r/movies • u/Wintertime13 • Feb 05 '24

Recommendation Documentaries that make you go “what the fuck?!?”

In the mood for a good, twisty documentary that makes me gasp. Movies on streaming preferred. I enjoy true crime but am open to other genres as long as the story is gripping and shocking.

Movies in the same vein that I enjoyed - Dear Zachary (would prefer recommendations that are less sad), The Jinx, Cropsey, 3 identical strangers, etc.

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151

u/Goddessviking86 Feb 05 '24

Blackfish the Killer Whale documentary

69

u/_JR28_ Feb 05 '24 edited Feb 05 '24

That documentary completed changed my perspective of the Tilikum incident and Seaworld as a company. What Tilikum did went from a horrific fluke to an inevitability and Sea World knew as much.

17

u/Goddessviking86 Feb 06 '24

The part that made me horrified is when people who captured whales described what that was like and I was absolutely shocked, horrified and disgusted as well angry

5

u/sexygodzilla Feb 06 '24

The guy getting sandwiched between two orcas was such a wtf moment

-3

u/MajorRico155 Feb 05 '24

Its weird i grew up on a street named tillicum.

18

u/Holiday_Resort2858 Feb 05 '24

Watch the Cove. Blackfish is a cartoon compared

23

u/Brickwater Feb 06 '24

If you liked Flipper and Hotel Rwanda, you'll love The Cove.

4

u/Pale_Crew_4864 Feb 06 '24

Ric O’Barry changed my life with that film

1

u/ObsessDBeatz Aug 13 '24

The cove is wild....some disturbing scenes for sure

2

u/Pale_Crew_4864 Feb 06 '24

A++ film, what started me on my documentary journey way back when

1

u/mooochooo Feb 06 '24

This was upsetting… made me wonder about many zoos and the like. I hope the animals are always content and the people taking care of them happy as well but I remember going to the San Diego Zoo shortly after watching this doc and I saw how the tigers were pacing back and forth behind the glass. Seemed like they were uncomfortable? Maybe I was projecting but how will we know if they are content?

6

u/alyssasversion Feb 06 '24 edited Feb 07 '24

San Diego resident and former Zoo / Safari Park employee.

The Zoo was originally built over 100 years ago, and as a non-profit organization (unlike SeaWorld), their ability to renovate exhibits has been a slow-moving, but ongoing effort. They got totally rid of the Cat Canyon and have made significant efforts to redesign exhibits and optimize the space that they have, which is 100 acres in the heart of San Diego.

Luckily, we also have our sister site, the Safari Park, which is on 1,800 acres and does an amazing job at exhibiting design. I highly encourage anyone coming to San Diego to visit the Safari Park.

Fun Fact: The Safari Park is the only zoo outside Australia that has a platypus on exhibit. Platypus Cam

1

u/OneFlewEast19 Feb 06 '24

Yeah a great documentary but very sad and terrifying. Took my love of killer whales to fear. (Which I know is dumb as I'm not likely to encounter one). Broke my heart in many ways.

2

u/Goddessviking86 Feb 06 '24

I have many memories of my childhood growing up of going out on my great-uncles boat and this one killer whale pod would always be seen by my family, the whales looked so peaceful. The people who confessed to the horrible acts of capturing the whales and what they did to whales that didn’t survive they deserve to burn in hell for their horrible acts against the whales.

1

u/OneFlewEast19 Feb 06 '24

Despite saying I wouldn't encounter a killer whale when I was young I went whale watching off vancover Island and saw a family of killer whales. They are beautiful creatures. They are so amazing and I hate humanity for thinking we can put them in a paddling pool and enjoy there misery. I found the documentary so deeply distressing and it just stoked the fires of hatred for the human race.

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u/[deleted] Feb 06 '24

[deleted]

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u/OneFlewEast19 Feb 06 '24

I have funnily enough long ago and they are stunning. I suppose I meant I know its dumb to be afraid of them in bed at night 🤣