Everthing Everywhere All at Once

Movie: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Nominated for: Best Picture,

How I watched: Regal, way back in February?

When I fell asleep: Not possible

When it had me: I don't remember the moment, only the endorphins

When it lost me: I did have to think about explaining butt plugs to my kids, but, no.

What systems does it challenge: Generational Trauma, All systems that keep us from healing from anxiety and depression

Content Warning: Self Harm, Hot Dog Fingers

How do I say what I feel about this movie? I guess the easy thing to say is it made me feel seen. More than anything, I felt understood. If you told me that someone was going to make a movie that dealt with mid life crisis, spiritual awakening, anxiety, depression, ADHD, unresolved parent issues and the multi-verse, I would laugh at that bizarre and foolish over reach. But here it is! Here is that movie.

Somehow it does it with comedy, an explosion of visuals, and seriously freakish imagination. After I saw it I told my family I could not imagine that another movie would supplant it as my best of the year and so far none has. 

And yet, many people are feeling very grumbly about this movie. It is a lot to take in and it is MESSY! I think this film is like surfing, some people caught the wave and it was exhilarating, some got left behind and just felt underwhelmed and others caught for a second but then wiped out and feel angry about it.

About halfway through this movie I started weeping openly and kind of kept it up through the remainder. It was like, someone else sees that life is a mess and it's not what we wanted and we're not who we thought and yet we are all of that and more if we can only see it and it's all so fragile and special and people are hurting and ALL we should care about is healing the hurts and because multiple things are true you are both winning and losing and as long as you still live you contain multitudes and isn't life crazy? Whoo. It was validating! Maybe that's what I am trying to say?

Anyway, I loved it because it achieved transcendence. I really hope it wins. It seems to have dominated in every way, so will the Academy fall in line or try to be different?