Hayduke555 Reviews

Beyond Blue (2020 Video Game)

Relaxing 3D adventure taking place in a pleasant underwater world full of life

[9/10 · 21 February 2024]

In this game, there's no risk of losing or facing defeat, and you can freely explore the seabed, corals, rocks, and an array of marine creatures, including starfish, jellyfish, shells, crabs, octopuses, turtles, dolphins, sharks, and whales-totaling around 47 species. Your primary task is to use a special camera for scanning these animals as part of ocean monitoring and research, offering surprisingly engaging gameplay. All of this unfolds against a backdrop of calming ambient music that complements the ocean sounds.

The game subtly integrates an ecological subtext; while on missions, you'll encounter unsettling sounds that frighten the animals, leading you to evidence of illegal raw material mining.

Between dives, your submarine serves as a refuge where you can interact with colleagues and your daughter, watch documentary-style videos related to your research on a tablet featuring notable personalities like Sylvia Earle, or enjoy alternative rock from the MP3 player.

The game's duration is approximately 6-7 hours, and even after completing the final mission, you can continue playing to collect remaining achievements, providing an additional 1-2 hours of gameplay.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (2020 Video Game)

Enjoyable environmental game

[9/10 · 21 February 2024]

An enjoyable environmental game where there's no fear of losing, no time constraints to induce stress, and your character remains invulnerable to harm, ensuring a worry-free gaming experience. You take on the role of Alba, a little girl visiting her grandparents for summer holidays, only to discover something sinister happening on the island where they live. Animals are getting hurt due to scattered garbage and chemical pollution, and the local nature reserve is under threat as a developer plans to build a hotel nearby. Alba sets out to prevent these disasters by repairing information boards, photographing various island animals, monitoring local fauna, cleaning up trash, rescuing a stranded dolphin, and embarking on similar adventures.

The game boasts simple controls with no bugs. Adding to its appeal, the publisher pledged to plant one tree for every game purchase through the Ecologi.com project, and they delivered on their promise, contributing to the planting of over a million trees!

Beauty Without Cruelty (1977)

One of the most disgusting videos I have ever seen

[10/10 · 14 October 2023]

A documentary film that inspires the use of natural products, in the production of which no animal elements are used. And he does it in a sharp way. We see the torture of animals in various areas of human characterless depravity: skinning snakes for handbags, castration of kabara (a deer-like animal) in order to test some kind of cosmetics, cutting up an Indian buffalo for a leather jacket, skinning a dog... the most brutal was the slaughter of lambs with which they cut off the upper part of the head through the jaw while fully aware, all in front of the eyes of the mother who only moments before lovingly licked them - for vests and blankets. Shockingly, they do it with ease, talking in a cheerful tone as if they were cutting bread for breakfast. I hate them terribly.

Life After People (2008 TV Movie)

People will disappear, nature will be restored. But at what cost?

[9/10 · 8 October 2023]

Viruses can only parasitize their host until they kill it. In doing so, they will also kill themselves. However, the Earth is a robust organism; it has recovered from meteorite bombardment, endured several ice ages, and survived five mass extinctions. It will also recover from this, the sixth, caused by a species, which will take with it the wildlife and most of the animals that exist today. This documentary theorizes what would happen if people vaporized out of nowhere. It does not consider the causes that would lead to such an event. When that happens, for several thousand years, it will not look as nice (green and full of life) as it is presented in this series.

Jag är din krigare (1997)

Strong message of returning to nature

[10/10 · 8 October 2023]

Unfortunately, I can't determine whether the scene with the shot of the fox in the cage was just a film trick or if the animal was really killed during filming. Nevertheless, it is a truly unique and controversial film with a strong message of returning to nature. A young rebel, dressed as an Indian and sometimes painted as a native of the forest, cleans the woods of garbage, destroys the cage traps of the hunters, and liberates the birds caught by the poacher from the car. However, the most striking moment was probalby the slow-motion shot of the digger falling from the cliff. I wasn't expecting that! And the guy didn't stop there, but I won't reveal more. I recommend it.

Man of Steel (2013)

Blind anthropocentric point.

[2/10 · 8 October 2023]

Zod and his rebels could save Krypton, gnawed to the bone. But laws are beyond reason. Krypton was sacrificed for one child, the rebels punished. Before the viewer has time to think that Earth will end like this soon, their mind will be overwhelmed by a pile of super effects for 200 million, moralizing, and glorifying technological civilization. We learn that the Kryptonians, that clever and prosperous race colonizing other planets, did not become extinct because of their parasitism but because of the introduction of population control! From about the 50-minute mark, the relationships between the characters started to develop, drawing me into the plot. The falling skyscrapers and burning cars were brilliant.

Hidden Crimes (1986)

This film is one of the first must-see documentaries on the cruelty of animal experiments

[10/10 · 30 September 2023]

This film, like The Animals Film (1981), is one of the best feature-length documentaries discussing the issue of animal experiments and other areas of animal suffering, but it also shows those who directly save animals' lives. The film is full of information and arguments, but also brutal shots directly from the trials. It also discusses the controversy of whether animal experiments really help people to such an extent that they can be morally justified and financially subsidized, when we already know several long-standing alternatives to animal experiments. This film contains the most important lesson of all the short videos about animal experiments!

Wizards (1977)

Strong anti-technocratic sentiments are evident

[10/10 · 23 September 2023]

This film conveys strong anti-technocratic sentiments, as evident from the portrayal of advocates for progress as the dark warlock (the primary antagonist) and his minions (comprising demons from hell, goblins, and mutants), who are likened to Nazis and wear swastika-adorned rags. The prologue explains that the Earth was devastated by atomic bombs, and the descendants of humans (elves, nymphs, fairies and other beings known from legends as protectors of the forest and nature) subsequently outlawed science and technology. Since then, for many millennia peace reigned in world until modern-day 'Nazis'-technological magic priests-excavated pre-war technologies from ancient ruins and constructed a new war machine with them. While the animation of the characters might not suit everyone's tastes, the story is straight and uncheerful, presenting its concept directly without moralizing or superfluous words.

The Money Programme: The Siege of Darley Oaks Farm (2005) Season 40, Episode 14

The farm was eventually closed, the activists won

[3/10 · 14 September 2023]

It's somewhat strange how the media can distort facts; they are professionals at manipulation. No one can deny that the Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs campaign (aimed at closing down a breeding farm that supplied domestic guinea pigs to laboratories for experimental purposes) was marked by certain incidents attributed to specific radical groups (Animal Rights Militia, Justice Department). However, in this TV show, it seems as if these incidents comprise the entire campaign. The campaign lasted for a whole six years! Nevertheless, even such shows could not diminish human compassion for animals, and the farm was eventually closed, just like dozens and hundreds of others around the world.

(Interesting: Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs (2000) short documentary was made about this campaign)

Don't Panic: The Truth About Population (2013 TV Movie)

Overpopulation is a problem, panicking is allowed

[3/10 · 14 September 2023]

Misleading. The fact that the birth rate is lower than in the 1960s is, in any case, remarkable because it is closely linked to a higher standard of living, reduced poverty, and lower mortality. The successful promotion of family planning, as illustrated in this film using Bangladesh as an example, is a blessing. There, activists not only went door-to-door distributing contraception, but family planning is also now taught in elementary schools! The documentary presents a positive vision for the future, suggesting that the global population will only continue to grow in Asian and African countries until 2100. While watching the documentary, one might get the impression that the world is progressing toward a better tomorrow, with the population explosion already under control, and reductions in poverty, mortality, and demographic growth. However, the documentary doesn't even mention the ecological footprint generated by every human being, regardless of their living standards. In reality, we have long surpassed the Earth's carrying capacity.

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

Another fire-jumping badass disaster movie

[5/10 · 13 September 2023]

Not an exceptional disaster film, but it holds interest because it's based on real events. The plot commences a few days before the disaster, shedding light on its causes, and concludes a few hours after the catastrophe with the rescue mission. As usual, it's typically dramatized in the American way, with the camera constantly panning (literally) around one tough guy running across a burning platform between exploding tanks, rescuing people while others jump into lifeboats. Then the movie ends; Without summarizing the consequences, without a few words about the culprits, without mentioning the impact on the environment.

Standard Deviation (2008)

Sensationalism prevailed over the information about the causes

[3/10 · 13 September 2023]

I don't appreciate how they're portraying this young boy, Bill (real name William Cottrell). He only set fire to a few damned cars belonging to a private company, and yet they're dissecting him here as if he were some psychotic freak who committed a heinous crime. The documentary employs somber ambient music reminiscent of a film about terminally ill children, slow-motion black-and-white footage from his youth, and his childhood photos. In between, there are concerned statements from his classmates, professors and family members, all wearing serious expressions, pondering why such a successful, cheerful and intelligent boy living his dream could commit such a "shockingly terrible act". The documentary isn't so offensive, but it also makes absolutely no effort to consider the case from Bill's perspective. I dislike this deliberate, premeditated manipulation of opinions.

Interestingly, a very similar case involving another "lone wolf" named Jeff Luers is discussed in the documentary The Jeffrey Luers Story (2005).

Spoor (2017)

Janina Duszejko lives!

[10/10 · 13 September 2023]

A partially moral and somewhat darkly humorous thriller set in the stunning forest environment of a border settlement in the Table Mountains. The protagonist's perspective on hunting animals for meat and fur is thought-provoking, although the character may be perceived as somewhat eccentric. One might wonder if her unconventional viewpoint was a handicap or, in fact, a gift that allowed her to perceive the world differently than others. Unlike the book, the film doesn't adequately portray this aspect, resulting in a slight lack of psychological depth.

The film possesses a unique atmosphere that I appreciate. It seems that the murders are not the central theme but rather serve as a backdrop, portrayed without excessive drama. I found myself more concerned about the hunting scenes, which appear to depict real animal shootings. I somewhat naively convinced myself that these were something like archival hunting footage and that the animals didn't perish solely for the sake of the film's effect. This film is undoubtedly controversial in terms of its content and ideas and is likely to be disliked by hunters and members of the clergy. I liked it.

Land of Hope and Glory (2017)

don't close your eyes to reality

[10/10 · 13 September 2023]

Not much has changed since the release of the Earthlings (2005) documentary. Records from 2016-2017 obtained from various English farms in the meat, dairy, and egg industries attest to this fact. I've heard many people argue that activists selectively choose the worst moments from countless hours of footage to support their cause. That's simply not true. Individuals who infiltrate these facilities with hidden cameras come, record, and depart. They don't have the time of spending half a year capturing hundreds of hours of footage there just to select the two most distressing minutes. What you see in this video is a reflection of what occurs across the entire industry of animal husbandry; it's standard practice. The documentary is freely available for distribution, so please feel free to share it in order to raise awareness among as many people as possible.

White Wilderness (1958)

This cannot be classified as a documentary

[1/10 · 13 September 2023]

Uh, a documentary should accurately depict reality. This sensationalist piece is made up of unrealistic staged scenes in which hundreds of animals lost their lives, accompanied by eerie music and a narrator spreading falsehoods.

For instance, the scene where lemmings are depicted as committing suicide was produced in the following unethical manner: the production crew hired individuals to capture hundreds of lemmings in Canada, then herded them in front of cameras to create the illusion of a mass migration. In the subsequent shot, they were coerced into jumping off a cliff into the sea, leading to their drowning. Lemmings do not actually engage in suicidal behavior. This cannot be classified as a documentary.

What Happened to Monday (2017)

just the demonized one-child policy

[3/10 · 13 September 2023]

The image could have served as a demonstration of the potential consequences of forced population control that may become necessary in the future if population growth is not curbed. However, this potential was not effectively realized. Impartiality is lacking, as the portrayal of the regime's enforcers as ruthless killers of innocent bystanders and children cancels out any nuance. The entire system almost resembles an eco-fascist version of Orwell's 1984 - albeit in the context of a one-child policy.

I must admit that if I were in Noomi Rapace's shoes, I would have felt like schizophrenic after the filming concluded. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that the plot direction appears predetermined, with a clear preference for an egocentric feminist perspective. The film doesn't address why governments have resorted to a one-child policy as a solution to overpopulation. Throughout the entire narrative, alternative solutions to overpopulation, a real-world issue even today, are never mentioned, let alone in the depicted year 2043.

In the typical American fashion, the story relies heavily on psychological manipulation, with the audience consistently overlooking the root cause of the issue. Subconsciously, viewers become fixated on the survival of the sisters and their struggle against the 'repressive regime.' The warning conveyed in the prologue is rendered meaningless by the maternal epilogue, erasing any remaining point of contention: the problem persists, but its solution is portrayed as inhumane, leading to a dismissal of the issue in favor of fighting against the proposed solutions.

Honoring God's Creation: Christianity and Vegetarianism (2006)

Christian vegetarians on the rise

[8/10 · 11 September 2023]

I often hear, especially from religious people, why animal rights activists don't care about people instead, and why are vegan activists against egg production but don't care about "children killed in abortion", and so on. So, for those people, here is this document from the pro-life-oriented international NGO Christian Vegetarian Association, which asserts that God's commandments do not apply only to humans. Especially the fifth commandment, thou shalt not kill. The documentary contains interviews with several personalities, including pastors, reverends, Catholic priests, lawyers, and writers.

Svarte pantere (1992)

the very first movie about A.L.F. probably

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

This movie deserves a comeback and dubbing! Five young people in black hoods set off into the darkness of the night. They steal, sabotage and destroy property, but all with a clear conscience. They do it because of one goal: to free voiceless creatures from experimental facilities and fur farms, living beings with hearts and feelings that other people underestimate. This group of the Animal Liberation Front calls itself Svarte pantere (Black Panthers). However, their methods are not accepted, and therefore they have to prepare for tough confrontations with the police, media, and politics. The film does not demonize the activities of these people determined to save a few lives even at the cost of lost their own freedom. They quickly earned my favor, and all the time I longed for them to escape. The topic is still relevant, the script, camera, and action are at a high-quality level. This film should not gather dust.

Similarly, great films on the same topic that I can recommend are Bold Native (2010), Saints & Angels (2007), Aurora: Il sogno della liberazione (2011) and A.L.F. (2012).

Live and Let Live (2013)

another way to a lifestyle that is compassionate towards animals and the environment

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

Over 20 renowned individuals discuss their reasons for choosing to abstain from consuming and purchasing animal products. While the documentary primarily focuses on ethical motivations for veganism, it also touches on health reasons. It highlights the international non-profit Animal Equality and the practice of so-called open rescues. There is a degree of one-sidedness (although, for example, a butcher is also featured), but personally, I don't find the absence of discussions about animal proteins lacking at all when I aim to learn about veganism and animal welfare. This documentary ranks among the best on the subject and should not be so overlooked. It notably avoids depicting graphic scenes from slaughterhouses and large-scale farms, making it suitable for a wide audience.

Hope for All: Unsere Nahrung - unsere Hoffnung (2016)

health and ecological consequences of consumption of animal products

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

The documentary features interviews with more than 20 individuals who discuss the health and ecological consequences of consuming animal products. It also provides a space for workers from large-scale farms and slaughterhouses to describe the inner workings of this industry. Originally in German, the English version is a few minutes shorter and omits, for example, an interview with the renowned Melanie Joy, who spoke about carnism. It's unfortunate, but nevertheless, HOPE is one of the highest-quality documentaries on this issue. Most of the footage is from European farms, which is another advantage, because at least skeptics can't say their favorites "It's different in the USA, nothing like that happens here!" Warning, it also contains footage from large-scale farms.

The Legacy of Malthus (1994)

efforts to disprove the belief that overpopulation is the main cause of poverty and environmental destruction

[8/10 · 10 September 2023]

A somewhat unprofessional-looking documentary addressing the validity of neo-Malthusianism. Malthus's original theory, in brief, suggested that people should only have children if they can support them. The documentary comprises interviews with women from impoverished areas of India and archival footage from television shows, along with brief clips featuring non-profit organizations like the Population Institute and UNFPA from 1993. These elements are combined to illustrate the link between low education and social status with overpopulation. Neo-Malthusianism could benefit from more extensive exploration in newer, better-produced films.

Surviving Earth (2014)

We still say "It's never too late"?

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

The documentary takes an unconventional approach to the issue of overpopulation: Can we find real solutions to the negative effects of industrialization if the human population continues to grow? This question should have been asked about a hundred years ago, but can we still say, 'It's never too late'? While there are numerous documentaries addressing fossil fuels, resource depletion, and ecological devastation, Surviving Earth stands out as one of the best. It features prominent biologist Paul R. Ehrlich, Tim Flannery, Ian Lowe, and other individuals whose work I follow. As a thematic addition, I recommend the documentaries Mother: Caring for 7 Billion (2011) and Call of Life (2010).

United Natures (2013)

Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

A remarkable documentary, undoubtedly one of the best among the existing ones, on the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, which is being sought for approval by prominent ecologists, scientists, and presidents. This declaration would legally elevate the Earth and all living organisms, helping combat environmental crimes. Similar to the proposed Constitution for the Earth, this declaration opposes anthropocentrism, representing a crucial step for our planet, aiming to unite the efforts of social and deep ecologists. The documentary features prominent figures from these fields, as well as philosophers like Polly Higgins, advocates for the term 'ecocide,' and proponents of permaculture, among others. A must-see!

The Game Changers (2018)

veganism from a health perspective

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

This documentary is a must-see. It examines veganism from a health perspective, featuring vegans as speakers, without giving space to non-vegan arguments, which I didn't miss at all. It includes some of the world's strongest individuals, such as Patrik Baboumian, the strongest man on the planet, medal-winning weightlifter Kendrick Farris, Scott Jurek, who ran 3540 kilometers in 46 days, Nate Diaz, Nimai Delgado, and Formula 1 world champion, among many others. The documentary showcases various sports, including boxing, cycling, American football, natural bodybuilding, tennis, basketball, surfing, and many more, all performed by vegan medal-winning athletes. I would argue that the notion we hear, suggesting that while these athletes follow a vegan diet, there are relatively few compared to non-vegan athletes, and therefore veganism is not effective, is stupid. It's worth noting that only 3 percent of the world's population adheres to a strictly vegan diet, so it's unreasonable to expect a 50/50 representation among athletes.

Documentary has faced criticism for making some controversial statements, like a scene where a scientist claims that the gladiators were vegetarians. I don't see an issue with that - it's one person's opinion. Moreover, simply search 'What Did Gladiators Eat' on Google, and you'll find that it's not far from the truth. The most controversial assertion made in the documentary comes from an archaeogeneticist who claims that homo sapiens are not adapted to eating meat, suggesting that we are herbivores. It's important to remember that this is just the personal opinion of one of the over 30 performers in the documentary, so criticizing the entire film for this viewpoint is unnecessary. Besides, whether we are herbivores or omnivores is irrelevant because it has been proven that we can thrive without animal products. As for the argument that our ancestors primarily consumed plant-based foods, I believe it's irrelevant in the 21st century, given the abundance of vegan alternatives.

Overall, I have no complaints about this documentary. I would only recommend complementing this perspective on veganism from the health angle with the ethical aspect presented in the film Dominion (2018) and the ecological perspective presented in Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014).

Das Todeslabor vor Hamburg (2019)

lab was shut down after the release of this video

[10/10 · 10 September 2023]

If anyone wants to argue that all the horrifying videos of animal experiments on the internet are 30 years old and that this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore, watch this short documentary. An investigative team of activists from Cruelty Free International and SOKO Tierschutz planted hidden cameras in a toxicology laboratory (LPT) in Hamburg. The footage of experiments on dogs, monkeys, and cats, which was illegally obtained and is shown in this video, later yielded results. Following protests in which thousands of people demanded the immediate closure of the laboratory and stricter requirements for conducting tests, less than two months after the footage was released, the lab was shut down!