The 9th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, took place on Sunday, March 11th, 2023. This year, the star of the show was Everything Everywhere All At Once. The film took seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing. So, let’s discuss what led to this outstanding success. 

According to the internet Movie Database (IMDb), Everything Everywhere All At Once can vaguely be described as the story of a “middle-aged Chinese immigrant swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.” However, I believe at its core it is deeper than this broad explanation. The main themes of the movie are the importance of family and communication, taking advantage of the good life one has, and the true power of kindness.

Everything Everywhere All At Once tells the story of a mother and a daughter trying to connect over the generational gap between them as the mother views all the possibilities of what her life could have been. As a child of two immigrant parents, I related to the story and the positive message seen at the end. I found myself laughing and crying throughout the entire film. The characters were extremely likable and real. Having an immigrant family with an unexpected hero as the lead helped the movie move through reality and the multiversal science-fiction aspects very well. The writers used this as a tool and it added to the movie in wonderful ways. 

Not only was the film a wonderful piece of cinema, but it also made history. Everything Everywhere All At Once allowed Michelle Yeoh to shine and become the first ever Asian woman to win Best Actress at the Oscars. Similarly, Ke Huy Quan became the first Vietnam-born actor to win Best Supporting Actor. 

If you have not seen it yet, I implore you to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once on any available streaming service!