These are fun. Off the cuff discussions on movies and streaming series, both new and old together will attempt to bridge the gap between Hollywood industry insider and the casual viewer. This is Alec and I'm Ben and you're listening to the Cinema A to B podcast. So today we will be talking about the 2022 movie, Everything Everywhere all at once. So, Ben, what were your thoughts? Well, I mean, I, I just recently screened this. I think it's important for me to say where I saw this.
I didn't go to the theater and watch this. I watch this at home. But I did watch it on on the projector. And it was just me late at night, late night screening. Wow. What a film. What a film. The writing is superb. This should win. I'm thinking, at minimum, 5 to 6 Academy Awards is what I'm thinking. I know it's nominated for something like 11, and it could. It could win more. But I went back through on the categories. I felt like it would absolutely crush, and it was close to half a dozen.
And it's worthy. It is worthy. We. So for me, the viewing was just our 65 inch TV. So nothing spectacular, nothing amazing. You know, the wife and I put ourselves in a good kind of turn the lights off, got everything prepped, put everything away and watched it and really had an enjoyable time. So like, obviously I watched a couple of weeks ago, you know, I'd heard all the already heard all the Oscar buzz and the, you know, Golden Globes and what they won there and all that stuff.
And so kind of winning with higher expectations of what this movie supposed to be. And I would say it's still delivered like I still really enjoyed it. Flawed in a couple of different areas, but I'm going to say definitely that like the acting was fantastic. Michelle Pfeiffer Obviously she did really, really well. I was really happy to see Jamie Lee Curtis in this role and kind of playing this kind of, you know, everyone got to play
kind of two sides of themselves or two different characters. And I, I just it made me really happy. And as an actor, I thought, like, this was a super fun project for probably all these people who were able to kind of play a character one way and then play a character second way and a third way or however. And then James Hong It's just it's always exciting to see him. And because every time I'm just waiting for him to say, indeed. And then, you know, go, Yes. So, yes, no, absolutely.
One of our one of my favorite movies. Yeah, a picture of a little China. Absolutely. He was in a wheelchair, too. So like, it was a perfect setup. Like it was. What I would say, though, is he is definitely he's in his eighties, but he still looks younger than he did under all the makeup. Yeah, in big trouble. So phenomenal cast. I have to think with this script that this was written with Michelle Yeoh in mind and no one else.
In fact, I caught a blurb that they wanted to have her character name be Michelle. Hmm. And she, I believe, pushed back. And so they they went a different direction. But what a what a role. What a performance. Yeah. Nobody else could play this, I don't think. Just with the way, way everything unfolds and the demand, the demands of the character, this is tailor made for her. Yeah. And I was really happy for her.
I, I adore the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and she really hadn't had a breakout role in over 20 years. As I said, that's what I loved also. I mean, yeah, it's an indie film, so they can are going to get A-listers. But you know, a lot of these actors are no name or haven't dining big for a while or maybe maybe not well as well-known as you know in the US cinema thing, but I mean James Hong, I mean yeah, he's been around but he's always been that guy. I haven't seen him super lately.
Jamie Lee Curtis kind of the same thing, you know she's not, you know, she's done a couple of things here and there, but nothing big, Nothing to put her on the spotlight. Are people talking about her again? And then K Laycon. He's just adorable. Like, I mean, he was still fantastic. Like, I mean, I you know, obviously what I knew going in, I was like this, you know, guy from Indiana Jones, you know, Goonies and stuff like that. And I didn't see him.
I saw him as that character, which was which was great. And there's a subtlety to his performance that you take for granted. Mm hmm. Because of the central plot that I'm going to try to not spoil with him having to jump in and out of very different personas. Mm hmm. And he does it so effortlessly that I really took for granted until the movie had marinated in my mind that how good the performance really was. So his nomination for best supporting Actor is is more than warranted.
At every point, everybody got a nomination. I doubt. I tend to think that Michelle's probably the one that will walk away with the Oscar for best actress. He did get get a Golden Globe for his performance remember correctly. Which is right and well deserved. I mean, he was super excited about it.
And just I mean, one of the things I really, you know, when he's jumping those personas that, you know, I really picked out is even his body movements, like how he was moving his arms, how he was gesture was vastly different from person to person. It was, you know, when he was in a different persona, was very, you know, particular and purposeful.
Whereas when he was kind of his original persona, it was just not a romantic is not the right word, But he just felt kind of out of place, you know, not always, you know, kind of nervous and, you know, always kind of just, you know, just articulating weirdly and not really I don't even know. I'm saying basically he did a great job of separating the two, you know, personas and both the physically as well as that. You know, how he's talking and what he was saying and those kind of things.
So that's great. And like, it was a fantastic job. I think he deserves the Oscar for it. So granted, I haven't seen everybody, but and this goes back to a earlier conversation we had regarding writing, where we mentioned that unfortunately bad writing can can be mistaken for bad acting. And in this case you have highest tier writing and good and good to great acting on top of it. And so you have something truly special because the script, the script is extraordinary.
Although I will admit I didn't really quite understand what I was watching. I didn't really appreciate what I was watching until about the 45 minute mark. And that's a really critical moment in the film. And I again, I'm going to try not to completely spoil it, but that is the first big gem. Yeah, Why? Michelle And once that occurred, I, I took a breath and said, I'm watching something really special. It was a good film up to that point, but with that was next level stuff.
The other thing I want to touch on briefly is I think this is a lock for best editing. MM Yeah, I didn't see it. I mean, I didn't see anything edited better than this. It's extraordinarily well cut and a very complex edit. Yeah, I mean, with all some of the jump cuts and the costume changes in like the same frame, like it looks so smooth. It looked I mean, it looked like it was happening as it's like and obviously that's what editing does.
But I mean it to have it kind of that purposeful and have it know that you're going to do these quick little jump cuts. It is difficult sometimes to line everything up perfectly. I mean, obviously the camera, usually you're going to have it stay in motion, but you have to get your actors all in the same places and all that kind of stuff and time it.
Right. Right. And I would be confident saying that this film has been storyboarded to death. Mm. And that everything was meticulously planned ahead of time. It reminds me a lot of the first matrix, like looking at the behind the scenes and seeing those storyboards where they had everything. Like, I mean, it's why the first matrix is amazing.
Everything else should just be thrown out because they're like, they took the time of like, okay, this camera's can be looking into this mirror, which is showing you this, you know, and going from here to there. And they had all those cool shots, which all the other ones kind of lost because they didn't take the time to storyboard them out.
But this one had that same kind of feeling of we're going to try something different, not new, but we're going to pull all kind of all these things that films are doing now, but they're doing separately. You want to put them all together, and I really like that. Yeah. Another thing I noticed, and I should say that great films for me are ones that I stew on and marinate for weeks, days, weeks, sometimes months later. And I have been doing that with this. I frankly can't stop thinking about it.
And one of the things, especially for fledgling filmmakers they should take note of this movie is it doesn't have that many locations, but they maximize them. And it kept the budget down. They made this for $25 million, which yeah, it looks like it was made for $90 million when I watch it visually, but there aren't that many locations. So they were able to maximize what they did with each within each location.
And frankly, there isn't anything extraordinary about the locations in the in the movie, but they're effective and they directly tie with the plot and the script and what's taking place. But this is a mini schooling of how to maximize your locations, keep your costs down, and you can still tell an extraordinary story. And I was super impressed by that. And I could not believe they made it for for that little.
The other one other thing that makes it looks like a $90 million movie is there's a ton of practical lighting effects that are in-camera that they're doing that weren't CGI or any sort of post-production effects. Most things take time to set up, but the results speak for themselves, and you do ultimately end up saving, saving money in it. You get a better looking film by doing it in-camera.
And this there, there's a whole plot point of fact that involves a lot of lighting effects, practical lighting effects, and man, is it impressive when they do it and they reusing. So yeah, really technically sophisticated movie that's sort of disguised as lower budget. I do say for me the the story itself kind of resonated you know not to get too spoiler, but it's like very focused on being okay with the choices that you've made in your life and those kind of things.
And I look back myself and I'm like, you know, I've always had that conversation with myself of like, what if I had moved out to L.A.? Would you moved out there like a whole year before Extra before the writers strike happened and the, you know, housing bubble burst and stuff like that, and the town shut down for nine months, ten months, whatever. It was like, what if I had that extra year?
Or what if I'd gotten there, you know, And when everything started to pick back up, up, you know what, I I've had a lot more success. What I've been able to, you know, get it in actually on camera agent as well as a voiceover agent, you know and would things be different. But kind of with this story, it's like, yeah, there's all those ifs and buts, but you got to kind of appreciate what you have with the decision that you've made.
Like, yeah, there's always those s and buts and those kind of things, but that's just it's just worthless. That's not you. Yes, Very emotionally deep film. Yeah. This is not this is not the classic popcorn tentpole movie. You're going to look at the world differently when you come out of this. Yes. I mean, but I also will say they don't hit you over the head with it. And I'm like, oh, it's it's not subtle. I wouldn't say like it's below the surface.
It's definitely out there, but it's not like banging you over the head of like this is you know, this is what we're trying to teach you kind of a thing. It's just in with the story. It just kind of lays there and you have to pick it up to kind of to really apply yourself. But but it was nice, like I so many popcorn flicks now and where you're just like, walk away. And I'm like, Wow, my life has not changed at all, or I'm not made to think about what's going on.
Whereas this one does have a little bit of a, you know, like, Hey, think about this, you know, apply to yourself kind of a deal. So yeah, it's a very challenging film, but it has universal appeal points to the fact that it has, what, three languages running? Mm hmm. Yeah, I didn't realize that until I looked at some of the notes that the subtitles I'm reading part of it's Cantonese. She's also speaking in Mandarin English, but you're not fluent in us.
When I. I really hate to break it to you, like, I'm. I'm not. I'm working on it. No, but it's. Yeah. And not to get to I don't think this will get too spoilery, but it does have something very, very much in common with The Big Lebowski, which is nihilists, dude. Mm hmm. Oh, yeah. So sorry. That scene. Yeah. Yeah, it really does. It's a it will make you question life and meaning and purpose and. Hmm. But again, I. I completely agree with you. It is not heavy handed in how it does it.
Yeah. And there's another film that sort of challenges how people view life that it was a far less accessible movie, which was The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. Mm hmm. And it shares some things with that movie. But I love Tree of Life. I'm not like, it's one of my it's in my top ten, but it is not for everyone and it's not a very accessible movie.
And this this really is and this this does a much better job of of entertaining the viewer with some delightful action sequences along with making you think hmm. And so if this takes home best picture, I would be perfectly fine with that. I think it would be warranted. But again, I can't make that judgment call because I've not seen everything nominated. But I can always say that I think something is is worthy of that title.
But obviously, you know that I don't hold the Academy Awards in high esteem, but that's another conversation. 1998 right everyone and one. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Shakespeare in Love. Really really not saving Private Ryan of the things that happened that execs can love. Yeah. Yeah. They thought it would be okay to give Spielberg best director and that everybody else would think it would be okay denying Private Ryan Best picture.
I've still not forgiven that 16 or 17 year old me it was is still bitter inside. Yeah. Oh no. It comes through and definitely comes through. Yeah, I think so. I think the problem is, is that I mean, you and I both have had we've had this conversation before. Obviously, the academy doesn't always get it right. Very rarely do they get it right.
The only time I can really say without was certain I truly agree with what they did was when Daniel Day-Lewis won for There Will Be Blood, But then no Country won. Best Picture like because Daniel Day-Lewis was fantastic. But out of the two, There Will Be Blood. Good movie. But No Country just was so much better. But I mean, I wouldn't have given best actor to to any you know how by then was fantastic but I still think Lewis and he won and if I'm not mistaken, he did win Best supporting, right?
Bardem. Bardem I think so. Best supporting. Was it? You know, I could take a look knowing that's still a heavy debate between those films. On whether no country really deserved best picture over There Will Be Blood. That's that's still pretty heated. Yeah he did win. You preferred which one? Oh, I preferred no country. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I had no problem with that. But there will be blood. Has. I've seen it once or twice more and it did not get worse on a repeat viewing.
It was, it was still impressive, but I think for my tastes I'd much rather sit down and watch No Country for Old Men again. Then. Then there will be blood. Some of that's due to the runtime, but the the picture itself, I just prefer as a as a film and you know it's deal and they're both kind of dealing with this evil, you know not really good, you know, scenarios and something that's not the same exact kind of qualities.
But you know, they're very similar nature of kind of what they're talking about. If I remember correctly, it's been a while since I've seen them both, but I just remember kind of like everything everywhere all at once.
It's definitely, I think, the more watchable movie by by the majority of the populace where there will be blood felt a little bit slower, a lot more character driven, whereas no country has some action and, you know, you know other parts to it that kind of brought more people along with it. And I think right, there will be blood. Now, I just think everything everywhere all at once really checks a lot of boxes now on on what the expanded academy is is probably looking for to award best picture.
And I frankly would be very disappointed if Dan Kwan and Daniel Shiner if they didn't win best director, best screenplay or or. Yeah. And it's a yeah, it's also up for best original screenplay. So I could see maybe they lose out on one of those, but I would tend to lean towards the academy giving them best director if they're going to award this also with best picture. And I do think it's I do think it's worthy of both. You know, it has a international cast.
They've they've taken $25 million and created something really special. And I haven't watched it a second time yet, but I will I really want to I want to to sit down and watch this with me. I think she would appreciate it.
The other thing I would say is when I again, these are reviews, but when I look back at films that I really enjoyed, they typically will have at least one sort of defining moment where I get kind of lost in the process of watching it, where usually the dialog falls to the back, the score rises and the visuals just take over and this did it differently where the the dialog was in those scenes, it was kind of unique, but there were two or three moments of everything
falling into the background and I was sucked in. It has two or three of those moments, which is exceedingly rare. Mm hmm. And so is this in my top ten? Probably not, But it's. It's fantastic. I, I enjoyed myself. It made me laugh. It made me cry. There was a there is a moment. There is a moment that made me very, very emotional. Yeah. It's a it's a monologue that that Jay has near the end with, with Michelle.
And the dialog was you wouldn't think it was a piece of dialog that would become iconic, but I think it has for folks that have watched this, this movie and so it's a very tough thing to do that for, for me anyway as a viewer, to get pulled in like that and emote, you know, have and not feel like I'm being manipulated. And I would definitely say this is a, you know, not a must watch maybe, but definitely go watch it like it's if you haven't seen it yet, I would recommend seeing it.
But you're going to have to sit down, clear out the distractions, turn the lights down low and give it your undivided attention. Yeah, if you don't like subtitles, Yeah, skip it. That would be the. That would be the hindrance, for sure. Yeah, completely agree. So. All right. Thanks for joining us.