Wild Tales

Once I visited a psychiatrist and anxiously asked him if I was okay, as I am constantly faced with increasingly intense cravings to strangle my children. He assured me that it is a part of almost every parent's fate and that he also experiences it. He said alcohol helps him, and when he doesn't know what to do next, instead of using cutting, stabbing, or shooting weapons, it is better to take out a little ball and squeeze it in the palms until completely calm. Unfortunately, the heroes of Argentine film stories do not use a ball and give full expression to their emotions seasoned with typical South American temperament. I consider this black comedy, which looks at society's flaws and human weaknesses with sarcastic detachment, to be the most pleasant film surprise of 2014. I somehow identified with the humor of Wild Tales and especially envy the protagonist of the first story for his uncompromising efforts because only a few of us have the ability to bring things to a perfect end. Out of the 6 stories, I consider 5 of them to be highly outstanding, while one somewhat does not fit into the overall poetic and comedic style and either the screenwriter should have added a bit more exaggeration and comedic tone, or he should have left it out completely. But that doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed this film about the corruption of the system, albeit differently from the others. Overall impression: 90%. (02/12/2014)

Probably the best movie entertainment of the year so far. Six stories packed black humour (and surprisingly brutal at times) with the common theme of the exasperation and the rage of ordinary people in ordinary situations that lead to situations that are not at all ordinary. The stories are uniform in terms of quality – of course, there are some that I liked less than others (the best for me were, redneck, the bomber engineer and the ruined wedding), but I wouldn’t say any of them is a significant drop in quality. If I had to complain about anything, is that some of the twists and turns were predictable a bit earlier than they should. A point less for that, but highly recommended nonetheless. (25/09/2014)

Argentine bachelor's stories with a bloody coat of paint, sometimes insanely convulsive (the introductory Pasternak barely holds up as a TV sketch, even if the authors of Pečený sněhulák would tear off Szifron's hands), attacks on social criticism killed in shallow morals (jBombito and a story with a wreck), all character limits, structurally and ideologically defensible by the fact that they are "stories" and similar reductivity pertains to them. There is nothing to object to - I just claim that this is an unbalanced film, more for fun than really entertaining and it is explicitly shallow in its more ambitious moments. Only the final wedding is really "wild", but even then one’s smile is replaced by a slightly raised eyebrow. Purely filmed, audience-friendly, but otherwise absolutely amounting to consumer goods. It can be justified by the fact that the (un) ordinary absurdity of existence coincides with the films of Roy Andersson, but Szifron's film does not even come close to its penetration and vision. [60%] (10/09/2014)

Wild Tales has become the number one must-see film of the year. It’s been promoted everywhere. The truth is that it doesn't actually hurt. It's a series of stories that handle anecdotal situations in which the main characters have lost their nerve. The point is thus clear - everyone would like to experience revenge on their former teacher, transport company, or cheating husband. Straightforwardness is valued as genius nowadays. (01/11/2014)

The stories “Audi vs. redneck” and “a betrayed pregnant girl” are masterpieces – the former thanks to its atmosphere and filmmaking imaginativeness, the latter thanks to its dialogue and brutal escalation of an already hellish situation. The opening pre-credit scene is also great, with an unforgettable transition to the title of the film. The other stories were decent, though the last one could’ve been shorter, as it sometimes gets too long-winded and self-obsessed. As a whole, the movie is inconsistent both in its feel and formal aspects, but always fun enough. Finally, someone aptly filmed our daily social anxieties and disagreements with the system. (23/07/2014)