BY CHRISTOPHER STAMM
GUEST MOVIE REVIEWER
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once (Now showing in theatres)
Rated R – for language, violence, and adult themes
As everyone knows, a certain movie about wizards and whatnot came out this weekend. I chose not to review that one, because it’s the ninth in a franchise that you either watch or do not, and nothing I say will sway that choice.
So instead I will be highlighting a film that I hope I can convince you to see as soon as possible.
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once is one of those rare films that can reorient you to what truly matters and reminds you that we are not alone through this life and that we are loved … seriously.
At its essence, Everything, Everywhere, All At Once is a story about mothers and daughters and the fraught path they take in one another’s lives. It’s about opportunities, choices, and the paths not taken and their ultimate destination and outcomes. It’s about two rocks on a desolate planet. It’s about an everything bagel. It’s about googly eyes. It’s about kung–fu. It’s about feeling connected to others. It’s about living with the decisions we make every day, from the simple to the complex, from the large ones to the small ones. It really is about everything, everywhere, all at once.
Do not expect me to tell you the plot. My space within these pages is limited, and even if I had the entire edition, I could not describe what I saw in that dark theatre on Saturday night. Suffice to say, when the film ended, I was flabbergasted at what had just happened. I did not view that film – I experienced it, as did the others in the auditorium. When it ended, we literally looked at one another, strangers all, and smiled at one another, and felt connected.
As you know, many if not most of my reviews have some sarcasm in them – a lot or a little depending on how I felt about the film I was reviewing. I hope you have noted the absence of sarcasm in this one. The reason being is that Everything, Everywhere, All At Once deserves to be known going forward as a modern classic.
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once is funny, moving, exciting, smart, and just about perfect, and I, for one, am ready to head back into that dark cinema to experience it again.
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once gets five out of five stars. This one is nearly, if not truly, perfect and is hands down the best film of the year so far and frankly, in my opinion, will be the best film of the year come December 31, 2022. You should seek this one out and experience it as soon as you can.