by Eurocheese
If you haven’t already experienced the cinematic joy of seeing Everything Everywhere All at Once with an audience yet, you’re missing out. This creative powerhouse is adding back IMAX theaters this week and may become A24’s biggest box office hit to date. Anyone who believes Hollywood doesn’t bring original content to our screens anymore owes it to themselves to see this as soon as possible. Just in case you weren’t convinced by the critical raves and audience support, here are a few reasons this film needs to be seen on the big screen.
Daniels’ (writer/director duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) latest film is a visual feast, incredibly made for just $25 million and by a tiny vfx team. As it pairs elements of action with comedy and family drama, the action sequences dazzle with varying tones, ranging from images you might see in a Scott Pilgrim vs. the World battle to scenes that the cast of Jackass would applaud...
The film swings for the fences in ways that are completely unpredictable, with editing that keeps the film moving at a thrilling pace. Here’s a little advice for first time viewers: Don’t waste time trying to figure out where the story is heading. Enjoy the twists, turns and eye candy as they come.
As the directors have pointed out in interviews, once they finished the script, they realized the only person who could pull off the lead role was Michelle Yeoh. Years ago, when the respected action star brought home the poignant love story in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon without receiving an Oscar nomination, fans hoped she would find the right vehicle to win her universal acclaim while showcasing her unique talents. As Everything Everywhere All at Once builds its word of mouth, we hope that the iconic actress will finally receive long overdue recognition for a lead role that celebrates her versatility. Her character Evelyn can be a prickly protagonist at times, but the film uses this to its advantage, allowing for emotional payoffs as she develops. Her talent for choreographed action, heartbreaking pathos and surprising humor is all here; cinephiles will be talking about this genre-bending performance for years.
Speaking of emotional payoffs, 80s child star Ke Huy Quan’s (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Goonies) triumphant return to our screens is a marvel. Waymond was clearly a difficult character to emotionally map from moment to moment, but without this character, the film’s core message wouldn’t have landed with the same heft. Both Quan and Yeoh take the audience on a journey where a life and death clash may be followed by a quiet, heartfelt conversation, and they land every emotional note.
The entire cast is doing fantastic work. Stephanie Hsu’s commanding screen presence announces her as a major new screen talent; Jamie Lee Curtis steals scenes with a character unlike anything we’ve ever seen from her; and a few cameos, offering fun surprises, all add to the viewing experience. The dynamic storyline stretches the actors to show us talents we’ve never seen from them before. Everyone seems game for anything, which opens audiences up to be game for everything thrown at them.
Perhaps the best reason to see this in theaters: It’s a wild, delightful ride, and if you haven’t been to the theaters since the pandemic ended, this is the perfect opportunity to go. After spending the last two years concerned about the future of cinema, this film reminds us why we love sitting in a dark theater and hearing sounds of confusion, laughter and tears around us. This is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had in a theater, and I’m so pleased audiences have shown up to support this brand of filmmaking.