Totally mind blown. An absolute masterpiece that hasn’t been produced for years.
For those who haven’t been able to watch this, it’s now included in Amazon Prime for free!! I really want to review this movie WITHOUT SPOILER but its just too good that I can’t resist. So spoiler alert!
I haven’t enjoyed a movie as much as I did for this show for a long long time now. The last time I was truly moved was probably 10 years ago watching Millennium Actress. (if you haven’t, you should). The animation was brilliant, with storyline focusing on multiple themes at once but also allowing yourself to be immersed in the protagonist’s life experience.
Everything Everywhere all at once (let’s call it E2A2) gave me the same vibe. It touches many different important and relevant themes in life which we can relate to.
Once of the main theme that was also touched by Turning Red recently released by Disney was on Asian parenting. (specifically Chinese). One of the quote that really stuck with me was how the father has placed all expectations on the grand daughter because her daughter was everything he’s disappointed in life. (Just incase you’re wondering, no, my parents aren’t like that: phew. BUT I have first hand seen it up close in other asians around me). And you really cannot deny this in many parents / grandparents.
I love that there isn’t a true villain in this show, but that seems to be in fashion these days: shedding light of empathy on villains of many, for example scarlet witch and joker. Nobody chooses to be evil just because. There’s always an underlying reason, there’s always a source if not multiple factors.
If you’ve sometimes wondered ‘what if I never marry this person’ or ‘what if I never left that person’, look no further. This movie is going to help you explore all your questions in 2 hours.
The answer is:
Because it doesn’t matter. Because nothing matter. And that’s the point, it doesn’t matter if you did marry this person or you did not. At the end of the day we are all tint particles in the universe. So small, tiny and stupid: yet we think of every actions in our life as such incredible significance.
But the best part of all is the paradox behind it. Everything we do has such little significance in this universe and yet, little tiny thing we do changed the course of our lives dramatically.
And if you’re wondering what I’m blabbering about, and how it’s nonsensical, then you’re not wrong. The entire movie was nonsense. So nonsense that people actually have sausage for fingers (unless you truly have sausage finger, it is a medical condition and please take some NSAID and call your gp). YET THE MOVIE MADE SO MUCH SENSE.
Fuck formality. Fuck being serious. Because this is life. We are a living paradox. We contradict ourself everyday. We are yin but also yang. And this movie is exactly it. Carrying deep seated important life lesson and themes in the most ridiculous way possible. The director conveyed such strong messages in such a light manner, full of laughter.
I just can’t get enough of this movie. I also love that it touches mental health in the best possible way. That it’s OK to be sad, and it’s not our fault. That yes, we all die one day: what’s the point of living right? But kindness, we live for kindness and to be kind to others. Love is essentially the only thread we live on for. Without love and kindness, nothing matters in this world. Everything is just an emptiness. But that’s exactly it! Sometimes people go to a ‘dark place’, that they struggle to even love themselves. They feel like they don’t belong anywhere. What saves them? An olive branch from someone they love. But for that to happen we need to let go of all expectations, all ridiculous formality. How can we love, when we have so many nonsensical barrier between us????
If you’d like to watch something light hearted, go for this movie.
If you’d want to watch something meaningful and worthwhile, go for this movie.
The best thing about this movie is that I truly believe its suited for many different viewers. Those looking for a laugh, those looking for something serious. Those who just wants to laugh at a dildo: why not?
And I really got to give it to the stylist and designer of the show. Stephanie Hsu’s outfit were extreme yet unbelievably gorgeous. Unique, manifique, truly work of art! Of course Michelle Yeoh’s acting and stunts are remarkable as always. But casting Jonathan Ke is truly the right thing to do. Initially his high pitched voice really turned me off, but throughout the movie he really grows on you. His acting is unbelievable. How he could transform from an annoying beta male, to an attractive and ovary exploding gentleman is as unbelievable as the movie.
All in all, I truly appreciate this movie and it has definitely made me reflect on its main theme for my life.