I watched Everything Everywhere All at Once and I loved it! 5/5
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) is a hilarious, heartwarming, and thought-provoking sci-fi action comedy film directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as “Daniels”. The film stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American laundromat owner who is struggling to keep her business afloat and her family together. When Evelyn is suddenly thrust into a multiverse adventure, she must learn to channel the powers of her alternate selves in order to save the world.
One of the most striking things about Everything Everywhere All at Once is its visuals. Daniels and cinematographer Larkin Seiple have created a world that is both beautiful and bizarre. The film is full of neon colors, swirling visuals, and creative editing. The multiverse itself is a feast for the eyes, with each universe having its own unique visual style.
For example, in the “raccoon chef” universe, the world is rendered in a black-and-white animation style. In the “hot dog fingers” universe, the characters have hot dogs for fingers. And in the “everything bagel” universe, the characters are able to fly and shoot lasers from their eyes.
The film’s visuals are also used to convey Evelyn’s emotional journey. For example, in the early scenes of the film, Evelyn’s world is visually drab and cluttered. This reflects her inner state of mind, as she is feeling overwhelmed and stressed. However, as Evelyn learns to embrace her multiverse selves, the world around her becomes more colorful and vibrant. This reflects her growing confidence and sense of self-acceptance.
Another standout aspect of Everything Everywhere All at Once is its humor. The film is full of absurd and hilarious moments, but it never feels mean-spirited. The humor is always in good taste and it comes from a place of love.
For example, in one scene, Evelyn is trying to learn how to channel the powers of her alternate selves. She does this by performing certain actions, such as eating an everything bagel or putting on a pair of sunglasses. The scene is full of over-the-top action and ridiculous humor.
In another scene, Evelyn is confronted by a group of Joy-verses, which are alternate versions of her daughter Joy. The Joy-verses are all different ages and they all have their own unique personalities. The scene is hilarious and heartwarming, as it shows the different ways that Evelyn could have turned out if she had made different choices in her life.
Despite its lighthearted tone, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a surprisingly thought-provoking film. The film explores themes of family, nihilism, and the meaning of life.
Evelyn’s journey through the multiverse is both physical and emotional. She learns to appreciate her family and the life she has, even though it is not perfect. She also learns that even though the universe is vast and meaningless, there is still beauty and hope to be found.
The film also explores the theme of nihilism. Evelyn at one point confronts a nihilistic version of herself who believes that everything is meaningless. However, Evelyn ultimately rejects nihilism and chooses to embrace the absurdity of life. She realizes that even though life may be meaningless, it is still worth living.
Michelle Yeoh gives a career-defining performance as Evelyn. She is able to bring humor, heart, and action to the role with ease. Yeoh captures Evelyn’s vulnerability, strength, and resilience perfectly.
The supporting cast is also excellent, with Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis all giving memorable performances. Hsu is particularly good as Joy, Evelyn’s daughter. She has great chemistry with Yeoh and she brings a lot of energy and humor to the role.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a masterpiece. It is a film that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It is a film that will stay with viewers long after the credits have rolled. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a well-made film.