While Freaky Tales is definitely an anthology film, it is not a horror anthology regardless of the title. Maybe that’s obvious to folks who saw the trailer, I dunno. I went in blind… and was super enthusiastically positive about the end results. I really dig this flick.

The four lightly connected shorts are set in around Oakland, CA in 1987. While I had a ton of fun with it, apparently it’s also centered on a particularly famous night for the Golden State Warriors… which would have added a lot of meta fun if I had known how they were playing around with pop culture. But, c’mon, nerd me paying attention to basketball in ’87? I had more in common with the in-movie theater marquee featuring The Lost Boys and Ishtar.

The first story is a pretty terrific tale about a punk club being harassed by local skinheads and the puns fight back (it’s never a bad time to punch a Nazi). I loved it for the takedowns and gore… but also for a cast of very likable characters, especially Ji-young Yoo. 4.5 out of 5.

The second is the shortest and arguably least interesting story but I give it props for being something different. It’s about two aspiring rappers who get invited to perform at a show. And they do. 3.5 out of 5.

The third story stars Pedro Pascal (!!) as a professional leg breaker trying to get out of the business. It’s the most emotional, thoughtful, and philosophical of the four shorts. Pascal is great and the way the story plays out is deeper and more interesting than I expected. 4.5 out of 5.

The final story is about a team of burglars who rob the houses of various NBA players during a historic game between The Golden State Warriors and the Lakers. It’s a bloody revenge tale with a badass soundtrack and an even more badass hero. Plus one of the best full body explosions I’ve ever seen. 4 out of 5.

This flick was a huge surprise and I’m amazed it opened in theaters at all. But it’s one of the best and most consistently good anthologies I’ve ever seen. Some great stories, even better characters, set to a great soundtrack. I really enjoyed it.

Score: 88