
Synopsis There are four specific stories in Oakland dating from 1987, and these four stories interconnect with each other. They will talk of the love for the arts whether it is for music or movies, for people or places, or even for nostalgia beyond our realm.
After grossing over a billion dollars with Captain Marvel, it is safe to say that Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have made a turn back to their roots, but have made their mark in the industry. Seeing how this dynamic pair goes about integrating a unique style in almost everything ensures they remain, and always will remain, forward thinkers. Their latest release called Freaky Tales consists of numerous chaotic elements that work toward fueling the film with a unique touch. The film is set in Oakland in 1987 and has a total of four chapters, each consisting of a diverse array of cast members along with new places that the main characters interact with. Intertwining rejoicing the Oakland culture excavation throughout the social evils that were reigning during that period is the main driving theme of the film. Along the suppressive forces attacking this mantra of The Man from all angles are Nazis and other demented and twisted cops. Fleck showcases how atrociously unconventional and different the city of Oakland actually is while the movie remains prone to sudden outbursts of excitement, poorly encapsulating the cheapness. Viewers who appreciate a director who isn’t afraid of shooting low should find this to be an ideal match.
In my opinion, the film industry can accommodate a few more directors who are capable of daring ventures, because after all it is reckless and in the least to say, excessive.
The movie starts with a typical beginning of a scroll with some text narration that resembles that of a Little Shop of Horrors. Rather, the resemblances do begin and in the end first few minutes of the movie. There has been a revival of the Off-Broadway classic in the last few decades and frankly, it is the perfect example of an underdog success story after it gained popularity through Broadway. Boden and Fleck have brought together four lesser-known stories about overcoming great odds into one stunning package with Freaky Tales. Does it qualify as the greatest underdog film of all time as a crazy cameo in the same film argues? Not in hindsight at all but at this point in time, it does surely feel like this is the case. That is because filmmakers love to set their underdog characters against the aforementioned scum of the earth Nazis, misogynists, perverts, etc. Quite regularly the film places its protagonists against the very entities that stand for hate and villainy in Oakland and are free to do as they wish. So in situations like this, it is hard for audiences to not wish for the leader to take over with vengeance.
Individual events in all four chapters of Freaky Tales begin to unfold over the span of a day and a half. The first chapter gets us in the company of the robust fans of a local punk rock band who follow them around and partake in the moshing at their premises. We must confess, that there is a brutal bar scene in the movie, which from a critical point of view, is in fact not dangerous. Because such pain cannot be carried alone, a sense of belonging is instilled in the fans, and that aspect is always evident in the serious stories, in stark contrast to the skinheads that come in to beat them up. So much of their band’s persecution by the Nazi gang is so severe that they are forced to respond. One does not hope for peace, but what happens next is the most anti-climactic inclination where the two forces suddenly and instantaneously reverse into pulp fiction. In other words, it should be recalled that, from a plot perspective, the creators of Freaky Tales intended for this style of film that would allow Boden & Fleck to bust away from systematic and regulated movie making and give the audience exactly that vision.
Fleck was equally enthralled by the subject matter of the film. These include the ‘87 Golden State Warriors, Oakland’s hip-hop culture and rapper Too $ Hort, late video rental shops, and punk rock, among a long list of others. It is essential to add, however, that Freaky Tales does not merely pay attention to the aspects of these subcultures which, it could be expected, are left by history by virtue of looking backward. For example, while there is no denying certain reverence for the Oaktown legend Too $ Hort, section 2 is completely devoted to Danger Zone, a legitimate hip-hop group. In a rap battle, artists Entice, and Barbie play the role of challengers to one of the artists who contributed to the songs. Ghetto as Too $ Hort is, his music, including rap and graphics, is indeed appropriate to the rap culture, which is quite misogynistic. In some of the scenes where the camera work was more chaotic, the reigning female champions took a completely different route striking down the brand of Too $hort so powerfully that it’s hard not to admire their sheer bravado.
The film has a compelling yet straightforward narrative. The onscreen talent uses several seductive filming techniques and that makes for an entertaining sequence. The intended purpose of the movie is achieved, as both the audience and the characters of the film get captivated by the charm of a single individual on screen.
In this film the story progresses quite smoothly, there is little friction or incompleteness in the narrative America a Visual Symphony? As I have noted, on the surface the drama appears to follow a multi-narrative structure and a segmented fragmented style. But the very beginning makes it evident that the core short story will end with egalitarian consolidation reconciliation. At the core of the film is an event, it’s clear that there is an imminent climactic moment where all loose threads will neatly tie together. The film begins with four voiceovers appearing on the screen, a juxtaposition of over four disparate realities that will converge into one13. Just as Three is Another, so too is there pluralism in America the Seven Dwarves delve into America on the Minute and explore seven faces of America that are distinctly different on the where, at what time, at what place it is.” Though each of these elements of a potential social invitation is sourced within the United States of America, the overall structural integrity lacks coherence. In this collage, all elements succumb to fragmentation, disintegration, and division. It is as if they exist in extreme counterfactual realities, that part could both be good or preposterous at the same time. Much like wanting everyone to hear anecdotes from your Uncle while simultaneously wishing him to be muted and kept quiet. Each of these clips aids in determining the direction of the entire plot and how subplots might develop. And, similarly to magic tricks, the exact point in a context where everything will devolve into argument, conflict, or bickering is unknown.
For what seemed like the next thirty-five minutes, Boden & Fleck went completely inhumane with regard to their ‘sacred’ stance towards the aesthetic principles of the motion picture. Such films as Kill Bill, Scanners, and Death Wish, are absolutely the sorts of films that genre fans would love.
The movie in question can again be roughly divided into 2 parts, but the 5 parts of the diptych make for a great combination for a 50-55-minute feature, assuming it does feature both parts. Most of the focus is on the 4 fulfillments that are based in Oakland and the focus that they are trained to carry around through brief interactions. While there is room for an anthology-style film with Freaky Tales comprised of disparate tales, it might benefit more from a linear design for one where everything is interconnected. But when one considers how much effort it is to get that genre and a proper setting right, it is pretty evident why this makes for such an entertaining movie. A filmmaker‘s opinion and the objectives that he pursues as a filmmaker are very relevant, even more, so the closer he is to the conception of the cinematographic work, the more impact the end result will have.
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