“Freaky Tales” is upon us. The new film from writers-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, over a year ago, and now Lionsgate is finally releasing this colorful, violent and wholly unique anthology set in 1987 Oakland.
In the vein of “Pulp Fiction,” the story follows various disparate characters whose stories intersect across a few days in the California city: an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector.
Pascal plays the debt collector who begrudgingly accepts one last job. Ben Mendelsohn is the corrupt cop. Dominique Thorne and Normani are a burgeoning rap duo. And “Top Gun: Maverick” breakout Jay Ellis is NBA star Sleepy Floyd.
The film is something of a fever dream with Boden and Fleck – who most recently directed “Captain Marvel” after a career made with indies like “Half Nelson” and “Mississippi Grind” – flexing their capabilities for their most ambitious project yet.
In her review for TheWrap out of Sundance, Alejandra Martinez said: “‘Freaky Tales’ is a great time that knows how to channel its many loves (of the Bay Area, of movies) into an infectious force. Come for the campy, bloody fun but stay for the clear love for the mediums it’s working in: Movies and memory.”
Watch the red-band “Freaky Tales” trailer below. The film will be released in theaters on April 4 and also stars Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo and Angus Cloud.
