So, last month I was walking by the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, and they had some stuff about a special screening of Freaky Tales and lots of posters and they were setting up a carpet for I dunno, celebrities or something? I asked about it and apparently it was only for royalty or press or whatever, not some plebeian passer by like me. Maybe someone reading this attended that event on March 19th, 2025 and could share more of what it was about? Meanwhile, I resolved to learn more about the movie.
It officially opened, yesterday April 4th and I started watching it at a Regal theater using my "unlimited" membership, but within not too long (despite starting 20 minutes after the 4:20 start time full of BS previews and ads), I kept on seeing the Grand Lake Theater, in the movie itself!
I resolved mentally that I was in the wrong place for this movie. So, I did something I haven't done before, I walked out of the movie, even though I was enjoying it: because I realized, the viewing experience would no doubt be vastly improved by watching it in the movie theater featured in the movie on opening night with a Friday night crowd.
I missed the connecting bus to catch a 17:00 showing by a few minutes.
No big deal.
I went and got a delicious vegan pizza at Bare Knuckle Pizza (on 12th at the corner of Webster) with their wonderful wood fired oven.
Still had plenty of time before the 19:30 showing and decided it was a good evening for a stroll through the rest of downtown Oakland to walk around Lake Merritt. About quarter to 7, I sat on a bench and enjoyed someone deejayin 1970s vintage funk. By quarter after 7 I decided to continue to Grand Lake Theater, and sure enough it was crowded a MUCH larger turn out than at the Indie Nights Film Festival from Tuesday.
$13 ticket, $6 regular popcorn, $5 regular drink, $2 tip (that's fair, right?) and got a great front row seat while enjoying the organist still playing merrily at 19:31.
He continued, until 19:38, then the lights began to dim and the curtains started to peel back from the screen.
Previews until 19:45 (thankfully no overt ads, just movie previews) and Freaky Tales began.
Sure enough, the crowd was lively. Cheering loudly when the Grand Lake Theater came on screen for the first time.
Laughing along at the jokes.
It's a very East Bay film.
The actor who portrayed the kid sellin Hip Hop mix tapes must have been in the audience or something because every time he came on screen a HUGE uproarious sound of cheering came from a specific spot in the crowd.
Lots of approving noises from the audience every time a skinhead nazi got gutted outside of Gilman Square for example.
The movie, I would say takes a lot of inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and is split into 4 interwoven vignettes.
It's comedic and violent, and seems to have a mix of tried and more established celebrities like Pedro Pascal and some quick cameos from Tom Hanks, but also gives a great amount of screen time to lesser knowns such as Ji-young Yoo portraying a cute Korean punk and Normani and Dominique Thorne as the duo "Danger Zone" who get into a rap battle with someone portraying East Bay emcee Too $hort (Too $hort as well as Sleepy Floyd have cameos in the film, even though different actors portrayed their 1987 counter parts).
The theater stayed crowded even after the credits with staff encouraging folks to leave to the lobby or outside since they had another screening in 15 minutes.
I missed the 12 by mere seconds, but while waiting for the next bus, I saw the organist exit the Grand Lake Theater too, overcoat on and pipe in his mouth, walking briskly down Grand Avenue, and as I boarded the bus and it passed by Lake Merritt, I could see a much larger Friday night crowd gathered around where I had previously been enjoyin listenin to some deejays at dusk before I entered the theater.
I don't think I have been part of a theater audience as enthusiastic as last night's since well before COVID.
No need for encouraging any applause like the MC at Indie Night Film Fest, the energy just emanated naturally from the crowd.
Admittedly, while I enjoyed the movie and am guessing others will too, I very much doubt they'll get that kind of viewing experience of an opening night at the Grand Lake Theater of a movie, which even had an ending credits dance number on the roof of the Grand Lake Theater?
But, if you are in Oakland, or within easy BART or bus distance, I think you'll find it is well worth the effort to see Freaky Tales there than at your regular run of the mill mega plex.
#movies #spoilers #FreakyTales #Oakland #SFBA #BayArea #EastBay #Comedy #GrandLakeTheater #Local
sgt1372
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Oakmarie
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