Everything at once everywhere at the same time, by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, made history at the 95th Academy Awards. Not only did he win seven awards, including Best film, Best Direction and three of the main acting categories. It also became the first science fiction feature film to win. But what is the reason that made the film from the filmmaking team called the Daniels something more than a Hollywood oddity?
The feature film is a mix between an exploration of the future, human nature and spiritual good. All from the concept of multiverses. But different from Marvel, which is still trying to translate the idea of multiple realities to the cinema without much success, the Daniels managed it with ease. The tape carefully explores the identity of its characters through their decisions. Over and over again, each possibility becomes an alternate world that leads to places completely unknown.
But, in the end, it is the story of a family. The story incorporates love into the well-known trope of traveling between dimensions and universes. A theme that stands out in the midst of the action scenes and multiversal jumps.
A new panorama for unconventional cinema
Featuring a middle-aged heroine trying to protect her father, husband, and daughter from an unlikely villain, Everything at once everywhere at the same time delves into emotions. At the same time, in the reason why everything that really matters — or could be significant — is capable of linking hundreds of probabilities in a single scenario.
By the time Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) discovers the nature of her nemesis, the fight against evil takes a different form. It reaches a more intimate terrain and becomes a reflection on the relationships between parents and children.
The script even contemplates the idea that each event in the lives of its characters is linked to an instant of forgiveness. A moving conclusion that gives Everything at once everywhere at the same time his particular point of view about what is truly relevant. The affection, solidarity and loyalty that members of the same family profess to each other.
Everything at once everywhere at the same time excites a hard-to-please audience
But the production also has a second layer that could explain its triumph in the often conservative Oscar voters. For the past several months, there has been some debate that the accolades have grown old. A conversation that reached the networks with the hashtag #OscarIsSoOld. In other words, its traditional audience became an adult without a new generation showing interest in the decisions of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. What has caused from loss of audience during the broadcast of the award, to indifference to its results.
But Everything at once everywhere at the same time is aimed at TikTok, Twitch and Discord users. Several of her scenes became challenges on social platforms, where her humor and ironic premise were celebrated. Subversive and irreverent, the film has the ability to make you laugh and reflect at the same time. With a plot that plays with satirical jokes about sex toys or conversations about the future between rocks and sausage fingers, it makes a mockery of the idea of what an award-winning Hollywood film should be like.
The Daniels’ work managed to leave behind the German anti-war epic Sin novelty on the front and mature reflection on the art of TÁR. Topics of interest for a public attentive to virtual conversation through networks. The reason for its success? That Everything at once everywhere at the same time emphasizes the world in all its variety. With a multicultural cast and a narration that appeals to the experiences of the generational difference, it opened the possibility of being debated from novel approaches.
A struggling lady and an unexpected return
Everything at once everywhere at the same time managed to overcome several taboos in Hollywood. Sixty-year-old Michelle Yeoh broke the usual age restriction for actresses in action movies. For its part, the recognition of Jamie Lee Curtis pays homage to genre cinema, far from more traditional proposals. Both one and the other obtained the award in their respective categories and demonstrated an unprecedented opening in the voting unions of the Academy.
Just as important as the above was the prize for Best Supporting Actor for Jonathan Ken Quan. The interpreter, who for more than thirty years fought for a place in the industry without achieving it, received recognition for his long discreet career. After debuting in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and get a role in the goonies, the artist disappeared from commercial cinema. His various appearances on the big screen for more than two decades were limited to uncredited stuntmen. But his performance in the Daniels’ film allowed him to overcome the pitfalls of age or ethnicity to win on a surprising night.
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The triumph of Everything at once everywhere at the same time it could demonstrate the decision of Hollywood to have a greater breadth in its selections. Something that was evident in the last ceremony: 16 actors received their first nomination. A duo of directors who are just filming their second movie got the top award. A clear indication that the change in the mecca of cinema is more powerful than one might suppose.