Movie Review: Freaky Tales Brings Oakland to the Big Screen

Freaky Tales is coming soon to theaters near you! Credit to IMDb.

Los Angeles, California (March 21, 2025)-(RYM)- It was a star-studded night in Oakland as the cast of Freaky Tales took to the red carpet for the film’s premiere. The energy inside the theater was electric—Bay Area pride was on full display as fans, artists, and local legends came together to celebrate a movie that truly belongs to the Town. Produced by West Coast rap pioneer Too Short and named after his iconic song, Freaky Tales delivers a high-energy, blood-soaked, and hilarious tribute to late '80s Oakland.

If Pulp Fiction met Kill Bill in the heart of the Bay, this would be the result. The film weaves together four gripping, over-the-top stories that eventually collide in an explosive finale. From high-stakes basketball mindfulness seminars to ruthless hitmen trying to retire, Freaky Tales never lets up. It’s bold, stylish, and completely unafraid to lean into its insanity.

One of the film’s standout performances comes from Jay Ellis as Sleepy Floyd, a basketball star who has achieved near-spiritual levels of focus through his “Psytopics” seminar. His journey is as bizarre as it is entertaining, and Ellis commands the screen—especially when wielding a katana in some of the film’s most intense action sequences. But if anyone steals the show, it’s Pedro Pascal. Playing a hitman looking for a way out, Pascal delivers charm, menace, and dry humor all in one, proving once again why he’s one of Hollywood’s most captivating stars.

The film also nails its casting choices, a prime example being rapper Symba—a Bay Area native—who plays Too Short himself. His performance is so spot-on that it feels like Too Short stepped into a time machine to play his younger self. The rest of the ensemble delivers as well, bringing the streets, sounds, and swagger of 1980s Oakland to life with undeniable authenticity.

For those who know and love Oakland, Freaky Tales is a gift. It showcases the city’s best spots, the local culture, and the wild, untamed energy that defined the era. Between the laughs, the over-the-top kill scenes, and the triumphant battle cry of “killing Nazi scum,” the film finds a way to balance action, comedy, and pure Bay Area nostalgia.

Whether you’re from the Town, the Bay, or just a fan of wild, genre-blending cinema, Freaky Tales is a ride worth taking.