A woman trying to do her taxes is swept up in a multiversal adventure where she becomes the only one who can save all of reality from a great evil.
ACTION/SCI-FI
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Everything Everywhere
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It honestly wasn’t that long ago at all where A24 backed films made me a tad trepidatious. After exploding onto the scene with The Witch, it wouldn’t be long before their films started to feel the same. Usually something which more of a slow-burn with some horror moments sprinkled here and there all wrapped in a metaphor for something greater. Personally, I started to get burned out on this formula rather quickly. Plus, A24 is the biggest reason for the term “elevated horror” being the new replacement for thriller. You know, what snobbish non-horror fans love to call a genre film they like but won’t admit it. Still, with all that said, I always have respected what they have done for cinema in terms of getting more smaller-scale, original films out into theaters. Considering most theaters are dominated by a new addition to some big franchise, it’s refreshing to see a studio dedicated to being different. And hitting it out of the park like they have here.
After getting my mind blown with what the multiverse can give us thanks to the MCU, I wasn’t prepared for taking this concept to a smaller, yet somehow still big, scale. Yet, here we are with Everything Everywhere All At Once. A film which has truly blown my mind at what is not only achievable in a long running franchise, but film in general. Directed by the Daniels, they do such a great job of creating a film which deals with a multiverse plot, but also never forgets the heart of the story. This is a film which will have you cheering one second, laughing the net, and crying after. They’re not the only reason this works so well, though. Praise must be given for a across the board excellent cast. In particular, Ke Huy Quan (who came out of retirement) and James Hong (who still kills it in his early 90s) both absolutely crush it in their respective roles. The true standout, though, is our leading lady, Michelle Yeoh. Already a well-known actress who broke it big in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; she gives a career defining performance in a role which seems like she was born to play. A24 is now on their second win with me this year already. It seems like they are truly trying to break from their mold while retaining what has made them successful. With Everything, they have given moviegoers one of the most unique, creative, and heartfelt films of the year. |
2022 is the year of the multiverse, beginning with Spider-Man: No Way Home in December 2021 and continuing next month with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But first, it's time for this bizarre independent sci-fi adventure to shine. Everything Everywhere All At Once is one of the craziest, goofiest, and most ambitious films I've ever seen. In the same movie we have a reality-destroying bagel, a universe of hot dog finger people, and the long-awaited return of Short Round/Data himself, Ke Huy Quan, among other unforgettable movie moments. This is one that is painfully hard to explain to those who haven't seen it, so I can only say so much here without sounding like I'm in the midst of a stroke.
Michelle Yeoh proves yet again that she is one of the most talented character actors in Hollywood, yet she gets so few opportunities to lead a film herself. She plays Evelyn Wang, a woman with her priorities out of whack. Her husband Waymond (Quan) is a bit of a wimp, her daughter Joy (Hsu) is gay and Evelyn thinks it's a phase, and on top of everything, she's being audited. While at the IRS building talking to the vaguely irritated IRS agent Dierdre (Curtis), another version of her husband shows up and tells her he's from another dimension and Evelyn is the multi-dimensional savior who can save all of reality from the evil Jobu Tupaki. Now, Evelyn must tap into the skills of her other selves and become powerful enough to save everything. They do not skimp on action and comedy, or even horror. There's a bit of everything here. I especially appreciated the explanation of multiversal travel. It made a surprising amount of sense. Everything Everywhere All At Once is destined for a Criterion edition, a Mondo poster, and fan reverence. It's already being praised left and right by critics, but it's not making any money due to its limited release. This is the kind of film that silences those who say movies aren't creative anymore. It's a wild, sometimes incoherent, sometimes mesmerizing, sci-fi adventure that you will certainly never forget. |