Oscars 2015: "Wild Tales"

I waited half a year for "Wild Tales" to finally reach the US after it received spectacular reviews at Cannes and after i have heard so many journalists, who have seen the movie and who I have been with in junkets, raving madly about the Argentine film. All of them were one in saying that it was perhaps the best film this year.

And after watching a screening the other night, all i can say is, I agree.

All the buzz was warranted. All the great reviews were earned. All the superlatives heaped on the film were absolutely well deserved. "Wild Tales" is incredibly great and, if not for Richard Linklater's cinematic masterpiece "Boyhood", I would easily declare the film my favorite this year. But it is my second favorite now and i don't think its place in my ranking is in any danger of ever being dislodged.

The movie is an anthology of six short stories that share a common theme: Violence and Vengeance. If you are in the mood for some wicked time at the movies, this movie is perfect. But even if you want to just have a good fun at the movies, to be entertained without being dumbed down by poor writing, this is the perfect movie for you. It's the kind of film that successfully mixes high art with commercial filmmaking!

Written and directed by Argentine filmmaker Damián Szifrón and co-produced by the award-winning Agustín Almodóvar and Pedro Almodóvar, "Wild Tales" take the audience through a literal wild ride when men and women have finally succumbed to their desire for vengeance without regard of what the outcome might be. The satisfaction is in carrying out the plan notwithstanding the end results and that frees the movie from ever having to drag itself by tidying up each of the short stories weaved in this monumental film.

The formula is simple. Get angry, get back. The end. And you get six of these stories in one!

The film begins with a panicked passengers on an airplane who discovers that they were duped into flying on the plane by a common man whom they all committed some form of bad act at some point before. When they finally came to realize all these, it was already a minute too late. This happens even before the opening credits roll and if you don't find yourself howling and applauding something is wrong with you.

Five more stories will be introduced after the opening credits. The stories are independent of each other but each story contributes to make the entire movie an experience something movie buffs and ordinary moviegoers will collectively enjoy.

Each short story is presented as a provocation and I tremendously enjoyed what each one of them had to offer. My favorite though was the final story about a bride discovering on her wedding day, during the reception mind you, that her groom has been carrying on an affair with a woman co-worker who happened to be present at their wedding. This discovery sets off a wild roller-coaster chase of who gets to ruin who in front of their unknowing but shocked guests. This last piece confirmed for me what i have believed all along: That the depth of one's love for another is in equal measure to the depth of hate the same person can have for someone they purport to love. The final story ends differently from the previous five and it somehow offers a collective redemption for all of them.

"Wild Tales" is the official submission of Argentina to the Oscars. It could win!

Rating: 5 Stars

XXX
Raymond Lo