By Marc Peoples
I know what you’re thinking. Why is Harlem World Magazine reviewing a movie that was released almost a year ago?
Well, to answer your question: this is the first of three reviews for films that are most likely to win Best Picture at the Oscars this year on Sunday, March, 12th, 2023, at 5 pm PT, so look out for the other two that will be released in the coming weeks then you can guess which film you believe should take home the big grand prize.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is an absurdist comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (also known as the Daniels) and produced by Anthony and Joe Russo. (Directors of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame) The story follows Evelyn Wang (played by Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese-American immigrant who discovers she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent a powerful being from destroying the multiverse. Oh, and she’s also being audited by the IRS. The film also stars Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
This is an A24 film. If you’re familiar with the company then you know they have a good reputation for making movies that are strange, but always have original stories.
This one couldn’t be a better example. A.O. Scott of The New York Times calls it a “swirl of genre anarchy” that includes science fiction, martial arts, fantasy, and animation. So, on the first viewing, you might sit there and ask yourself: “What the hell am I watching?”
The performances from the cast are great. Michelle Yeoh, though I haven’t seen of her movies all her movies, probably gives us the best she’s ever done in her entire career. It doesn’t take long to get to know her character. Stephanie Hsu does a great job playing dual roles as Evelyn’s nihilistic daughter. But I must give the main shout-out to Ke Huy Quan who plays Evelyn’s goofy husband. Quan retired from acting after playing two iconic roles. (Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Data in the 1985 classic, The Goonies) This guy makes a comeback and gives the performance in his career as well. This will be another classic to add to his resume.
The movie is beautifully shot by cinematographer, Larkin Seiple, who also collaborated with the Daniels on another well-received film, Swiss Army Man. There are sequences that will make you ask yourself “how were they able to execute those shots and how did the editors put the scenes together so well?”
It brings curiosity to how films are made.
Related: Read more articles by writer Marc Peoples.
Everything Everywhere All At Once is a great film that has praised that’s well deserved. My only gripe is that it’s not easy to understand. The plot may feel convoluted for some and might take multiple viewings ultimately realizing what’s going on. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan already won Golden Globes for their performances and the film has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture. I highly recommend it. You can stream it on Showtime, Prime Video, Hulu, etc.
What movie do you recommend for the Oscars?
Marc Peoples
Marc Peoples is a writer, film, and game enthusiast with a full range of electronic or digital games experience, who lives on the west coast in Los Angeles, CA. He graduated with honors from the Los Angeles Film School (LAFS), where he studied film and screenwriting. www.linkedin.com, www.instagram.com
Photo Credit 1) imdb.com 2) indianexpress.com. 3) tvinsider.com
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