Movie · 2025 · Action, Crime, Comedy · 1h 47m · R · English
Curator score: 3.8/10 (97.7K ratings)
In 1987, Oakland was hella freaky.
Overview
In 1987 Oakland, a mysterious force guides The Town's underdogs in four interconnected tales: teen punks defend their turf against Nazi skinheads, a rap duo battles for hip-hop immortality, a weary henchman gets a shot at redemption, and an NBA All-Star settles the score.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.8/10
IMDb: 6.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.46/5
Metacritic: 58
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Production
MACRO, Entertainment One, Gowanus Projections
Cast
Jay Ellis, Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud, Keir Gilchrist, Michelle Farrah Huang, Jordan Gomes, Too $hort, Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, Tim Armstrong, Marshawn Lynch, Tom Hanks, Michael X. Sommers, Max Carpenter, Marteen, Yong Kim
Where to watch
Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A stylish, scrappy Oakland anthology that leans hard into 80s pulp, music, and revenge-movie energy. It’s more about vibe, momentum, and affectionate genre mashup than airtight plotting, but the attitude and period texture make it an easy recommendation for viewers who enjoy playful, referential crowd-pleasers.
Best for
fans of 80s-set genre pastiche
viewers who like comic-booky action with music culture energy
people who enjoy interconnected anthology structures
audiences looking for anti-fascist revenge catharsis
fans of pulpy crime-comedy with a nostalgic edge
Skip if
you want a tightly disciplined, single-plot crime thriller
you dislike movies that wear their influences openly
you prefer understated realism over heightened stylization
you’re not in the mood for a very referential, mixtape-like structure
Overview
Freaky Tales is a love letter to 1987 Oakland that treats the city like a mythic battleground, where punks, rappers, hustlers, and sports heroes all get their own shot at legend. The movie’s biggest asset is its confidence: it knows exactly what kind of cool it wants to be, and it commits to the bit with bright colors, needle-drop swagger, and a comic-book sense of escalation.
Worth noting
It’s built as four linked stories, so the pleasure comes less from narrative complexity than from the accumulation of attitude. Some segments land harder than others, but the film keeps finding new ways to turn local history, pop culture, and revenge fantasy into something playful and crowd-pleasing.
Bottom line
The result is a movie that feels like a mixtape made by people who grew up on grindhouse, hip-hop, and late-night cable action. If that combination sounds irresistible, this is an easy yes; if you need sharper dramatic control or less obvious homage, it may feel more like a very enthusiastic riff than a fully original composition.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Miles Foster (4★) · 3826 likes
Never kill yourself, some cool kid could hand you a mixtape.
Kit Lazer (4★) · 2874 likes
Pulp Fiction meets Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World with a sprinkling of The Warriors. No, I will not explain.
Joe A (4.5★) · 1813 likes
I am not exactly sure where the line between homage and cheap imitation begins or ends. It’s not exactly a black and white answer, but it’s something that crossed my mind while walking out of Freaky Tales. A movie that very proudly wears its inspirations on its sleeve, but maybe that’s the distinction? Proudly. Warmly embraces the love for Tarantino, Hill, and Carpenter rather than coyly pretending they don’t exist?
Im not sure, but what I am sure is that… more
Joe A (4.5★) · 1352 likes
There’s a moment in this movie where E-40’s “Choices (Yup)” plays and Jay Ellis effortlessly blocks a Nazi’s punch at the exact moment E-40 says “nope” in the song— I just think this movie is cool as hell. Easily a favorite from the first half of the year.
Podcast- 2025 Mid-Year Recap
1994 · Thriller, Crime, Comedy · 2h 34m · R · Curator 9.5/10 (6.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus
A defining model for cool, interconnected crime storytelling with sharp dialogue, pop-culture swagger, and a playful sense of structure.