Directed by: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Written by: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion
Rating: [3/5]
Even with the differences we all have, there are some things that can unite the majority of individuals. Topics that accomplish this varies but through its anthology-style storytelling, Freaky Tales unites under the cause that everyone hates white supremacists. Certainly an easy point to get behind and through it frenetic storytelling and overall style, this feature presents the many ways one can combat this threat with all the fun characters involved.
Exiting a movie theater, punk rock fans Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and Lucid (Jack Champion) have a group of neo-Nazis yell slurs at them and then later ambush their show. Sick of having to put up with their abuse, they decide to stand up to them the next time they attempt to do the same thing. Concurrently, Clint (Pedro Pascal), seeks to end his life of crime as he has a baby on the way, but his connections to criminal organizations will not allow him to exit on his terms.
For anyone who has read my reviews for other anthology films then they would know that generally I’m up and down as generally a bunch of shorter stories cannot deliver in the same way one cohesive narrative can. That does not mean there are no instances where they have not worked well with Freaky Tales serving as one of those exceptions. It manages this not only because of its distinctive style and energy, but because there is a general connection between all of these characters that gives off some semblance of cohesion between the four stories.
Of the four stories, the one that works the best is the very first one involving the young punk rock fans. It combines a youthful and rebellious spirit with this underdog mentality that allows for something quite substantive for these characters as they seek to find the strength within themselves as a community to fight back. All the other ones certainly have their value but tell very individualized stories, whereas the story with Tina and Lucid adds just a bit more with this more collective approach that resonates quite well.
Each of these stories when looked at as a whole do provide what looks like a mishmash of various genres put together in one story where you have a crime thriller with Clint, a story centered on music with Barbie (Dominique Thorne) and Entice (Normani), and a hyper-violent action story with Sleepy Floyd (Jay Ellis). Each of them try to accomplish something slightly different but all seemingly tell tales of revenge or characters standing up for themselves in the face of adversity. You also cannot forget the fact they are all impacted by white supremacists, with some of the stories very directly combatting with that specific issue.
When watching this film, one could not possibly miss out on the fact that this all takes place during the 1980s and in case you forget it will continually remind you. It will certainly scratch the nostalgia bug for anyone who practices but even with its purposefully dated elements, it still manages to carry some evergreen truths through its themes. It all just gets processed through a lens many have familiarity with from the music choices utilized and the fashion.
Of all the surprising elements Freaky Tales has to offer, the one that got me was who directed this feature, which were Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. These two have had an interesting career from their work in the independent space, namely Half Nelson, to their big break in the major blockbuster scene with Captain Marvel. Since then, they have stayed moreso in the television space before diving back into the narrative feature world with this film. The most surprising element of this hinges on the way they present this film, feels like quite the departure from their previous films. While I have not seen all the films comprising their filmography from what I have seen, this feels like something brand new and refreshing from them. A welcomed one, of course, especially of the lack of style as they were swallowed up by the Marvel machine. Here they flexed their muscles and created something very entertaining.
Four stories for the price of one, Freaky Tales serves as one big middle finger to white supremacists and does it in style. We get fours stories with varying degrees of violence and emotional resonance as they navigate this distinct period of time. All the actors came to play with some asked to do more than others but all in all anyone can have a good time in watching this film.
Films with Josh 
