Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24, 2022 science-fiction action dramedy)

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Brendan K, Apr 7, 2022.

  1. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    I thought the movie was nonsensical but original and that’s good. The acting was first rate and Quan deserved that Oscar win.
     
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  2. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    I think well directed satirical comedy was Martin Scorsese’s “after hours.” Now that was as weird as it got yeah characters like Terry Hatcher’s also had some real soulful acting. Short round was good
     
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  3. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Watched it last night. A mess. 15 minutes or so in total was intriguing but ..oh another fight scene...and another...

    The future of cinema? I'd invest elsewhere.
     
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  4. Nodrog96

    Nodrog96 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NE Scotland
    Loved the sausage fingers (up to a point and as for the butt plugs.. :yikes:). However, well done to Jamie Lee Curtis! It's been a long journey from Halloween, The Fog, Terror Train, Prom Night, Road Games etc.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2023
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  5. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    It has moments that might make some squeamish - as mentioned above, the inclusion of buttplugs as a plot device, for instance.

    But it's not a comedy, really, much less a gross-out comedy.
     
  6. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Yes, it was nice to see someone whose career revolved largely around "genre films" get recognition.

    Though I guess "EEAAO" is a "genre film" too - it's just whacked out and it comes with more pretensions than usual.
     
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  7. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    So....late to the dance as usual. I bought it and downloaded it and watched it on the Monday after the Oscars. I recall that my first reaction was 'What the hell?'. Followed by thinking that I should just shut up and go along for the ride. I'm not sure that I understood it. I don't watch the Oscars anymore but I was glad that they seem to be open to acknowledging 'out there' films like this.

    THEN....I watched it for a second time last night and actually 'got' a lot of it. I understood it more. Sort of a 'oh DUH' thing. I enjoyed it more the second time. I caught a few more things and understood the technique for 'verse jumping'. I didn't quite catch that on the first viewing. I was more into watching the visuals and I thought that they were being bizarre fore the sake of being bizarre. Duh.

    THEN....I went to the A24 web site and into the shop and bought two things. Also bought the soundtrack. Damn it. It was in my head. I can definitely see repeated viewings coming up. I'm not sure that I'll be able to see an Everything Bagel in quite the same way ever again but so be it. :)

    On a side note: I also bought, downloaded and watched 'The Banshees of Inisherin' at the same time that I bought 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'. I had wanted to see that in the theaters but it didn't play anywhere that didn't involve a longer car ride than I wanted to make to watch a film. I watched it right after my first viewing of 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'. I recall that my first reaction was 'What the hell with the fingers?' Followed by thinking that I should just shut up and go along for the ride. I'm not sure that I understood it. I don't watch the Oscars anymore but I was glad that they seem to be open to acknowledging 'out there' films like this. :) I haven't watched it for a second time yet. But I love Mrs. McCormick and the scene between Dominic and Siobhan at the lake really touched me. Of course there was Jenny.

    See where this is going? One film got in my head. The other got in my heart. Both great. Blu-Rays on both on the way.

    But to stay on topic...I can see 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' being the type of film that I want to 'explore'. I'm glad that 'artsy' films like this are getting more than passing recognition.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2023
  8. finslaw

    finslaw muzak to my ears

    Location:
    Indiana
    There was a point in the movie where I felt there was too many action scenes, so for those who turned it off early, just stick with it. By the end it won me over and the previous excessive action made sense. Now I can't even watch the cast talking or the many many audience reaction youtube videos without getting hit in the feels. Everyone goes on and on about
    "laundry and taxes"
    but for me the best part was Waymond's plea for kindness and as an effective visual
    "the rock falling down the cliff towards the other rock."
    It felt similar to Robin Williams character in What Dreams May Come promising to stay with his wife in her self-made hell.

    All this said, the movie did seem to go on too long. The editing is fantastic in scenes but there are points in hindsight I would have trimmed. But hey, it was only the (now Oscar winning) editor's 2nd movie!!!!!!!!!!
     
  9. finslaw

    finslaw muzak to my ears

    Location:
    Indiana
    As for the acting wins, show me another nominee that played so many contrasting parts in the same movie AND did drama, romance, comedy, action and in Jamie's case something resembling horror. They deserved it. Stephanie vs. Jamie is a toughie, but Jamie did have some of my favorite moments and in a pint sized way stole scenes whereas Stephanie was slightly hampered by some scenes that I felt went on too long. Judging a supporting character by the amount of time they had seems backwards, if they can support and kick butt in minimal scenes then that is more impressive.
     
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  10. sixtiesstereo

    sixtiesstereo Senior Member

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I've watched the film many times now, and it made complete sense to me by the second viewing. Now
    I watch just to appreciate the performances by the entire cast, and of course especially Michelle Yeoh.
    A simply stunning performance.
    You are correct about the youtube "first viewing" videos. It's fascinating seeing all of them reacting to the film,
    especially the girl and guy ones, where they laugh at the funny parts, and then cry (sometimes sobbing) over the
    ending of the film. I wind up joining them by tearing up as they show those terrific scenes.
     
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  11. finslaw

    finslaw muzak to my ears

    Location:
    Indiana
    Nice post, but I sort of want to challenge the "artsy" recognition. The Oscars often love "artsy" films like The Artist and Birdman. What I love about EEAAO getting the win is not that it is "artsy" but that it is also a genre film. Kung fu got some recognition before with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but that was because it was more of an "artsy" drama. However, EEAAO is kung fu, sci-fi and comedy. That mixture is as big a no no to Best Picture as Horror, and no, Silence of the Lambs barely counts. I love all the acting wins because these are genre actors, not people who were trained on a bunch of plays and studied "the craft." Nope, these were people who jumped into popcorn films and learned as they went.

    I'm hoping this movie winning opens the way for cross-genre films that are NOT mainly dramas. My life is mostly a drama, I don't go to the theater to watch a variation of my life, no, I want something to escape into. IMO Drama is one of the worst genres if followed to the letter, because usually the point is hitting the nail on the head. Genre films are able to carry sub-text in a much less obvious fashion. Horror in particular does this without really needing to discuss it. Is it any wonder that ghost girls getting revenge took hold in a country where there was a long past of girls being mistreated or even murdered at birth because of their gender? No, Ringu and Ju-On don't need to discuss it, because the point is there no matter what.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2023
  12. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Your point is well taken and I agree.
     
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  13. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Thing is, had this film come out 4 years ago...would it have even got a mention?
     
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  14. sixtiesstereo

    sixtiesstereo Senior Member

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    This blooper reel was posted yesterday, and it's hilarious. They obviously had a blast
    during filming, and seeing the entire cast cracking up, etc. is priceless. And seeing Ke
    using the F word, and Michelle's response to it is terrific.
     
  15. finslaw

    finslaw muzak to my ears

    Location:
    Indiana
    Great stuff. I'm assuming there is commentary on the bluray which I intend to seek out, which is odd for me to want in a modern film. Usually modern commentaries are just "he's great, she's great" lip service but this shoot is one where I can believe they care about each other and the project. How unreal that they managed to have a good time and goof off in a 38 day shoot.

    Apparently Michelle cussed at an awards ceremony (maybe a speech) and she later claimed she doesn't cuss and it was Jamie's influence.
     
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  16. sixtiesstereo

    sixtiesstereo Senior Member

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Yes, that was at the SAG Awards, it was unusual for her, but I think it was a call out to
    Jamie Lee Curtis. (It's about half way through her speech).
     
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  17. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    There's so much to the film, that I don't think anybody can get all of it the first time. Yeah, it's probably ADD/ADHD, but it really rewards multiple viewings. I don't think the successful "Wong Kar Wai" Waymond's speech really hit me until the third viewing.

    I don't know if some folks are really comfortable with massive changes in tone in a film, going from comedy to action to drama in the space of a couple of minutes.
     
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  18. sixtiesstereo

    sixtiesstereo Senior Member

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Yes, I'm starting to get bored with those that say "I didn't like it because it doesn't make sense". Watch it several
    times and it makes complete sense. Reminds me back in 1968 with all of those who said the ending of "2001"
    made no sense. Of course it made sense, but most movie goers want to be spoon fed easy to understand film.
    But good/great science fiction is NEVER like that.
    At any rate, the performances by the four main actors (plus James Hong) is what makes the film one of the best in recent film history.
    And I'm glad that Michelle Yeoh is now recognized as one of the greatest actress' in recent memory.
     
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  19. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I didn't. My first viewing was more on the lines of, 'What the hell is this?. I just sat there and went along for the ride. But as mentioned above, it got into my head. On the second viewing I 'got' a lot more of it and understood a lot more of it. I'm sure that successive viewings.....and there will be successive viewings...will reveal a LOT more. It's just one of those films that seems to reveal more of itself the more time that you invest in it.

    Yeah....it got into my head. Downloaded.....blu-ray coming....soundtrack downloaded.... pin and book from the shop...joined AAA24 for the year. :)

    It's living rent free in my head.
     
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  20. poppys

    poppys Senior Member

    Location:
    New Orleans LA
  21. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Indeed it is!

    I'm praying that Criterion gets to do an edition.
     
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  22. JohnG

    JohnG PROG now in Dolby ATMOS!

    Location:
    Long Island NY
    My favorite part is still the two rocks talking to each other.
     
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  23. Juan Matus

    Juan Matus Reformed Audiophile

    I really liked it and my hats off to them for the originality and creativity. I think if you strip away all the silly comedy, martial arts action, bizarre multiverse weirdness what you are left with is basically a very touching story of generational trauma between a mother and daughter and their attempts to communicate and reconcile it before something really bad happens. The filmmakers could have told the story without all of that stuff but I wonder if it would have gathered the same level of interest.
     
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  24. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I loved the rocks the first time that I saw them! You can get one for yourself....and some hot dog finger gloves and other stuff here. The uh....trophy candle....is sold out at the moment but it looks like the company that makes them has them in stock.

    They also auctioned off some of the props from the film and most went for the price of someone's yearly salary or more.

     
  25. I watched it last night. Yes, its a confusing first-watch, but the performances, ambition -the risk-taking and heart of the story are all exemplary. I'll probably watch it again to see if a bit more sinks in. A movie that tries something quite different deserves some kudos for that fact alone -everything else is gravy.
     
    RayS, pdxway, Juan Matus and 2 others like this.

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