Directed by Taika Waititi, it is the direct sequel to the 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok, and the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film follows Thor who attempts to find inner peace but must return to New Asgard to recruit Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster who is now Might Thor, to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods. It stars Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, and Natalie Portman.
It was exhausting watching ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once.’ Exhausting physically. Exhausting mentally. Exhausting emotionally. And I loved every minute of it.
The film is over two hours of crazy, out-of-this-world action-adventure moments but carefully interwoven into a poignant drama about family (mothers and daughter; husbands and wives, mothers and fathers) and, ultimately, the meaning of life. It is a story about the multiverse, the number of alternate realities that are present and happening simultaneously with ours, and how one character, Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) must learn to access every possible iteration of her to save the world – every world in every universe, in fact – and save her daughter.
Directors and screenwriters Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (credited as Daniels, one moniker for both) approach this material with a madcap sense of humor. They are not afraid to get dark (the violence and gore can get pretty intense), not afraid to get vulgar (there are dildos and buttplug jokes that are actually funny), not afraid to get meta (in all the variations of Evelyn’s character, there is quite a number that reference her career), not afraid to get weird, and definitely not afraid to get personal.
The story is already a lot to deal with: an ordinary housewife, while trying to pay her taxes, discovers that in an alternate reality, she discovered the multiverse and found a way to “verse jump.” Verse jumping is accessing the memories and skills and talents of another version of yourself in another universe and little, ordinary housewife, Evelyn must now find a way to learn how to verse jump so she can save the universe from a destructive being called Jobu Topaki.
Photo from Official Movie Website (www.everythingeverywheremovie.com) Photo Credit: Allyson Riggs
Mixed in with this dense science fiction adventure is a story about a woman in strained relationships with her husband (played by Ke Huy Quan) and daughter (an excellent Stephanie Hsu) and father (James Hong). The film manages to bounce back and forth effortlessly from adventure to family drama while pondering upon the meaning of life.
If that wasn’t enough, Daniels manages to imbue the film with exquisite filmmaking. There are split screens, subtitles that shift and change with the story, and clever cinematography and editing. As Evelyn moves between realities, the tone and style of filmmaking change as well. There are homages to Wong Kar Wai’s ‘In the Mood for Love’ in some realities, others are homages to Jackie Chan period kung fu films. The costume designs are out of this world in some moments. Nothing can be expected and everything will take you by surprise.
It’s chaos but there’s so much sense in all of it. It’s why I say ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ is exhausting. You are laughing out loud in one moment and then, in the next, you are marveling at the fight choreography right before it brings you to horror film levels of suspense and dread. The film itself takes on the infinite possibilities of its own story and Daniels is unafraid to go there and mine it for all its thrills, laughs, and tears.
Photo from Official Movie Website (www.everythingeverywheremovie.com) Photo Credit: Allyson Riggs
The performances are all incredible, Quan makes a fantastic return in front of the camera (he became famous as a child actor in the 80s films ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’), while Stephanie Hsu shows off her incredible range. Jamie Lee Curtis is incredible and reliable, as always. But at the heart of this movie is Michelle Yeoh. The role is so demanding and she manages to be as mercurial as she is human. She infuses Evelyn with such an ordinariness, a woman who is completely unprepared for this wild journey she is about to enter but can quickly shift to a myriad of different characters. It would be a shame if this performance isn’t recognised at all by any award-giving bodies.
And at the heart of all this beautiful chaos, is a story that really digs deep into what it means to be alive and what it means to be happy in this very crazy world we live in. The craziness of this movie is just an exaggerated reflection of the craziness of the real world of the audience watching it. This two hours and twenty-minutes film manages to encapsulate a lot of this younger generation’s fears and anxieties and triggers and manages to create a dialogue between Evelyn and her husband, daughter, and father that proposes a sort of rationale that can address the underlying nihilism and cynicism that is at the surface of this film.
Photo from Official Movie Website (www.everythingeverywheremovie.com) Photo Credit: Allyson Riggs
By the end, I was in tears. I was emotionally spent as much as I was mentally overwhelmed and physically drained by the experience. The last time I felt like this was watching Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Gravity’ in a 3D IMAX cinema, though I don’t remember laughing as much. I’m definitely watching this film again.
We are nearing the halfway point of the year and there are still a lot of must-watch movies coming to the big screen for the rest of 2022! Are you excited about the films opening in Philippine cinemas this July?
From superhero films to supernatural horror, here are the movies opening in cinemas nationwide for the month of July 2022:
Thor’s retirement leads him to a search for self-discovery. However, this is interrupted by a galactic killer seeking the extinction of the gods. Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, and together they go on a cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
BFFs Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman share the same superpowers and fight crime in Metropolis. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto rounds up other pets to master their own powers and help rescue the superheroes.
Plan your week ahead and choose which schedule of this movie opening this June 7, 2022, you’ll see on the big screen.
Jurassic World Domination
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi | 2hrs 27mins
Directed by Colin Trevorrow, it is the sequel to the 2018 film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the sixth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, the final film in the Jurassic World trilogy, and the conclusion to the storyline that started in the original Jurassic Park trilogy. The future of mankind hangs in the balance as humans and dinosaurs coexist following the destruction of Isla Nublar. It stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, BD Wong, Omar Sy, and more.
Plan your week ahead and choose which among these movie openings this June 1, 2022 you’ll see on the big screen first.
Motherly
Horror, Thriller | 1hr 20mins
Directed by Craig David Wallace, it follows Kate, a woman who lives in an isolated cabin with her daughter Beth after her husband is sent to prison for the death of a young girl. One day, the dead girl’s parents show up demanding answers because they believe Kate was the real killer. It stars Lora Burke, Tessa Kozma, Kristen MacCulloch, Nick Smyth, Colin Paradine, and Angel Gallego.
Directed by Oskar Mellander and Tord Danielsson, it centers on a dad who moves into a new house with his son and girlfriend. While he’s on a business trip out of town, the son makes a new friend next door. It stars Dilan Gwyn, Eddie Eriksson Dominguez, Linus Wahlgren, Henrik Norlén, and more.
Planning your movie date with the fam and barkada this June?
We’re making movie night plans much easier for you with this rundown of films opening soon in cinemas nationwide!
From the epic finale of the Jurassic saga to the life and music of the King of Rock & Roll, here are all the movies coming soon to Philippine cinemas for the month of June:
The sixth and final installment to the Jurassic era, uniting two generations. In this new adventure which takes place four years after Isla Nublar was destroyed, the dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans.
The origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy in Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story franchise. It follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure with a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.
Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic take on the life and music of Elvis Presley, through the complex relationship of Elvis with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, which spans over 20 years.
The fifth installment to the Despicable Me franchise is set in the 1970s, with 12-year old Gru hatching a plan to become evil enough to join his favorite team of supervillains.
Plan your week ahead and choose which among these movie openings this May 25, 2022 you’ll see on the big screen first.
Top Gun: Maverick
Action, Drama | 2hrs 10mins
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, it is the sequel to 1986 Top Gun starring Tom Cruise. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is now training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment and must confront the ghost of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice for those who will be chosen to fly it. Starring alongside Cruise are Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer.
Directed by Susumu Mitsunaka, the film is set at Shibuya Hikarie where a wedding is being held. While Conan and the other invited guests are watching, an assailant suddenly bursts in, and Wataru Takagi who was trying to protect Sato is injured.
Detective Conan: TV Compilation-Wedding Eve
Action, Animation, Romance
A feature-length companion piece for the upcoming film Detective Conan: The Bride of Halloween, the film consists of clips from the past Conan TV series episodes associated with Detectives Miwako Sato and Wataru Takagi. It shows the adventures they went through together and how they have grown attracted to each other. It features the voices of Atsuko Yuya, Minami Takayama, Wakana Yamazaki, and Wataru Takagi.
Directed by José Zelada and Richard Claus, it centers on an adventurous girl named Ainbo who, with her spirit guides, set out to save her jungle paradise in the Amazon from loggers and miners. It features the voices of Lola Raie, Bernardo De Paula, Naomi Serano, Alejandra Gollas, Joe Hernandez, and Dino Andrade.
Directed by Simon Curtis, it is the sequel to the 2019 movie Downton Abbey. It follows the Crawley family who goes on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess’ newly inherited villa. It stars Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, and more.
Written and directed by Rosalind Ross, the biographical drama centers on Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest suffering from inclusion body myositis. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver, and Malcolm McDowell.
We’re making movie night plans much easier for you with this rundown of films opening soon in cinemas nationwide!
From the highly anticipated Doctor Strange sequel to Tom Cruise’s return to the big screen as Maverick, here are the new movies in Philippine cinemas for the month of May.
Doctor Strange journeys to the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse along with the help of mystical allies to confront a mysterious new adversary.
The global phenomenon return to the big screen, as the beloved characters from ‘Downton Abbey‘ journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.
Friday, May 20 [NOTE: The new release date of this film is moved to July 27, 2022]
Best friends Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman share the same superpowers and fight crime in Metropolis. When Kypto’s BFF the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto rounds up other pets—Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle, and Chip the squirrel—to master their own powers and help rescue the superheroes.
Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell is now a trainer of a new generation of TOPGUN graduates for a special mission, which includes Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, the son of his late best friend ‘Goose.’ Maverick faces an uncertain future and must confront the ghosts of his past, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Plan your week ahead and choose which among these movie openings this April 16, 2022 you’ll see on the big screen first.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Adventure, Family, Fantasy | 2hrs 22mins
Directed by David Yates, it is the third installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series. The film is set several years after the events of its predecessor and sees Albus Dumbledore tasking Newt Scamander and his allies with a mission that takes them into the heart of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald’s army. It stars Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Callum Turner, and more.
Directed by Walt Becker, the film is based on the children’s book series of the same name by Normal Bridwell. In the film, Emily Elizabeth meets a magical animal rescuer who gives her a little red puppy. She never anticipated waking up to find a giant, 10-foot hound in her small NYC apartment. With her single mother away, Emily and her uncle set out on an adventure in the Big Apple. It stars Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale, Sienna Guillory, David Alan Grier, and more.
