“Queer masterpiece” ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ bagged several wins at the 2023 Oscars on Sunday, and it truly is a victorious moment for the gays.
The 2022 sci-fi/adventure film was written and directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (collectively known as Daniels), and the Best Director award was among their several wins at the 95th Academy Awards.
During their speech, Schienert thanked mothers all over the globe, expressing:
“We want to dedicate this to the mommies, all the mommies in the world, to our moms.”
He also thanked his parents for not changing his true creative self growing up, stating:
“Specifically my mom and dad… thank you for not squashing my creativity when I was making really disturbing horror films or really perverted comedy films or dressing in drag as a kid, which is a threat to nobody.”
Meanwhile, Kwan imparted an inspiring message after thanking his family and the people who helped with the film.
“Lastly, I want to go back to my original point there is greatness in every single person. It doesn’t matter who they are, you have a genius that is waiting to erupt. You just need to find the right people to unlock it. Thank you to everyone who helped me unlock my genius,” Kwan expressed.
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ received 7 wins out of 11 nominations, including Best Director, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh).
Moreover, Yeoh makes history as the first Asian woman to win Best Actress, not to mention her Oscar award was presented by Halle Berry, who is the first Black woman to win the trophy.
The synopsis of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ reads:
“A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is 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.”
Aside from the eventful multiverse plot, the film also features Evelyn Quan’s (Yeoh) daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu), who is desperately trying to get her mother to approve of her relationship with non-Chinese girlfriend, Becky (Tallie Medel).
As for what the critics say, Drew Burnett Gregory of Auto Straddle stated that ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ “is a queer masterpiece of colossal sincerity.”
Gregory also noted,
“So, first of all, it’s gay. You wouldn’t know it from the trailers, but it’s super gay. And I’m not just talking about that woozy feeling you get watching Michelle Yeoh fight. This is an explicitly queer story.”
Meanwhile, Hollie Wong of Gay Times stated that ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ “is the future of LGBTQ+ storytelling.”
“To the untrained eye, queerness in Everything Everywhere All At Once seems like any old plot device. But looking deeper, it’s an example of the most profound representation of the queer experience seen on screen in recent years – maybe ever,” Wong wrote.
Sources: people.com, forbes.com, imdb.com, autostraddle.com, gaytimes.co.uk
