needed to be longer. I think this documentary could have benefited from being just a bit longer too, like maybe one other episode.

I think, outside of the fact that ppl had already heard the common stories at this point, the reason this documentary didn't interview as many victims was they wanted to be respectful of the survivors and not milk their stories for exploitation. Morally, I think that's a good move, but as other people have said before me the problem comes in you not knowing those finer details of the story beforehand which I think doesn't help paint the picture of how dire this whole thing is. Without the extra confirmation that he was definitely abusing the disabled, children, and possibly even the dead because of his power and influence - I think a less empathetic viewer would chop all this up to "yet another #MeToo thing whatever" and not the horror that it is, and, - as much as I don't wanna appeal to that kind of person, this is a story that needs to be told and how...

Anyway, I'm gonna try to never watch a clip of this film ever again and watch a happier british thing like Wallace and Gromit to cheer me up. Bye, stay safe everybody.

The Mountain of SGaana (2017)

A horribly Underrated gem

[10/10 · 12 May 2021]

A sweet, beautiful and artistic Disneyesque take on Indigenous mythology. I have no idea how much of it, if any, is based on a real legend, but it's a loving a respectful tribute the same way something like Moana is to the Pacific Islands.

A longer movie adaptation would be fantastic with a tone and feel somewhere between "Big Fish and Begonia", "Frozen" and the films of Tom Moore.

Swimming to Sea (2012)

A Masterpiece of Animal Survival

[10/10 · 31 May 2020]

There are few films as gutwrenchingly graphic or emotional as Padak/Pa-da-pa-dak/Swim to Sea On "animated films that are SO DISTURBINGOMG11111!1! They're usually dominated by the rare ACTUAL horror titles like "Felidae" but are more often not filled up with the 'horror' of unflinching-survival-based-animal stories like "Watership Down" and "Ringing Bell". But "Padak" is better than these, in my humble opinion. It's not a horror film but it absolutely horrifies and it does so because of the artistry, atmosphere, and character development on screen that makes it such a tough sit.

Let me try to break this down: "Lion King" is a story about people that's just being told with animals ; "Bambi" is a story about animals. "Ringing Bell" is an allegory and not literally about sheep and wolves; "Felidae" is about cats that find themselves in a very humanlike predicament. ^ In these regards: "Finding Nemo" is a story about people told with fish. Clownfish don't care for their young, drains don't lead to the ocean, ect. ect. FN is still one of my absolute favorite films, but it's not about actual fish. "Padak" is about fish. And just as "Bambi" and "Felidae" can be so disquieting when we see true animal behavior given our human-level intelligence and sympathy, it is a tough sit with only two characters having a definite (horrifying) ending.

I'm sorry if this is so Purple-Prosey. I'm just at a loss for words. It was so good in so many unexpected ways and yet still hit hard where I WAS expecting. A must watch for anyone into adult animation.

Simba: The King Lion (1995– )

How does this not have ANY reviews

[1/10 · 12 August 2018]

This was an absolute "joy" to come across a few years back and to this day it's one of the oddest shows I'll ever see. Much like Legend of the Titanic, a film by the same studio, this series is insane. It really does feel like a kid playing with his various Disney animal toys and this is the result. The episodes I watched featured lions getting blessed with magical powers, talking mice and seeing through time, and most hilarious of all was when the two child leads are on a drug trip.

The following series' are equally insane from what I've seen. I can't believe these shows exist let alone are this crazy.

Normally this breed of bad-insane animation would be right up my alley. Everything from it's rip-off set up to it's awful characters and insane story sound like a recipe for fun.

It's not.

This series would be "so bad it's good" IF IT LEARNED TO GET TO THE POINT. Scenes go on far too long and usually with just mouth noises from the main characters. It's so badly paced that sitting through a whole episode becomes a chore even with all the bad stuff there to surprise you.

Extraordinary Tales (2013)

One of the Best Animated Horror films of all time

[10/10 · 26 July 2018]

Of the animated horror movies I've been trying to hunt down in the last few years, this one takes the cake as my personal favorite and most pleasant surprise. I'd been saying for the longest time: "Why stretch out a whole Poe story to a feature-length snore or cheese-fest? The man wrote short stories! Make an anthology already!" Low and behold, that's what they did. Beyond adapting these stories to perfection visually, the whole movie is a love-letter to Poe, what with all the background references and the voice talents being that of horror-elite, showing their respect for the man who helped invent their genres of choice.

There are only two gripes I have with the film and that's some of the animation in the Pit and the Pendulum bit (the rest of the movie stylizes it's budgeted animation so it looks good even with all the resources the creators have) and the introductory cards and credits for each sequence, which can take you out of the movie. Besides that it's a must see Poe-lovers and animated horror fans.

Live Freaky Die Freaky (2006)

I've seen worse, but I've also seen better

[5/10 · 2 August 2017]

SPOILERS ALERT, M'KAY? The reviews for this movie are polarizing. I see people calling this the most offensive movie of all time, pure trash, etc, etc. I sat through Where the Dead Go to Die and Drawn Together: The Movie. I've pseudo-intellectual garbage at it's worst and shocking for the sake of shocking at it's most cringey. Seeing this film for the first time, I thought it would be along those lines. Then I sat down to watch the movie and, with the exception of one graphic sex scene and an over-the-top murder, it didn't make me sick to my stomach. The filmmakers are not pro Manson or anything, the film is so obviously a satire of the media and the legacy it's made out of Charles Manson. It's use of music, and the portrayal of the murder victims isn't done out of spite, but through the perspective of how the family would see the world. Still it's very offensive and I don't recommend for the squeamish and maybe the criminologists who take this stuff very seriously.

That being said, it's no masterpiece of schlock or satire. Personally, I think what would make the satire sharper and clearer for general audiences is if the Tate murders were treated with more dignity. That would be a great reality check - something to show you how awful a home invasion/murder really is - and it would make the schlock all the schlockier once you get cut back to it. You know? Give the audience mood whiplash by going from dark comedy, to full on tragidrama, and then back into comedy like nothing ever happened? For smart viewers "Live Freaky Die Freaky"'s message isn't going to be lost, but I can't see those same people giving it a glowing review.

The Suicide Shop (2012)

Not Dangerous, but possibly insulting

[6/10 · 10 June 2017]

First and foremost: This isn't a realistic look at suicide or depression - it's supposed to be exaggerated and over the top. It's got some really good satire at parts and even it's characters are kind of interesting. This isn't a 13 Reasons Why situation, where suicide is romanticized and could lead to people hurting themselves. I also don't see too many non-suicidal people watching this and truly thinking this is what people go through. Most people are smart enough to get that it's a comedy.

There are, however, a few major flaws with it's message and presentation of the story that, while they didn't make this movie despicable, were hard to swallow for me - so I can see how they'd be MORE than offensive and demeaning to family members and people who've attempted or contemplated suicide. Depending on the person, this movie can really miss it's mark: 1) Alan being happy comes off as that misunderstanding of depressed/suicidal people, and how they just need to "smile". 2) In the final musical number, the ghosts of the people who've died by way of the shop appear and sing about how they couldn't find happiness. This can be taken VEEEEEEERY badly depending on who you are.

Quality wise, the songs were forced and took you out of the comedy and plot rather than further it, which is the worst kind of musical. There's also a creeepy scene where Alan lets his friends was his sister strip and dance naked. In a more mature, more serious movie maybe it could be a very human look at child curiosity, but in this black comedy it's portrayed as charming and it's like...no. That's gross. Stahp. Really mixed on this one and I have a feeling a lot of other people will be too.

A Jewish Girl in Shanghai (2010)

Great Story, "meh" animation

[6/10 · 3 June 2017]

-The sub I got was sketchy at places, but it at least helped me understand what characters were talking about-

The film itself is fine - in fact it's better than fine! It's no Grave of the Fireflies, but it has the punch a movie about WWII should have and is the only animated holocaust film I can name off the top of my hand. There's a happier ending than most films of it's kind, and it's oddly fitting for this movie. It's not a tearjerker or complete tragedy. It is however a drama that I think is best for kids and families who are just now being introduced to this part of history. Story wise there is only one major drawback to the film and that would be these animal sidekicks that follow our kids around. They're distracting and in everyone's way. One is enough but three is too much (also they talk by the end of film? I honestly couldn't tell because of the sub).

The thing that will make or break this movie is the animation. It's not horrendous and it's serviceable, even kinda pretty at parts. The film would be made if it had a higher budget of animation. With the quality it has I'm worried people pick this movie out of the blue and judge it by how it looks rather than stopping to see where it goes (to be fair though, animated films do kinda owe themselves to looking presentable at the very least). Oh well. Give it a chance, especially if you like all walks of animation and animated films like I do.

Blood Tea and Red String (2006)

An acquired taste

[8/10 · 3 June 2017]

"Blood Tea and Red String" is the latest watch in my line of obscure animated films I wanted to see. I gotta say for all the talk of this thing being a horror movie, it really only delivers on that in the imagery. The story, while darker than most childhood fairy tales, doesn't revolve around the macabre. It is a Gothic, haunting movie but not really what I'd call horror.

As for the film itself, I liked it. Would watch again if I had the chance, though it's not necessarily a re-watchable kind of flick. It is an art-house film - through and through. While this is the kind of art-house stuff I can get behind (or at least, you know, is actually entertaining and thought provoking instead of pretentious or dull), art movies are something you have to be in the mood for.

The Romantic (2009)

Underrated Home-made Gem

[7/10 · 3 June 2017]

I had been hearing about this one ever since I started searching for more and more animated horror movies. The summaries I could find of this film were often so vague I had no clue for what I was really in for. So here's a better summary:

"In a world ruled by the gods of Love, Time, and Hate, a young man seeks to kill the gods for making him do "a terrible thing". He is guided by a little man named Patience while being pursued by the tyrannical ruler of his former town - Big Daddy~"

Watching it for the first time I had a hard time keeping up and getting into the flick or it's lore. But after the film was over and especially after a second viewing I found myself liking it more and more. It's a busy plot but not an overly complicated one. The characters manage to be unique and likable enough and the lore is very well thought out. There were some audio problems in the version I saw though, so I feel like certain details I don't fully understand might make more sense if I could hear the characters better.

The animation is no Sita Sings the Blues as far as quality is concerned, but it's art and style is appealing and the film makers know how to set up a theatrical shot. I hope this film gets more attention. It deserves it.