You know there haven't been that many movies in recent memory that really got talked about quite like Everything Everywhere All at Once. There have been many a great movie to come out, lots that have been talked about, but those are mostly popular movies like the Marvel movies. If you know me you know that I do love me a good Marvel movie, however, nothing has garnered attention of the masses like this film.
What happens when the multi-verse opens? What do you think that you will be doing during that time? Do you think you will even know? Do you think that your life matters enough for anything in the world to even matter? What if it was you who was called to save the world from a darkness unlike any other? That is the question that Evelyn is faced with. One moment she is working very hard to keep her family laundry mat afloat, and the next she gathering abilities from other forms of herself to fight of a darkness that wants to consume the whole of creation. She must confront her own fears, and her own circumstances, in order to face the terrifying darkness that seems to be following her across all universes.
This movie is bonkers!
It's one of those movies that you watch questioning if this movie is even real. You sometimes think that you are having a fever dream and trying to make sense of what you are watching. However, in the end it doesn't matter how wild the ride is. All that matters is if the journey is worth it. I will say that this movie is well worth in insanity that sometimes happens on the screen.
You would think that I would have learned by now. How many times have I said that here? The moment that this movie came to the big screen, it was literally the only movie that anyone was talking about! Every influencer, every critic, and all the average movie goers instantly fell in love with this movie. The creative perspective, the immersive plot, and the sometimes insane places that we see in the movie really would have made the film going experience well worth the trip. I made the crucial mistake of not going to see this movie when it was in the theaters.
This movie is also one of those movies that fell into the unfortunate fate of having a trailer that doesn't explain anything. Most movies I feel like today are like that. The trailer comes out and there is supposed to be enough explosions, color, crazy, and laughter to get people to come. I want trailers to do their job and tell me what the general plot of the movie is. I don't want just the wild stuff that I could see, I want to know what the movie is about so that I can go and check it out. Why is this movie worth my time and money to go and see. Thankfully, the word of mouth was good enough for me to be excited to see the movie, even before it won Best Picture. That may also play into why didn't see it before if left the theater.
Why was the word of mouth so good for this film? Not only was the script superb, but the heart of the film is something that just about everyone can relate to. We are told in movies all of the time that we need to be kind to each other, to look out for each other, and consider others when we are living life. However, in the chaos that is this film, that message vibrantly stands out. Kindness does not equal weakness. The fighting back darkness with light is admirable and often overlooked. Kindness is far to often seen as a means to walk all over a person. The someone being nice means that they are easily manipulated. In reality, someone who is always kind, always there, always stepping out of their way to help people are usually some of the most strong people on the face of the planet. They take all of the ridicule, stress, and harsh words and still show all people love. That they don't let other people attitudes effect theirs. They often don't tell people of the stress and worry that they go through in their lives. Just because someone doesn't fight the same way as you do doesn't mean that they aren't fighting.
The cast in the film was also phenomenal! Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis star in the film, and make the whole thing look effortless. That fighting in the air with hotdogs fingers and just a normal everyday thing for them. It's no wonder that all three of them won Oscars for the performances in these roles. Ms. Curtis was able to show all all of her acting skills in this film. She has been in comedies, horror, and dramatic roles in her time in front of the camera. This film was an incredible way of showing all all of her abilities at once. She got to play feral, heartbroken, happy, and hopelessly in love. Ms. Yeoh was inspiring as she explored hopelessness, loneliness, bravery, and peace in the same film. I was most impressed with Mr. Quan's performance. Which I didn't think that would be case going in. I have seen far more movies with Ms. Yeoh and Ms. Curtis than I have with Mr. Quan. Yet, it was his performance that gave me goosebumps and just stare in awe at the screen. His role was two fold. He was the loving, supporting, and heartbroken husband who had to switch to brave, confident, and stern in the same breathe! I am still trying to figure out how he went from the verge of tears and then jump to fearless in a blink of an eye! His performance is truly something to behold!
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie that makes you believe in the movie experience again. It's a movie that when you are watching you know that you are seeing something rare and spectacular. That there has never been anything like this movie and there will be nothing like it again. People may try to capture the same magic but will ultimately fail in doing so. It's a film that you can't afford to miss. I am giving it 9.5 out of 10 stars, and the note that it does live up to all of hype is was given. It has taken it's rightful place as of of the Best Pictures ever made and will continue to be something inspiring for the rest of time.
