Television - The Oscar-winning film 'Everything, Everywhere, All at Once' is on TV
People who have seen "Everything Everywhere All at Once" know: It's hard to explain what this film is about, a movie that received seven awards at the Oscars 2023, including for best picture. For the first time on free TV, it will be shown on Friday at 22.20 in ARD.
But why is it so hard to explain what the film is about? The film bombards its audience with countless twists, turns, and visual references. Defining a genre for it is almost impossible - as the film is an anarchic mix of Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Slapstick-Comedy and Family-Drama.
The 2022 blockbuster tells the story of Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese immigrant in the USA who runs a laundry and is overwhelmed by her daily life. After an error in her tax declaration, her laundry is inspected by the tax office.
During a visit to the tax office, where the unpleasant tax inspector Deirdre (Jamie Lee Curtis) wants to check her papers, Evelyn's husband (Ke Huy Quan) suddenly transforms into an alternate version of himself from another universe. "Alpha Waymond" explains to Evelyn that there are multiple parallel universes with different versions of themselves. The collective of all parallel universes - the multiverse - is threatened by a malevolent force, and only Evelyn can prevent it.
A journey through different universes
The tax office transforms into a wild martial arts battlefield. Evelyn travels through different universes and tries to access the abilities of all her alternate selves to fight the evil. She realizes that her alternate versions live much more exciting lives than she does and starts to question whether she has made wrong decisions in her own life.
The audience finds themselves in worlds where people have hotdogs for fingers or where there are no people anymore, but stones. To such absurd gags, the directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert add references to all possible films from the past. At times, you lose track in this chaos. But one thing is certain: Nothing like this has ever been seen in the cinema before.
Despite all the quirks, the film also has a sociological and emotional core. There's a touching family story, and a theme that tells us a lot about our present. We live in a world where other possibilities and decisions are constantly presented to us. Where we have to make decisions, which can be overwhelming at times. The question of whether we are leading the best life for ourselves is seldom played out funnier than in this film.
- Many people are eagerly anticipating watching "Everything Everywhere All at Once" on ARD on Friday, as it's the first time the Oscar-winning film will be shown on free TV in Germany.
- The film's unique blend of genres, including Comedy, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Martial Arts, and Family-Drama, has left many viewers puzzled and intrigued.
- As the film's protagonist, Michelle Yeoh delivers a standout performance, playing Evelyn, a Chinese immigrant struggling to balance her daily life in the USA while running a laundry business.
- The film's journey through various parallel universes takes viewers on a wild ride, with quirky and absurd gags that refer to countless films from the past.
- Despite the film's unconventional nature, it still has a touching family story and a deeper message about the choices we make in life and the consequences they have.
- The film's recognition at the Oscars as best picture has solidified its status as a must-see, with TV-Viewers in the USA also having the chance to view it on Television up until July 12th.
