#willi recommends

[willibeest]

RECOMMENDATION OF THE HOUR (12/2024)

Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. Directed by Richard Williams, performance by Didi Conn and Mark Baker, restored by Helge Bernhardt and Garrett Gilchrist, 1977.

Watch it, sister! This is no girl's movie.

Two charming ragdolls leave their nursery to rescue an abducted friend. Flawlessly blends live-action with gorgeous, fluid animation. Musical numbers are composed by the same guy who did the songs from Sesame Street. The result is an adventure that's warm and cozy while going to some unsettling places. I can't imagine an adaptation of these characters being any better than this.

One thing I noticed from watching the intro was the characters were mainly animated by one or two people each. I don't know how often a movie takes this route, but the result is an incredibly diverse troupe of toys with their own distinct way of moving, and it stuns without ceasing. After watching the movie, I can imagine how meticulous the job must have been.

Honorable mentions:

Will & Harper - Josh Greenbaum

The 9th Movie - Joel Haver

Bird Box - Susanne Bier

[rainypeachyouth]

RECOMMENDATION OF THE HOUR (11/2024)

Howl's Moving Castle. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, Le2004. …(read more)

[spirk-trek]

France Nuyen and William Shatner for The World of Suzie Wong. Shown on the Ed Sullivan show, 1958 (source)

[wonderoften]

[danmeichael]

Top 10 BL's you've read for 2024?

the top in this 10 is "off the top of my head", tbh. i also didn't list ten, and these aren't in any particular order. these also aren't my all time favorites (necessarily. i think a couple on this list qualify)

Anotoki Kara Sukidattanda to Omo (and its sequel)

here's the thing: this bl is not good and most people aren't going to like it. it is schlocky, messy, and melodramatic, it's borderline surreal, extremely absurd, relentlessly horny, and it has the pacing of a tiktok edit to an early 100 gecs song set to 150% speed. very prototypical in a lot of ways, one of the most unique bl i've ever read in others. an absolute fever dream. but it's one of those things i read at just the right time, and there's something about it that means a lot to me. it's first so you understand how esoteric my taste gets right off the bat and have 0 expectations for anything else i put on this list. also some cws for this one so like you can dm me if you want to know.

Reunion (by 2coin and deulsum)

something you need to know about me is i really love manhwa that people think is boring and by god reunion is that bitch. long-winded, gently achy character study with identity porn. it's shockingly lowkey, grounded, and comforting to read for it's initial premise... that being "poor guy with terminally ill mother poses as the dead grandchild of a rich terminally ill old dude's nanny in order to pay for his mom's treatment and his brother's schooling and oh no there's this mean chaebol grandson who is obsessed with him except it's 7 years later and the chaebol grandson has amnesia and gives his boss a briefcase of cash to buy him" you'll see what i mean when you read it, it's really actually good. you'll like it if you like quiet slowburns.

Eat Your Heart Out (by Samak Satang and AI_tuner)

do you like scalies? do you like amazing worldbuilding? do you like plotlines about social class and eugenics? do you like yandere older brothers? do you like aggressive bottoms who are slutty and insufferable? do you like 2 and a half foot long dicks? boy do i have a one of a kind manhwa for you. eat your heart out was an unexpected delight right from the start due to it's amazing art and character design. but then i got to know helm and i fell deeply, deeply in love. he is just so fucking annoying and borderline unlikeable at times in a way that makes him an amazing protagonist. crazy about this one, a new favorite for sure. also i am not joking about dick size. you are reading "two and a half foot long dick" and thinking to yourself "surely, danny is exaggerating" i am not exaggerating. please pray for helm. he is not making it out alive.

Tameshi ni Komando Itte mita

if you like domsubverse you probably won't like this domsubverse. if you don't like domsubverse im also not sure if you'll like this. really, to enjoy this you should have a neutral opinion on domsubverse and a positive opinion on kissing the homies goodnight. dom getting dommed. sweet, bunny-soft, funny, and i just really love the relationship between the two leads.

90 Days for the Delicacy

phew, look at those two whole normal recommendations! time for bdsm and gore! i can't really tell you anything about the plot of this one without spoiling it. im sorry, i hate when people do that to me, too. if you know what my favorite manga are: this is in a similar genre.

Nekura to Gyaru Otoko

a simple manga about an outgoing gyaru boy, his childhood friend who has spent his life taking up as little space as possible, and the quiet, painful conflict that causes. one of the first manga i read this year that made a lasting impression on me. i love the art, i love the characters, i love the quiet moments in the story, i love it's bluntness, i love it's weight and temperature and how it tastes when i read it. a must-read for chronic doormats and those who would rather die than burden people they love, imo.

One Summer Day (by ker)

grim reaper fucks up a reaping reaaaal bad and has to babysit his charge until the paperwork comes in. unfortunately being still-alive when you're not supposed to be comes with some... side effects. such as becoming a huge murderslut. good news though! the cure for undead murderslutism is in fact nasty sloppy bareback marathon sex. this is by the same author+artist as sign and i absolutely love it. the characters are likeable and you can feel that this one is going to suckerpunch you with pain between the multi-hour fuckfests.

Spectrophilia

a young man is haunted by his past... literally. and, uh, hornily. after attending the funeral of his highschool bully/situationship/best friend the protagonist finds himself plagued by raunchy "dreams", the star of which being his dead friend. i think i started this in 2023 and i don't care you should read spectrophilia. the art style is really unique and im crazy about it. slow, quiet, a hint of yandere. don't ask me why two entries on this list feature dead people.

OΣG!!! = Oh My God

lets round this out with a banger i fucking love oh my god, it's great, it's gore-camp, it's playfully dark, and the characters are fun! it's a yandere serial killer/salaryman romance wrapped up in an amazing art style and slutty bloodsplatter. this one's light, easy, fun, and exactly what it's trying to be. i adore it.

[rooolt]

Scary Marlowe is like one of THE MOST teen girl characters in the world and I’m nuts about it. She is simultaneously cathartic and a cautionary tale, simultaneously a satire and yet so real. I’ve been her, I’ve known her, I’ve loved her, I’ve hated her, she is everything to me, no one understands her like I do and yet she is so painfully relatable. I could scream and cry and yell about her all day long she makes me sick

[birdies-blog1]

Dawn of DC: Superman

Annual #1 Review

I loved this comic. It focuses on Lois Lane. In this issue Clark is off fighting Toy Man the whole time, while Lois is trying to run the Daily Planet. She’s really frustrated with her reporters and tries to challenge them. When this doesn’t seem to fully work, she decides to go interview Live Wire. After Leslie saves Lois’ life, Lois thinks maybe she’s redeemable and gives her a column in the Daily Planet.

Rating: 7/10

+3 quotable moments

+1 redeemable villain

+1 for badass Lois Lane

+1 for awkward Mercy Graves

+1 for Cat Grant getting the scoop

[madhogthymaster]

Master Recs: Horror Cinema!

Do you like Horror films? Yes, you do. Here is a modest selection of 13 cinematic offerings to quench your thirst for seasonal spooks, from lesser-known gems to entertaining schlock and everything in-between. I have good taste and you are welcome.

Renfield (2023), dir. Chris McKay

Renfield rules so hard it hurts, let me tell you. Nicolas Cage as Dracula is already the best selling point imaginable but if you look past the premise, you'll find a heartwarming story about overcoming abuse and codependency, with loads of great action and gore to boot. Good old Nic hams it up to eleven as the Prince of Darkness, channeling the verve of Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Lon Cheney all rolled into a deliciously evil sandwich. He's legitimately monstrous and intimidating in a way the character has not been in decades.

It's very effective when he's presented as the abusive "partner" from which Renfield (as in, classic Movie Renfield) is trying to escape. I'm surprised by the lengths the film goes into depicting the emotional trappings of such a relationship - amidst all the funny jokes, that is. It pulls off the unenviable task of being a tonally cohesive Horror comedy, one that leaves no room for doubt as to which moments deserve to be treated seriously or not. Its homage to Golden Age Hollywood cinema and unapologetic queerness are also appreciated.

The House (2022), dir. Emma De Swaef, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Paloma Baeza, Marc James Roels

The House is a stunning work of stop-motion animation and a solid anthology that explores the existential hang-ups and anxieties of the "Middle Class", crafting solid Horror (and not-so Horror) stories in the process. It has dancing bugs too! I recommend it.

Cocaine Bear (2023), dir. Elizabeth Banks

The last film appearance by the late Ray Liotta. Cocaine Bear is a gruesomely delightful time: a spunky schlock with a killer premise that hooks you up from the start, taking a self-indulgent, humorous sniff at its own status of being "Based on a True Story." This film had the audacity to feature a Wikipedia quote. It's great!

Sweet Home (1989), dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Delightedly, I beheld 1989's Sweet Home, as expertly remastered by Kineko Video. It's a cheesy good time with glorious practical effects and a few, effective low-budget trickeries. I personally give it props for an unexpected Laurel & Hardy's Fra Diavolo reference! This classic is mostly renowned for its videogame adaptation which became a major influence for decades to come.

At the time of writing, the film can be watched on YouTube, making it the most easily accessible entry in this entire column.

Jennifer's Body (2009), dir. Karyn Kusama

It took me this long to finally watch Jennifer's Body, an underrated Horror comedy starring Megan Fox that was unjustly dismissed back in the day. She plays as a literal man-eater, by the way.

There is definitely a lot to enjoy from a modern take on Carmilla whereas the delectably gory blood-feasting works as a backdrop for a toxic high school friendship as well as a commentary on the consequences of sexist exploitation, misogyny and trauma. Save for the occasional slur, it holds up very well.

The Color Out of Space (2019), dir. Richard Stanley

A proper skin-crawler based off the eponymous story by H.P. Lovecraft. Its psychedelic and Stuart Gordon-esque visceral interpretation of the source material is a clever way to circumvent the issue of portraying an "indescribable" alien entity. The Colour, being an unfathomable force outside our science and rationale, serves as a reminder of how insignificant we are in the face of a larger universe we can never hope to comprehend. It works as a metaphor for our atavistic fears.

The film is very much about powerlessness, losing control, losing oneself to the madness or, alternatively, to the realization that nothing was ever "under control." It's Cosmic Horror done right - and also without the racist subtext. Oh, and Nicolas Cage is also in it. I might have buried the lead there.

Gretel and Hansel (2020), dir. Oz Perkins

Here's a scary fairy tale that might have escaped everyone's radar, Gretel and Hansel: a beautifully crafted, meticulously composed film that drenches itself in a disquieting, surreal atmosphere subtly empowered by an alienating soundtrack. It's gripping, to say the least.

The Ritual (2017), dir. David Bruckner

Reviewing and discussing Horror cinema is hard as the truly notable films are best experienced without the burden of knowledge: the viewer should be blindsided by the unknowable terror as much as the characters. That is to say, I can't openly talk about why The Ritual (2017) is great. You should watch it for yourself and get absolutely smack-jawed by the experience.

Society: The Horror (1989), dir. Brian Yuzna

This is unpleasant on an existential level and that, in turn, makes it a really effective Horror. It builds itself as a Kafkian nightmare about the dread of Conformism, feeling out of place in a Society ruled by the white and wealthy, a classic Suburban nightmare scenario. It morphs into an indictment of Capitalism and Classism when the grotesque and revolting third act slimes its way into balls-to-the-wall satire. Bill Warlock (Eddie from Baywatch) puts on the performance of a lifetime as the justifiably paranoid teen protagonist. Shout out to the credited "surreal make-up artist", a man named Screaming Mad George. He did too much of a good job, let me tell you. Needless to say, I recommend this perturbing visual madness with all the content warnings imaginable.

Society waits for you.

Overlord (2018), dir. Julius Avery

I watched Overlord and you should too! It begins as a slickly directed World War II drama before it organically develops into a spectacularly gruesome, intense Action Horror punctuated by a Chef's Kiss of a climax. It gets a special recommendation for the cathartic abuse of nazies! This is the Wolfenstein adaptation you have always wanted.

Willy's Wonderland (2021), dir. Kevin Lewis

Since you can never have enough of Nicolas Cage, here's Willy's Wonderland: a self-aware, genre-flipping, D-grade schlock with the presence of our favourite actor silently and menacingly staring at things - which he does, in spades. The fact that he kills off a bunch of Not-FNAF animatronics is just the icing on the cake! Let me be clear: he does not speak a single word throughout the flick. He's effectively playing "Silent Videogame Protagonist" and his sheer magnetism carries this diegesis to the finish line. A lesser actor would have not been able to pull this off. In all seriousness, Willy's Wonderland works squarely because The Cage was onboard with it. The direction is otherwise unremarkable, the production is even cheaper that one might expect and the rest of the cast is mere fodder. The Cage was its only ace and it played the right hand! That's a whole lot more entertainment value than a film seemingly designed to anger Freddy Fazbear's gooners would realistically deserve. You should watch it if you really want to see Nicolas Cage make sweet love to a pinball machine. Apropos of nothing, did you know that pretentious hack/real life human piss stain Scott Cawthon is a top Republican donor and a pro-lifer? I thought that would be cool information to remember.

The Endless (2017), dir. Justin Benson e Aaron Moorhead

Here's another cosmically disconcerting recommendation for the Lovecraft crowd in the back: if you're looking for a uniquely scary film that deals with the Fear of the Unknown, drowns itself in breath-taking atmosphere and exquisite Uncertainty, I recommend you to watch The Endless. It might knock your existential socks off!

Calamity of a Zombie Girl (2018), dir. Hideaki Iwami

I have kept the "best" for last! Calamity of a Zombie Girl is the weirdest Slasher I have ever seen, mostly due to its inability to keep track of its own genre. It's a B-movie with guts, blood and nudity, a supernatural lesbian romance, a martial arts film and a screwy, goofy comedy all rolled into one cheap-looking animated feature.

The editing is atrocious, constantly abusing the fade-to-black transition without rhyme or reason, the dialogues are inane and contrived, the animation is abysmal (it's a low-budget production by Gonzo, you see) and tonal consistency is downright mythical. In spite of all that, or because of it, the aforementioned bizarre nature of its premise and execution makes it incredibly fun (and funny) to behold, especially when genres collide with each other in relentless, brutal fashion. From the victims' point-of-view (the especially idiotic and ultimately useless extras, I should say) this film plays out like a traditional Slasher flick but from the perspective of the killer, the re-animated zombie girl herself, this is her own action packed Ecchi comedy.

Her first kill occurs as a goof on her part: she shoves a man off like a "dainty dame" and accidentally cracks his skull wide open on a column. Soon after, she rips a guy's arm because he was getting "too friendly" with her and scolds him for his inappropriate behaviour. She then proceeds to have a fight scene with one of the expendable extras because her opponent just happened to be a self-taught Kung Fu master. Also, her undead maid (because of course there's an undead maid) gets kidnapped and she must rescue her! This string of barely held-together nonsense leads to a spectacularly convoluted third act that somehow involves an old abandoned church, a school gym, a game of Anime Sports Ball and a literal Saved by the Bell moment. Did I mention this is all supposed to take place in a non-specific university campus in Japan? Because otherwise you might think the film is happening in two completely different continents! Aside from the immensely idiotic fading transitions, Calamity of a Zombie Girl is hilarious and enjoyable. It's pure, untainted, excellently awful schlock carried to the finish line by the sheer strength of its befuddling ideas. Watch it and tell your friends about it!

Merry Spookmas, you little freaks! --- Follow Madhog on:

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[hoopoo09]

Noodle: I've never had chocolate

Willy: *Windows error sounds*

[willibeest]

RECOMMENDATION OF THE HOUR (04/2024)

Hundreds of Beavers. Directed by Mike Cheslik, performance by who knows how many beavers, SRH, 2024.

Everyone was talking their heads off about it. I had to check it out, and it delivered in every single way.

Hundreds of Beavers really does feel like something Charlie Chaplin would have made if he knew After Effects. It's proof that slapstick is a timeless art, and that modern advances in technology can allow slapstick to transcend beyond just a few styles.

The movie is a feature-length silent cartoon, featuring the chronicles of a man gaining more hunting experience with limited resources. During the first few minutes alone, I was hit with visual gags at an astonishing pace. It's hard for me to describe what to expect without parroting what other people say.

Everybody simply needs to watch it at least once.

Honorable mentions:

Steak - Quentin Dupieux

Detective Heart of America: The Final Freedom - Jason Steele

[proudlyblacksheep]

Just watched Wonka today and it was amazing and he is my favorite willy wonka. Also hugh grant had a small part in it so heads up & same with mr.bean.

The movie is family friendly and light hearted and is full of music and humor. The moral of the movie is be the good in the world, never give up on your dreams & never grow up is what I got from it.

10/10 would watch again.

Also got bad feeling by jagwar twin on repeat, they really should've put that song in the credits or something its so good!!

Here is behind the scenes pics:

[zerohirrotries]

Went and watched Wonka today.

Have to say that is was slightly better than expected. Not very serious movie, good to just relax with. All the characters were the best part, each and every single one.

Love that it went back to like old musicals. Love that there is not any love interests, just found family stuff going on. This movie is really just all about found family, like wow they got the whole package about a built family for Wonka.

Wonka is still the best character and most relatable. Noodles is another amazing character, those two made the movie. Like they are amazing sibling relationship described.

If you have not seen the movie, I recommend it. A good calmer movie compared to most movies now days. Great for relaxing with, loving characters, and if you love musicals this is one good one!

[solarisflims]

11/10

Single handedly saved the character willy wonka for me because the others scare me too much to even attempt to watch again (I remember watching a little of the first two but got scared lmao) and this movie was so good and fun. I love that its a musical & I love Timothée Chalamet as he is the perfect willy wonka. Also hugh grant and mr.bean had like the smallest parts EVER and idk why theyre even in the movie…Im getting a little off topic— the movie is definitely a must see as it made me feel so genuinely happy & like I was alive again if that makes sense, its like a reawakening. Im definitely not the same person that went into the movie theater.

Also again, idk why some people hated it, maybe they hate joy & happiness & life itself??Thats the only thing that makes sense to me because the movie is amazing.

[lockedtowers]

Because, I am one of them.

Ind. Sel. Headcanon based and multi canon influence, WILLIAM AFTON/PURPLE GUY/THE KILLER from Five Nights at Freddy's, featured on mendinggashes, a dual muse blog.. NOT SPOILER FREE. Please read pinned before following. Template Credit.