Freaky Tales

I can see why the reviews on this movie are mixed. It is a bit disjointed and has some gaps in the story. As an East Bay native who got into the punk scene around when the first chapter is set, I know this is based on real life events. The punk rockers running the nazi skinheads away from their club/community space, 100% happened. Creepy cops harassing young POC women, that happened (undoubtedly still does). I got a cassette tape of Too $hort's 'Freaky Tales' when I was 12 years old, and when my mom heard half a verse in that song she destroyed that cassette. This is a fictional version of Bay Area realness. Nothing but love for the Bay.

There is a ton of 80's nostalgia in horror and film overall these days, some might even say to a point of over-saturation. That's fair, I mean it is a trend and I'm chill about it because I enjoy the aesthetic a lot, but there's a difference between cheaply aping an 80's vibe just for likes and actually earning it through authenticity, innovation and genuine enthusiasm. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck actually *earn* that 80's flavour with Freaky Tales, an absolute blast of deftly written anthology that carefully straddles the line between action with just a touch of horror. It's 1987 in Oakland, a time and place that obviously means a great deal to these filmmakers as they tell several initially disparate tales that, in true anthology fashion, inevitably weave together like a mosaic in the final vignette. A gaggle of punk music friends battle some nasty Neo-Nazi skinheads who keep crashing their parties, a mob enforcer (Pedro Pascal) learns some moral lessons the hard way and a scummy, corrupt vice detective (Ben Mendelsohnn) runs afoul of a vengeful NBA player (Jay Ellis). These stories are interwoven pretty ingeniously and supported by some raucous soundtrack choices, super gory violence, hectic stylistics and great performances, especially from the lovably diabolical Mendelsohnn, who is chewing scenery like Smaug the Dragon here. Oh! There's also a cameo from Tom Hanks, of all people, who is only in it for about five minutes playing the motor mouthed owner of a boutique video store, but his reference heavy, snappy dialogue is the best work he's done in like a decade, or at least since Cloud Atlas. Great film.

"Freaky Tales" is one of those anthology films that feels like it's almost onto something - but never quite gets there. It's visually engaging and has a certain nostalgic flair, and I did find myself enjoying a few segments, but overall, most of the stories rely heavily on well-worn tropes without offering much that feels fresh.

The third tale, featuring Pedro Pascal, stands out as the one with the most potential. There's some emotional weight and intriguing character dynamics, but just as it starts to build momentum, it's over - underdeveloped and leaving more questions than satisfaction.

While "Freaky Tales" has energy and style, the majority of the narratives feel like sketches rather than fully realized stories. They're loud, flashy, sometimes fun, but ultimately forgettable. It's not a bad watch, but it's also not particularly memorable. A 6/10 feels fair: some fun to be had, but not enough depth to leave a lasting impression.

If the threads connecting their segments are strong & inter-woven enough, anthologies CAN work... like "Freaky Tales" whose four segments (based in 1987's Oakland, California) see: punks Ji-young Woo & Jack Champion fight Dan Marotte's nazis; rappers Dominique Thorne & Normani catch a break (in an unnecessary segment); reluctant tough guy Pedro Pascal reaching his end (crossing a delightful Tom Hanks cameo and corrupt cop Ben Mendelsohn (terrific)); and baskeball star Jay Ellis going "Kill Bill". With its deliberately dated, cartoonish style co-writers / co-directors Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden's fun tribute to popular '80s cinema is a treat. Props to them & it.

Freaky Tales (2025) is an action comedy anthology movie and it was very good to say the least.

Positives for Freaky Tales (2025): The cast of the movie is the thing that kept me invested with Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo and Angus Cloud. There is a lot of intrigue in the ideas of an action comedy anthology movie. The movie has a good pace to it. There is some good use of humor and action sequences throughout these different segments. And finally, the movie works better as background noise.

Negatives for Freaky Tales (2025): None of the short stories were all that interesting or compelling. None of the characters get any development despite being played by great actors. And finally, the movie isn't nearly as funny as I syyt

Overall, Freaky Tales (2025) is a good action movie that could've been so much better, but I can see myself rewatching it later on in the future.