Film discussion THURSDAY night: Wild Tales

The film is Wild Tales (Relatos Salajes for the Spanish-enabled among you) a black comedy from Argentina that tells six revenge stories. Wild Tales was nominated for an Academy Award in the Foreign Film category, but I can give it an even stronger recommendation.

Those of us who saw Wild Tales at last year’s Telluride by the Sea walked out either stunned or exhilarated, or both. Some of those who were more on the stunned end of the spectrum thought the film’s stories of fighting back and getting even went too far.

But those (including me) who grouped at the exhilarated end thought the movie had the kind of full-throttle, expectation-shattering energy we had experienced in Pulp Fiction and a handful of other films. Once the first story hit us head-on, we knew we were in for a bumpy ride. And we collectively joined in the film’s exploration of what might happen if we actually let our anger and resentment take over our lives for a while.

Wild Tales will make you laugh a lot, including some laughs of recognition that reach all the way down to your id. This is full-on, no-holds-barred filmmaking at a very high level. It will pin your ears back and play chicken with your inner resentments.

You’ll love it.

And I bet that you’ll also love the discussion that will follow, fuelled by the usual mix of free coffee, free popcorn, and the free exchange of opinions.

I hope to see you there, which will be at 7:00 in The Historic Theater.

And don’t forget to put the June 30 showing of Lambert & Stamp on your rock-‘n’-roll-loving calendar.

Paul Goodwin
TMHMG