Film Review – Freaky Tales

April 3rd, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

Freaky Tales (2024) is the kind of movie that works almost entirely on vibes. The writing/directing team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have crafted an anthology of four loosely connected stories, all taking place in Oakland, CA in 1987. Each segment has its own brand of off the wall hijinks, where things go on bizarre tangents. The narrative isn’t really interested in character development. Each person we meet are given simple and straightforward motivations. But the storytelling is so vibrant, colorful, and alive that we get wrapped up in the energy of it all. It paints a picture of a specific time and place, embracing movies, music, sports, and a collective hatred for Nazis. Above all else, this was just a whole lot of fun to watch.

There’s a mythical quality to how Boden and Fleck depict their beloved city (nicknamed “The Town”). Each story is presented by a narrator (voiced by Oakland rapper Too $hort) whose descriptions take on a folklore tone – as though these are tall tales passed down from person to person throughout time. Often, the narrator will say something along the lines of, “This is how I know the events as it was told to me.” The writing and direction aren’t too concerned with historical accuracy, even when it incorporates real people. We get that sense immediately. There are elements of sci-fi, horror, action, and animation sprinkled everywhere. There are distinct references to the likes of Scanners (1981), The Last Dragon (1985), Repo Man (1984), and others. There’s the presence of a glowing green light in every segment, whether it’s a bolt of lightning, glowing eyes, or a surge of electricity. Could it be some spiritual entity, like the soul of Oakland giving its citizens some magical power?

It doesn’t matter. What matters is that each segment is infused with a blast of creativity. In that regard, the production accomplishes its goals with flying colors. Although characters criss cross stories several times, each one can stand on its own. In the opening, we meet Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and Lucid (Jack Champion), two young people who spend most of their time hanging out listening to bands at a local punk rock club. Things take a nasty turn when a group of white supremacists crash the club and cause havoc. Instead of taking things in stride, Tina, Lucid, and their cohorts take matters into their own hands and fight back. In terms of style, this section features washed out, grainy visuals, and 4:3 aspect ratio. There’s a grimy feel to the aesthetics, which is only amplified once the confrontation between the punk rock kids and neo-Nazis come to a head.

The second section takes a complete 180-degree spin in stylistic approach. We meet up with Entice (Normani) and Barbie (Dominique Thorne), rap artists who – almost out of the blue – are chosen to participate in a battle with a younger version of Too $hort (DeMario Symba Driver). Where the first segment looked grungy and ragged, this chapter is filled with bright pinks and blues – drawing parallels to the various flavors of ice cream Entice and Barbie sell at their day job. Naturally, this story also comes with a heavy dose of musical textures. The rap battle between Entice, Barbie, and Too $hort is a blend of classic west coast hip hop beats and throwback lyrical arrangements. I found myself head bobbing throughout the performances and getting caught up in the back and forth. The three tossed punchlines toward each other like a sparring match.

The third part stands out as the most resonant. Not only because it stars Pedro Pascal as Clint, an aging hitman going through an existential crisis after a devastating  tragedy, but because of where his story takes him. Undoubtably, the most memorable scene of the whole film features Clint having an interaction with a clerk at a video rental store. Now, that may not sound like a big deal, but the actor playing the clerk is. Of course, I won’t give away that surprise – you’ll have to see it for yourself. But the conversation Clint has with this person, chatting about movies like regular folk just hanging out, was surprisingly riveting. No, it doesn’t add much to the flow of the story, but who cares? I would love to see these two people talk and debate movies all day long, it harkens back to an era before the age of streaming. Things do go on beyond that scene, and Pascal delivers a subtly moving performance as someone trying to find the means to get past their pain and anguish. But I’m sure a lot of viewers will come out of this thinking about that interaction in the video store. 

Each of the four stories have a surreal quality to it – none more so than the closing portion starring Jay Ellis. Ellis plays Sleepy Floyd, a real-life NBA player who at the time was in the middle of the playoffs as a member of the Golden State Warriors. The term “Warrior” is a timely coincidence, because that is exactly what this version of Floyd becomes when he returns home to see his belongings ransacked and his loved ones victimized. Floyd turns into the human embodiment of revenge, wielding throwing knives and exhibiting martial arts mastery like a superhero from a blaxploitation film. From there on out, Floyd leaves a trail of bodies and blood, slicing his way through adversaries one by one until he reaches the masterminds behind the crime. This is easily the most bombastic section, punctuating the film with high octane action. To say that things end on an “explosive” note would be an understatement.

The 1980s have been a well traversed decade for nostalgia – books, games, cartoons, comics, TV shows, movies, etc. Any kind of pop culture artifact from that time have been picked to shreds, all to trigger those little pings of memory and recognition. Thankfully, Freaky Tales does so while staying in a separate lane. It is so distinctive, with a personality all its own, that it takes something familiar and breathes new life into it. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck display an affection for movie history as well as for Oakland, combining the two into a burst of sheer entertainment. Does it all make sense? Not really. Does it have to make sense for us to enjoy it? No. It operates on tone and attitude. It has fun doing what it does and invites us to join in.

Anna Boden, DeMario Samba Driver, Dominique Thorne, Featured, Freaky Tales, Jack Champion, Jay Ellis, Ji-young Yoo, Normani, Pedro Pascal, Repo Man, Ryan Fleck, Scanners, Sleepy Floyd, The Last Dragon, Too $hort