"Wild Tales" (2014 release from Argentina; 122 min.) is a collection of 6 seemingly unrelated tales which all bear the same theme: revenge. The opening (pre-movie credits) tale is a classic: a woman strikes up a conversation with another airplane passenger and they find out that by complete coincidence (or not?) they are both acquainted with the same person. Then it emerges that several other passengers also know that person... No worries, I'm not going to spoil anything. This first (and short) story sets the mood for the movie perfectly, as we get five more vignettes that are all one better than the other. I can't decide which is my favorite, to be honest.
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from Argentine writer-director Damian Szifron, and what a beauty he delivers with this movie. When I say "beauty", I certainly don't mean it in a sugary way, as in fact Szifron's film can be seen as a brutal assessment of the human condition. Check out the tale of the driver who gets tangled up with a 'left lane bandit' only then to suffer a flat tire and suffer the consequences... Or, even worse (should I say better?), check out the tale of the frustrated guy whose car gets towed without reason (according to the guy, of course), and wants to file a complaint... (this story reminded me of that Michael Douglas film "Falling Down"). The movie is also a blistering indictment of Argentina's judicial system (check out the story where a well-off family's son kills a pregnant woman in a hit-and-run). The very last story (about a wedding reception that goes horribly wrong) is also the longest (close to 30 min.), and capsules the movie's spirit perfectly. It is no wonder that "Wild Tales" was a nominee for Best Foreign Language Movies at this year's Oscars. I've now seen 4 of the 5 nominated films and honestly they are all worthy in their own right, and then some.
"Wild Tales" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I couldn't wait to see it. The early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not super, which is a shame. I had high expectations for "Wild Tales" and they were met, and then some. If you are in the mood for a top-notch foreign movie that is MILES away from your standard Hollywood fare, you cannot go wrong with this. "Wild Tales" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from Argentine writer-director Damian Szifron, and what a beauty he delivers with this movie. When I say "beauty", I certainly don't mean it in a sugary way, as in fact Szifron's film can be seen as a brutal assessment of the human condition. Check out the tale of the driver who gets tangled up with a 'left lane bandit' only then to suffer a flat tire and suffer the consequences... Or, even worse (should I say better?), check out the tale of the frustrated guy whose car gets towed without reason (according to the guy, of course), and wants to file a complaint... (this story reminded me of that Michael Douglas film "Falling Down"). The movie is also a blistering indictment of Argentina's judicial system (check out the story where a well-off family's son kills a pregnant woman in a hit-and-run). The very last story (about a wedding reception that goes horribly wrong) is also the longest (close to 30 min.), and capsules the movie's spirit perfectly. It is no wonder that "Wild Tales" was a nominee for Best Foreign Language Movies at this year's Oscars. I've now seen 4 of the 5 nominated films and honestly they are all worthy in their own right, and then some.
"Wild Tales" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I couldn't wait to see it. The early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not super, which is a shame. I had high expectations for "Wild Tales" and they were met, and then some. If you are in the mood for a top-notch foreign movie that is MILES away from your standard Hollywood fare, you cannot go wrong with this. "Wild Tales" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!