Freaky Tales, Movie Review

I review this underdog anthology flick that’s rocking the ‘80s, but ain’t as cool as it could be.

Freaky Tales is an ‘80s aplenty anthology that’s told in four frantic chapters starring Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Jack Champion, Dominique Thorne, Too $hort, Ji-young Yoo, and Ben Mendelsohn. It’s goofy yet totally stylish and blares the right sort of vibes for where it wants to transport us to, which is Oakland in 1987. Unquestionably inspired by David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, and other legends of the era - writer/directors Anna Fleck and Ryan Boden (Half-Nelson, Captain Marvel) are loving this blast from the past, paying homage to the place and time Freaky Tales gets freaky in with top-notch mixtape tunes to make us bust a move. So it’s not that there’s no fun going on, but the interconnected stories, along with their drastic tone changes, frankly never reach a level of being competent, high-risk, or exhilarating. A walk on the wild side through the Bay Area that at the end of the day feels pointless.

Now it’s customary for movies like these to have an array of characters cross paths with one another as the perspective continually shifts. However, this one goes one supernatural step further by flaunting a mysterious green energy that flows from one underdog story to the next. We the audience never know where it comes from or how it got to Oakland, but we unmistakably recognize its power is extraordinarily precious. Fleck and Boden get things started with punk rockers who ain’t going to take it anymore from Nazi skinheads and are ready to wage war. After that is a tale about two young female rappers who together are called Danger Zone (Normani and Thorne) stepping on stage and into the spotlight to rap battle Too $hort.

Next up is probably the most gratifying of the four chapters, featuring a spiffing Pascal as well as a remarkable cameo where this certain legendary individual counts down the best underdog films in a video store. Spoiler Alert: I’m quite certain Breaking Away is #1. Anyways, Pascal plays an enforcer collecting cash for his boss one last time before he retires, though tragedy strikes when his past catches up with him. Freaky Tales concludes with Golden State Warriors great Sleepy Floyd going full-blown Beatrix Kiddo on a corrupt cop/crime boss simply known as”The Guy” (Mendelsohn, bestowing on us a shit ton of smugness with his limited screen time) who stole from the wrong mofo.

From the performances, humor, and visual flair to the ridiculous violence and gore and obscure sci-fi subplot - the movie offers a lot yet leaves us feeling jipped by the end. Perhaps it’s because when it comes to looking and acting cool, that’s Freaky Tales’ strong suit. But actually being cool? That’s where it trips up. At times it’s as if it’s merely a poser when giving a voice to depreciated people or society or culture that doesn’t stand a fighting chance, but refuse to back down.

Obviously, Freaky Tales represents a special period, location, and overall mindset for the filmmakers. But this doesn’t change the fact that Fleck and Boden are fundamentally unable to determine how to successfully establish what makes each crazy chapter consequential in their own right as well as a cohesive unit. And, more importantly, why the audience should even care.