“Everything, Everywhere At Once”: What Film Is This That Has Been Making Waves?

After catching attention at the 80th Golden Globe Awards in January and standing out at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) this past Sunday (26), “Everything, Everywhere At Once” (“Tudo em Todo o Lado ao Mesmo Tempo” in Portuguese) is a strong contender for awards in several categories at the 95th Oscar Award, taking place on March 12. The film has accumulated 11 nominations for this edition of the biggest award in American cinema, including Best Picture.Confusing, yet interestingThe film’s plot revolves around a Chinese-American immigrant (played by Michelle Yeoh) who, while her family’s business is being audited by the American IRS, is informed that she must connect with versions of a parallel universe to prevent a powerful being from destroying the multiverse. The New York Times described the film as a “whirlwind of genre anarchy” with elements of surreal comedy, science fiction, fantasy, martial arts films, and animation.The film, written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as Daniels), has received near-universal acclaim for portraying philosophical concepts such as existentialism, nihilism, and absurdism, as well as other themes including generational trauma, ADHD, and Asian-American identity. It has also been praised for its originality, screenplay, direction, humor, emotional resonance, and the performances of several actors, including Yeoh, Hsu, Curtis, and Quan.The film’s accolades include: named one of the ten best films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute; Daryl F. Zanuck Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture Producer, two Golden Globes for Yeoh and Quan at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, among 6 nominations, including Best Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Director; five awards from a total of 14 nominations at the 28th Critics’ Choice Awards, including Best Picture; four awards from five nominations at the 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards; 10 nominations at the 76th British Academy Film Awards, including Best Picture; and 11 nominations at the 95th Oscars, including Best Picture, making it the most nominated film of the ceremony.