The daughter's doing, killing people in different universes and looking for her mother of comparative power, was essentially the contradictory mental status of "nothing matters hence I want to die" and "I want to be convinced there is something different out there, a way out". It's a confused and stressful teenager constantly assessed against high expectations by her mother wanting to die. Her mother let her go first but then realized the fact she traveled thru the universe to find her was because she still truly wants to find meaning of life, she was seeking help. This is a movie that heals souls, many souls.
When it came to killing: Evelyn's father believed that he needs to kill Joy (ironic name for a nihilist) in *every* universe. I see it as Gong Gong trying to erase her completely, similar to how he rejected Evelyn Waymond did not kill, but was looking for the one that will bring a solution, The One Evelyn, by talking to her and convincing her to join. He always knew she was the real fighter. Joy was killing every Evelyn she didn't like, and was actually searching for an Evelyn that will listen to her. I see it as Joy rejecting moms that are too rigid, only an open-minded mother will be able to listen to her. She was just looking to connect to her mom and find answers, like a normal scared teenager might. Sci-fi note- Since every decision can lead to another universe, I think that for a multi-dimensional being killing one version of a person is not that big of a crime. If I force a person to do something in my reality, thus removing their choice, I actually cancel a whole universe from being created. So, for Joy killing a failed mothers is like continuously trying to convince her mom to listen to her.
@@tyvmhbur I don't think Jobu Tupaki was trying to kill the Evelyns. She was opening their minds to the multiverse and it was breaking their minds, which is what killed them. She was looking for an Evelyn who could survive that trauma.
the most impactful message i took away from this movie was the power of love and the importance of living in the moment. pretty cheesy, but it's so easy to forget spread joy to one another and appreciate the precious moments. the direct contrast to joy's seemingly all-powerful nihilism was fleeting moments of love with each of the characters, and i think that's what the film was all about -- how much could change if we all acted like waymond and evelyn. overall loved this film, thank you for your analysis!
Thanks for your kind words! I agree, the messages/morals of the story to simply 'be kind' and 'live in the moment' are honestly extremely simplistic. But the fact that it moved us all in the way that it did is a testament to the way this movie was expertly crafted. The pacing, visuals, sound, etc. all played a part in breaking us down so that the message can truly resonate with the audience, that we are made to believe. It 100% succeeded.
I pretty much cried thru the second half of the movie in the theater. Too much to relate to, too much to be reminded of, and too much to handle all at once. "It is strategic and necessary in order to survive". The mother rock fall down the cliff following the daughter, the let go by her father because he doesn't approve Raymen. Sh*t this is too much honesty and cruel reality. When she told Becky to grow her hairs, it was the sign that she welcomed her into the family as her daughter. (My husband picked that up thru his own experience with my mother...).
“Doesn’t listen,” unfocused attention, daydreamy, repelled by the mundane, plagued by underachievement… the ADHD themes in this film are incessant. The pace, visuals, and sound match. With Evelyn’s final line, “Sorry, what did you say?”, she finally accepts her wandering mind. She is *still distracted.* And it’s okay.
according to Daniels, Evelyn's constant underachieving was supposed to be attributed to ADHD at first. this take was eventually cut from the script, as they felt it would be a rather insensitive attribution - and after Daniel Kwan realized he is ADHD himself while doing research for the story.
One of my favorite things from this movie is in the laundromat when Waymond talks to Deirdre and changes her mind. Evelyn asks him something to the effect of, "how did you do that? That's impossible." Waymond says something like "I just talked to her," which is the cause of his problems with Evelyn precisely because she starts out thinking conversation and empathy (to simplify it) don't change anything. I just thought it was a cool wrap around in a single line.
Yeah I'm really obsessed with this movie - just listening to this video made me cry twice cuz Waymond's moments always hit hard. I think the main theme I took away from this movie was empathy. It feels like the importance of empathy was what was at the heart of the movie, and they built the existentialism off of it (at least to me)
The thing that made me love this movie is the direction and editing. At almost any given point in the movie there is something serious going on thematically but something ridiculous visually, there is constant chaos and occasional scenes which break the pace and allow the characters to give exposition to the audience and catch a breather for themselves. The first half of the movie has so much weirdness and jokes in it with Waymond being the main constant comedic relief for the movie. Without realizing it we are introduced to so many aspects of joy and despair through the many universes. Then when Evelyn falls into despair the movie really picks up the pace showing us how all these versions of Evelyn start sabotaging themselves and those close to her. Then the character that has been comedic relief the whole movie leads the most emotionally powerful scene of the movie, teaching Evelyn there is another way. The following action scene has constant breaks which delve into all these side characters and universes that were nothing more than comedic relief and gives them these heartwarming moments and each individual one explores a different aspect of kindness which highlights their versions of grief and sadness. For example Evelyn rejecting deirdre because of her fingers shows us how that version of her is being hated because of how she looks, but it teaches us that no matter who we are and how we are born we are all capable of something great. The raccoon chef shows self doubt and one's inability to achieve their potential for lack of support. Even the bandage guy shows us to just accept others for who they are and like without judgment. All these lead into the main theme which is to be kind to each other and to cherish the little moments. The first time I watched the movie I felt like I couldn't process what had just happened, I knew I had to watch it again because it honestly felt like a fever dream. Rewatching it however, knowing to expect all the weirdness, allowed me to look past it and see the values that it all leads to. This movie was an experience that goes beyond watching a film.
Never laughed and cried and cheered for a movie like I did this one. They had a random showing in Nashville before I saw Thor. Figured hell yeah why not? Watched it in a empty theater by myself. Loved every second. Wanted more. EVERY TIME I watch it i see something different. I see it from Evelyn's. Waymond's and Joy's point of view. Awesome awesome movie. Top 5 all time no doubt. Michelle has ALWAYS been a fav of mine since Police Story 3. She is so bad ass.
i can't believe this was your first attempt at this kind of video essay. you did an amazing job. throughout the movie, i kept thinking there was probably a theme of nihilism vs optimistic nihilism but couldn't quite put it into words and you just knocked it out of the park. I've seen the movie 4 times and after watching your analysis i can now appreciate the movie on an even deeper level so, thank you for that! i hope you make more of these :) subscribed!
Great analysis! I am also the son of an Asian immigrant, can’t wait to see you do a video talking about that aspect in the film. I think a really refreshing thing about the film is how sincere it is. Like the hot dog hand universe and raccoonie universe could have been just little gags, but somehow the film still makes you care and root for those Evelyns too. I think a lot of modern culture is very cynical, with good reason due to the state of things, and it so great seeing something made that is sincere and challenges that, and that really comes out in Waymond. Yeah the world sucks, life sucks, but we can still be kind, we can still cherish the great things, even if they are small. I hope to see more from you!
Absolutely, this movie was audacious on so many levels, but most of all had the audacity to be sincere. Cynicism is also a coping mechanism I think, but I love that the movie showed us an alternative to it in modern society. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Don't forget the Buddhist theme of the movie. Life is suffering and it's all about finding a way to accept and cope with it and make the best of it with whatever means you have been handed (or feeted ;) ) to you. And the best way to to do it is with kindness and compassion towards both yourself and others :)
As far as the symbols are concerned it is actually a taoist thought which is why the googly eye is placed on the third eye meaning she is opening her mind. The googly eye being white with a black dot and the inverse bagel being the opposite represents the yin yang which creates the balance inside her. I dont think its possible to ignore the eastern philosophies being utilized here and explain the films message
Agreed, the friend I mention near the end who saw the movie more as an allegory to the impermanence of emotion heavily related it to both taoism and buddhism, and also believed strongly in the yin-yang imagery. Though it wasn't immediate to me, you're right and it seems so obvious in retrospect haha.
While they’re similar viewpoints, I do not think the overall theme relates to nihilism, but Absurdism. The viewpoint championed by Albert Camus. I find this to be a modern take of the Myth of Sisyphus. For instance, finding happiness in the monotonous struggle of everyday life, and suicide is giving in to the absurd.
The film hit really deep to me on a personal level on my first viewing. I wanted to see how it would hit with others so I grabbed a couple of my friends and sat them to watch it. Its as you say for the movie hitting you with everything and overloading the senses, to drop your guard in a sense. The absurdity of the senses and direction opened them up to the climax of the film and it hit everyone in thier emotions at the same time. I enjoy this film so much and hearing your own thoughts and perspective from this film was great, like a friend who sat me down to tell me about something, good work mate.
Did you notice the couple of Easter eggs in the first 20 minutes? Opening scene you see the purple bag meant for the lady customer in the upper right corner with the Google eyes. When Evelyn was admiring the dance musical scene, in the lower left side was an pull tab advertisement for Evelyn giving vocal lessons.
I did catch the googly eyes in subsequent watches, but did not notice the advertisement at all! Do you mean when she is looking at the TV program with the prince/princess? So the pull tabs were in the laundromat?
@@ananythingbagel5197 Yeah totally! I just really loved the idea that they showed evidence of "hobbies mistaken as businesses" even before the IRS visit. It's interesting because the "hobbies mistaken as businesses" can also mean "Other successes in other verses are unmistakes in the choices in Evelyn's life."
This movie was not what I expected. It connected with me because of so many similarities during my teens. My mom worked at a laundromat, my parents were divorcing, my oldest brother had become reckless, and my other brother was slowly following in the same path. I felt like I was doing my best to help my family move forward, while trying to keep my family from completely breaking apart and destroying themselves. By the end of the movie, I was just worn out. I was overwhelm with emotions, I couldn't even cry.
I can't remember if I already commented on this video or not, but towards the end, you said, "...and I can only hope I did it some justice". Well, brother, in my opinion this is the BEST, most thoughtful and engaging review of this movie I have yet come across. I give the link to this review to anyway who wishes to really do a deep dive on it.
I'm crying just listening to your breakdown of the film. What a movie and great breakdown. I watched it for the first time last weekend and was a bit nervous that this film would suck given how silly it was. I'm glad I stayed because the character development of Evelyn was amazing. Many parts of the film got me really emotional. Namely Waymond's message to be kind, being happy to do laundry and taxes with Evelyn, Evelyn's turnaround and fighting with kindness, the IRS woman being lovable, and introducing her daughter's girlfriend to her dad. Waymond is such a nice and emotionally supportive character and personally, it's something I wish I saw from my dad in my parent's marriage and his treatment towards me and my siblings. Starting from the bottom as an immigrant in the US is really difficult and for Waymond to say that he'd be happy doing laundry and taxes, that really got me. His quote to be kind when we don't know what's going on really hit me due to the past 2 years of living with covid and all the hate and chaos that is coming out of it in the US. I also was really overwhelmed at the end of the film and wasn't sure what to think yet. I just sat there in silence with my face drying from the amount of tears shed
Absolutely! I think the idea of acceptance/surrender is a huge part of optimistic nihilism, and the movie did a great job mirroring that in its experience.
Great video! Regarding how it conveys the messages and brings the audience to their breaking point going back and forth with comedy and existentialism reminds me very much of the filmmaking style of Taika Waititi, director of Jojo rabbit, and how he has always talked and advocated for comedy as a serious storytelling genre, saying "comedy serves to make the audience let their guard down and for the message to be more powerful" and "Comedy for me is a really important tool and it really irks me that it gets overlooked so often as a meaningful form of art" when talking about how comedy can help in taking away the power of powerful people like dictators or royalty, I think that everything everywhere really masters this aspect of making you feel so overwhelmed by life itself, going from laughing to hysterically crying, amazing movie
thank you for this! i’ve been looking for a video essay that specifically talks about the philosophy of everything everywhere all at once. the movie was such a spot on representation of absurdist philosophy.
My friend and I were having a discussion on this movie, we both loved it and want to watch so many time, but my friend told me that if they wanted to, they could have stop at Evelyn breakdown part, where she accepted the nihilism, and the movie would have been good still I agree at first but the movie become a masterpiece after that part due to how touching and emotional it is, even for me (I cry alot at Evelyn and joy hug)
I found that the scene in which Evelyn battles her way up the stairs and eventually Joy in front of the bagel to be a bit laborious too, and it's possible it could have been handled better. But the scene was still important in my opinion, since it shows Evelyn's use of absurdity when fighting (Fighting like Waymond), and builds up to the parking lot scene which was integral to the conclusion of the movie. But I love this move so much that those gripes take nothing away from it, a masterpiece isn't always perfect!
What an eloquently succinct analysis, An Anything Bagel! I'm a huge fan of Daniels and have personally seen this movie 5 times myself; it watches differently every time! On the last day of showing in our town, my friends and I almost filled up an entire row in the cinema to send the film off... Commenting on the aspect ratio, I think it's Daniels staying true to the cinematography of the different film genres that they hop throughout the movie (wide aspect ratio for drama/rom-com) and so forth.
Thank you for your efforts and thinking and writing it down and reading it to us and anyone who encounters your RUclips video. I can add my agreement and relate to this film that I hesitate to call it a movie film because it is so much more. As a good friend of mine, an American woman who married an Asian man and had two daughters before getting divorced and moving apart said, "it's EVERYTHING, everything". My own case, a WASP Born Again Atheist from San Francisco, California, a creative artist and International serious high art musician living in London cursed with no work thanks to Brexit, I met the love of my life who rejected me after 2 years of blissful paradise, and now I am totally alone, lost and confused, destroyed and sad but still fighting the nihilism with kindness and determination hoping that my efforts to get her to see this EEAAO, if not with me then on her own as she is travelling and writing during her research break as a long- time professor of Thai at SOAS for over 34 years. The specks of joy, love and bliss we had shared together I cherish and will keep with me for the remainder of my life. Love, empathy, compassion and kindness follow me all the days of my life as I give her unconditional love from afar that she is blind to and unknowing. I now understand her better because of knowing and acknowledging and fully appreciating the fact that she was an unwanted child of parents who did not love her, especially her mother, who still lives. Our mother is who and how we learn what love is. Not having received love from her mother, she carries a burden throughout life that cannot be eliminated. That fact further confirms my unconditional love for her and I am at pains to find a way to reach her for her to know true love and that she has that from me forever and ever even after my death. My isolation and seclusion in an oblivious uncaring world of sapiens on the brink of extinction is only endurable through my own conviction of love and kindness and truth as expressed in bell hooks book, "all about love" which describes and defines a love ethic that gives us the tools and ability to succeed in relationships. As my love was in Thailand and Paris and next to Spain until September, I keep my love for her deep in my heart forever in spite if her rejection and apathy. I don't know if EEAAO will open her heart to kindness and love and truth but I passionately hope so. I know a few people who didn't like EEAAO. In fact very many sapiens hate EEAAO. Triadic personalities like Trump, Putin, all politicians and most of the 8 billion on planet Earth. We, however, are the truly blessed. Thank you again for understanding EEAAO. The magic of this work of humanity is the evidence of the entire cast and crew and producesr, every single one experienced an epiphany that made this a work of love and made everyone family. That is clearly obvious to me and the embodiment of Beauty and Truth. Never give up! Please be kind!
Reminds me a bit of Stoicism. "Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will-then your life will flow well." Or, "If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it."
Thank you for your well considered remarks. I would encourage you to keep reviewing movies. You have an exceptional grasp of how to digest and organize your feedback. I walked out of the movie feeling a bit dazed. Listening to your review helped me revisit the details and process my own perspective. Well done.
What we do now creates limitless possibilities for our futures but in the next instant those limitless possibilities have limitless possibilities. No matter how much we like to tell ourselves we do, we really don't have any control over our futures. There is only one thing we truly have control over: how much kindness we show to others in the moment we are in right now.
I was sure this was a channel with thousands of subs. this video was so well written and put together. Subbed in the hopes that you'll make more great content.
Seen this movie twice. It's one of the greatest movies ever. I cried laughed and couldn't stop smiling. Watching it again this weekend and can't wait. So fucking good
So many thoughts, which I believe was the design of the movie in itself. I genuinely love the match between the ideals of Evelyn and Joy, it was such a resounding answer to Joy’s Truth, and jogged the mind of every movie watcher, that in this bleak crazy world we live in, we always have a choice to be kind. It’s not an easy task, but that can create focus, goals, and meaning for someone’s life. I can’t even comprehend a movie being better than that masterpiece. Of course the new Avatar looks great, and if they fully dive into the sociopolitical dynamics, it’ll be great. But the way this movie creates concepts on how verse jumping is possible, was staggeringly creative and authentic. I love Astro-physics and quantum mechanics, and this film just took it to a whole new level! Their attention to detail, the fighting. It’s extremely inspiring, to the point I want to do my own review on this film and jump back into writing! But I love what I do in creating affordable homes for families, and I feel unlike Evelyn, I keep striving for my better self. It’s like when you try and max out all your skills in a video game, but of course somethings will be better than ever. What’s funny is I’ve been preaching what Evelyn discovered at the end of the film in my business. Win/win situations are possible, harmony is possible, empathy is the key to incredible business and leadership acumen. Three times I got chills: Explanation of Multiverse, Introduction of Joni, Opera Singing. I couldn’t tell you how hard I laughed at the Hotdog Finger Verse! The lore got me so fucking hard, apes sitting on a rock with hotdog fingers, I mean wtf! My apologies for whatever crazy, creative soul poured through this. This movie compelled me to share this.
This movie is really a masterpiece. Its very psychological. It shows how powerful our mind is whenever we are subjected to different challenges. The conflict in our heads presented in a multiverse plot. Amazing!
Two extremes of existence can be seen between the Everything Bagel and Googly Eyes. I like Accented Cinemas take on how they are in direct opposition. The bagel seems like death, where the googly eyes make things appear alive. The contrast goes deeper than that.
To many people see nihilism as a toxic thing just because they want to see meaning in life. Evelyn didn't learn to fight nihilism, she embraced it to free herself from the stress of her mundane life(s). What she fought was sinking in to **despair** through nihilism. The bagel wasn't meaninglessness, it was despair and death.
Great video! For me a core theme of the film about the paradox of choice, even though never outright stated, which the regrets about the choices people make and the hope that more choices will provide happiness like the everything bagel represents, this felt like a criticism on modern life and how success and goal driven people spend their existence and still get nothing out of it.
To me the multiverse was a representation of Evelyns escapism and redemption arc. At first she was dreaming of different lives and not engaged in real life and the consequences of this is she is destroying her actual life and that of her family's. Alpha waymond was a representation of an ideal husband and one that fought, the change came when this strategy died and Evelyn started to accept she was the the cause of her own life. The movie is like fight club and all parts are about Evelyns rejection and redemption.
Fantastic synopsis. Thank you so much, sir. May I ask if you could possibly slow down your pace a little when u speak, as an older person, I had to rewind quite a bit, bc I didn't want to miss any of your excellent perspectives. Just a suggest; no insult intented. Subscribed. ❤ So proud of you for making the foray into writing again.
I was flabbergasted that nobody in the comments didn't understood the bagel is a torus. A torus being a 4d structure, 4d is the dimension of time. There's more outside the torus jobu had not seen all.
as i was describing the movie to a friend i said that it takes place mostly in china with a lot of chinese people in it but after rewatching it that turned out to be not so true, but it was nonetheless my impression of it so no wonder there is a lot for Chinese immigrants in this movie
I see something else completely. This entire movie is a fantasy that Wayman plays through his head every day, as in the real world his infinite patients and unconditional love had failed, his marriage fell apart and his daughter committed suicide. He was never alpha Wayman, never took control of his life, except in moments that meant nothing, he never gave his wife the instructions that could have prevented the death of his daughter, he never stood up to his father in law, he never stood up to or for his daughter, he never stood up to the irs auditor, and he lost everything because of the 2 most admirable but foolish of qualities. There is no multiverse, just the fantasies of a father and husband that lost everything, even wishing there could be a version of himself where and when he never pursued the woman he loves most, and she could have had a glorious life without him, where he even would run away from her, he believes as he sees her through rose tinted glasses. For if it wasn’t for the alpha Wayman interluder and kibitzer, his wife would have destroyed everything. Really, it’s a warning against self-righteousness, as all 4 members of the family start out in states of self-righteousness, and only through compassion, compromise, and communication can their problems be solved, but the nihilism shines through that it’s all a fantasy, and the truth is Joy went off that cliff, the irs took the house and business and Wayman filed for divorce, and all the years of hard work went to nought, as they all do.
I made a comment about Absurdism because that's a more accurate description instead of optimistic nihilism. I was trying to reply to my comment and say that I hadn't finished watching the whole video since I realised you mention Absurdism at the end. Not sure if my comment got deleted. Oh well. Good video!
Thanks! When writing this it was tough to discern which parts belonged to nihilism, optimistic nihilism, and absurdism, since I thought so many themes touched on all 3 at once. In the end I aligned Waymond's philosophy much more with optimistic nihilism, though I would say the movie as a whole likely fits the absurdist definition better. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Yep that's exactly what I thought. Camus and Nietzsche came to mind as I watched. Jobu was literally a God trying to kill him(her)self. God is dead but can he be resurrected? Does he(she) need to be resurrected? Perhaps not. Film of the year...decade. Instant cult classic
I'm a bit overwhelmed with other stuff atm (ironic lol), but am hoping to put something out in a few weeks discussing this movie from an asian-american immigrant perspective!
This is the best, most in depth and thoughtful response to the movie I have been able to find. I don't fully agree with everything and, unlike most, I didn't really enjoy the movie, I just thought it was ok. It had some great qualities. For instance, I loved the way it was filmed, the colours, the textures, the feeling of the actual visuals, the set design and costume design and so much more. I really appreciated that. I also appreciated the basic premises of the film, the themes it explores and, in general the way it was explored, although I feel less enamored with the conclusion. The facets of this movie that left me feeling like it was only ok are the inconsistencies, for one. Obviously this movie wasn't trying to be realistic and obviously it is full of absurdity, which is used often successfully, to lighten the mood and to entertain, but to really be effective, I think a story needs to choose the laws of reality that it will break and stick with those decisions. Otherwise it's too easy for anything at all to happen in order to move, or conclude a plot line, which is just lazy writing in my opinion. For example, at first, physical items cannot be brought with a character when jumping from one timeline to another, except Waymond manages it when he brings across the two ear pieces for his wife to wear? Ok, so maybe when one becomes adept at jumping timelines they can manage to bring physical items with them? The grandfather manages this quite well when he brings a high-teq wheelchair with him, he must be particularly adept, and it sure helped him fight. Joy's character displays godlike ability to manipulate physical reality, giving her almost endless power. Yet, despite Evelyn gaining as much insight into the multiverse as Joy, she never manages to manipulate reality, which would have been an extremely useful thing to do when fighting. I know this seems like nitpicking, and it wouldn't matter all that much if this were the sole inconsistency, but it's only one of many that ultimately distracted from the movie for me. Another thing is that I didn't enjoy some of the acting all that much. Especially, for example, Waymond's character and especially in the beginning when the alpha verse version of Waymond first meets Evelyn. It was so cheesy and didn't feel authentic at all to me. I also thought that the movie focused too heavily on the absurdity and fighting scenes and didn't spend enough time fleshing out the underlying philosophical themes. I felt it could have gone into so much more depth about existential nihilism, or more importantly Buddhism, the clash of Chinese and American culture, Chinese culture in and of itself, the context of post-modernity, technology, climate-change (or human impacts on the environment in general). Though I guess this somewhat to be expected from a film aimed at the general public, who don't seem to be aware of Buddhism? I'm surprised that next to no one seems to be picking up on the Buddhist influence in this film. Only one Guardian article points out that the west misses the point of EEAAO. According to the article "To boil down more than 2,000 years of Buddhist discourse - it is thought that all things exist only through our perception of said things. Therefore, they are without inherent meaning. They’re empty. This is expressed in the film’s multiverses." It continues; "In Buddhist thought, it’s our compassion that grounds us - makes us human - and emptiness isn’t the mark of nihilism and despair but an opportunity to leave behind the bad and cherish the good." It concludes that "Unfortunately, these points are often missed by a western audience and even the near wall to wall positive coverage of this film barely touches on its philosophical significance." Ultimately, I enjoyed parts of the film, but I wouldn't watch it again. I felt it was lazy in its writing, was inconsistent and focused too heavily on absurd humour when it should have been diving deeper into the real meat of the story, the philosophy, without which the movie is simply a meaningless barrage of colours and gag.
Thank you for taking the time to write this out and share your thoughts! I agree that there were quite a few inconsistencies, especially in regards to the rules of the multiverse. For instance, Gong Gong's policy to kill Jobu in a universe as protocol- which makes us assume that Jobu actually only has control in universes Joy already physically exists in, but we later learn that they can even exist in universes where Joy was never born, even as rocks. From a worldbuilding/laws of the universe perspective, it's admittedly messy. That being said, I personally find it easy to forgive because I don't think the inconsistent multiverse laws / Alphaverse plot really mattered in the end to me, when the personal journeys of each character stole the spotlight. In regards to fleshing out further philosophical themes, I agree that the opportunity certainly was there- but I am fine with the direction the Daniels' went instead. The movie is still a character and plot-driven narrative overall, and Evelyn was able to find peace with her own understanding of philosophy- regardless of whether or not it was shallow or fleshed out. Personally that is enough for me, as it was what she needed to solve her personal crisis. Thanks for your comment! Other takeaways and perspectives like yours are great to read. I am definitely lacking in knowledge of buddhist philosophy compared to western ones, so I'll be sure to try to read up on that before my next rewatch. Cheers!
Philosophically speaking, “optimistic nihilism” is nonsensical. I’d argue instead that, in the face of nihilistic (aka ontological fascistic) despair, to be “optimistic” in the parlance of the film is to actually just notice and chose to emphasize those things that actually give life meaning. Or, more directly, in the face of the sheer fact of even just the possibility of love, connection, kindness, etc, to be nihilistic is to be just as naive as one is of one avoids the difficulties of the world. That, in truth, the naive refusal to notice and emphasize love, connection, kindness, etc. (and thus be a nihilist / ontological fascist in that refusal) is to assist the forces of meaninglessness (aka naïveté) in their ignorant (emphasis on “ignore” in “ignorant”) destruction of life.
The daughter's doing, killing people in different universes and looking for her mother of comparative power, was essentially the contradictory mental status of "nothing matters hence I want to die" and "I want to be convinced there is something different out there, a way out". It's a confused and stressful teenager constantly assessed against high expectations by her mother wanting to die. Her mother let her go first but then realized the fact she traveled thru the universe to find her was because she still truly wants to find meaning of life, she was seeking help. This is a movie that heals souls, many souls.
When it came to killing:
Evelyn's father believed that he needs to kill Joy (ironic name for a nihilist) in *every* universe. I see it as Gong Gong trying to erase her completely, similar to how he rejected Evelyn
Waymond did not kill, but was looking for the one that will bring a solution, The One Evelyn, by talking to her and convincing her to join. He always knew she was the real fighter.
Joy was killing every Evelyn she didn't like, and was actually searching for an Evelyn that will listen to her. I see it as Joy rejecting moms that are too rigid, only an open-minded mother will be able to listen to her. She was just looking to connect to her mom and find answers, like a normal scared teenager might.
Sci-fi note- Since every decision can lead to another universe, I think that for a multi-dimensional being killing one version of a person is not that big of a crime. If I force a person to do something in my reality, thus removing their choice, I actually cancel a whole universe from being created. So, for Joy killing a failed mothers is like continuously trying to convince her mom to listen to her.
@@tyvmhbur I don't think Jobu Tupaki was trying to kill the Evelyns. She was opening their minds to the multiverse and it was breaking their minds, which is what killed them. She was looking for an Evelyn who could survive that trauma.
the most impactful message i took away from this movie was the power of love and the importance of living in the moment. pretty cheesy, but it's so easy to forget spread joy to one another and appreciate the precious moments. the direct contrast to joy's seemingly all-powerful nihilism was fleeting moments of love with each of the characters, and i think that's what the film was all about -- how much could change if we all acted like waymond and evelyn. overall loved this film, thank you for your analysis!
Thanks for your kind words! I agree, the messages/morals of the story to simply 'be kind' and 'live in the moment' are honestly extremely simplistic. But the fact that it moved us all in the way that it did is a testament to the way this movie was expertly crafted. The pacing, visuals, sound, etc. all played a part in breaking us down so that the message can truly resonate with the audience, that we are made to believe. It 100% succeeded.
I pretty much cried thru the second half of the movie in the theater. Too much to relate to, too much to be reminded of, and too much to handle all at once. "It is strategic and necessary in order to survive". The mother rock fall down the cliff following the daughter, the let go by her father because he doesn't approve Raymen. Sh*t this is too much honesty and cruel reality. When she told Becky to grow her hairs, it was the sign that she welcomed her into the family as her daughter. (My husband picked that up thru his own experience with my mother...).
I actually love that you made this channel just for this film. My brother. Someone who also got the deep themes in this film.
The movie was just that good!
“Doesn’t listen,” unfocused attention, daydreamy, repelled by the mundane, plagued by underachievement… the ADHD themes in this film are incessant. The pace, visuals, and sound match.
With Evelyn’s final line, “Sorry, what did you say?”, she finally accepts her wandering mind. She is *still distracted.* And it’s okay.
I had the thought that maybe Evelyn had ADHD but I didn't pick up on that last line. Thanks for your analysis :)
At the end, Evelyn has the ability to jump to other universe, but she still chooses to be in the present moment and be with her family.
according to Daniels, Evelyn's constant underachieving was supposed to be attributed to ADHD at first. this take was eventually cut from the script, as they felt it would be a rather insensitive attribution - and after Daniel Kwan realized he is ADHD himself while doing research for the story.
@@Emaef They opted not to remove Evelyn’s ADHD (clearly), but rather to avoid “hanging a lantern on it.”
@@kietro8319 yes, you're totally right.
One of my favorite things from this movie is in the laundromat when Waymond talks to Deirdre and changes her mind. Evelyn asks him something to the effect of, "how did you do that? That's impossible." Waymond says something like "I just talked to her," which is the cause of his problems with Evelyn precisely because she starts out thinking conversation and empathy (to simplify it) don't change anything. I just thought it was a cool wrap around in a single line.
Yeah I'm really obsessed with this movie - just listening to this video made me cry twice cuz Waymond's moments always hit hard. I think the main theme I took away from this movie was empathy. It feels like the importance of empathy was what was at the heart of the movie, and they built the existentialism off of it (at least to me)
The thing that made me love this movie is the direction and editing. At almost any given point in the movie there is something serious going on thematically but something ridiculous visually, there is constant chaos and occasional scenes which break the pace and allow the characters to give exposition to the audience and catch a breather for themselves. The first half of the movie has so much weirdness and jokes in it with Waymond being the main constant comedic relief for the movie. Without realizing it we are introduced to so many aspects of joy and despair through the many universes.
Then when Evelyn falls into despair the movie really picks up the pace showing us how all these versions of Evelyn start sabotaging themselves and those close to her.
Then the character that has been comedic relief the whole movie leads the most emotionally powerful scene of the movie, teaching Evelyn there is another way. The following action scene has constant breaks which delve into all these side characters and universes that were nothing more than comedic relief and gives them these heartwarming moments and each individual one explores a different aspect of kindness which highlights their versions of grief and sadness.
For example Evelyn rejecting deirdre because of her fingers shows us how that version of her is being hated because of how she looks, but it teaches us that no matter who we are and how we are born we are all capable of something great. The raccoon chef shows self doubt and one's inability to achieve their potential for lack of support. Even the bandage guy shows us to just accept others for who they are and like without judgment. All these lead into the main theme which is to be kind to each other and to cherish the little moments.
The first time I watched the movie I felt like I couldn't process what had just happened, I knew I had to watch it again because it honestly felt like a fever dream. Rewatching it however, knowing to expect all the weirdness, allowed me to look past it and see the values that it all leads to. This movie was an experience that goes beyond watching a film.
Never laughed and cried and cheered for a movie like I did this one. They had a random showing in Nashville before I saw Thor. Figured hell yeah why not? Watched it in a empty theater by myself. Loved every second. Wanted more. EVERY TIME I watch it i see something different. I see it from Evelyn's. Waymond's and Joy's point of view. Awesome awesome movie. Top 5 all time no doubt. Michelle has ALWAYS been a fav of mine since Police Story 3. She is so bad ass.
i can't believe this was your first attempt at this kind of video essay. you did an amazing job. throughout the movie, i kept thinking there was probably a theme of nihilism vs optimistic nihilism but couldn't quite put it into words and you just knocked it out of the park. I've seen the movie 4 times and after watching your analysis i can now appreciate the movie on an even deeper level so, thank you for that! i hope you make more of these :) subscribed!
Agreed, "knocked it out of the park" 💕
Great analysis! I am also the son of an Asian immigrant, can’t wait to see you do a video talking about that aspect in the film.
I think a really refreshing thing about the film is how sincere it is. Like the hot dog hand universe and raccoonie universe could have been just little gags, but somehow the film still makes you care and root for those Evelyns too. I think a lot of modern culture is very cynical, with good reason due to the state of things, and it so great seeing something made that is sincere and challenges that, and that really comes out in Waymond. Yeah the world sucks, life sucks, but we can still be kind, we can still cherish the great things, even if they are small.
I hope to see more from you!
Absolutely, this movie was audacious on so many levels, but most of all had the audacity to be sincere. Cynicism is also a coping mechanism I think, but I love that the movie showed us an alternative to it in modern society. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Don't forget the Buddhist theme of the movie. Life is suffering and it's all about finding a way to accept and cope with it and make the best of it with whatever means you have been handed (or feeted ;) ) to you. And the best way to to do it is with kindness and compassion towards both yourself and others :)
As far as the symbols are concerned it is actually a taoist thought which is why the googly eye is placed on the third eye meaning she is opening her mind. The googly eye being white with a black dot and the inverse bagel being the opposite represents the yin yang which creates the balance inside her. I dont think its possible to ignore the eastern philosophies being utilized here and explain the films message
Agreed, the friend I mention near the end who saw the movie more as an allegory to the impermanence of emotion heavily related it to both taoism and buddhism, and also believed strongly in the yin-yang imagery. Though it wasn't immediate to me, you're right and it seems so obvious in retrospect haha.
While they’re similar viewpoints, I do not think the overall theme relates to nihilism, but Absurdism. The viewpoint championed by Albert Camus. I find this to be a modern take of the Myth of Sisyphus. For instance, finding happiness in the monotonous struggle of everyday life, and suicide is giving in to the absurd.
The film hit really deep to me on a personal level on my first viewing. I wanted to see how it would hit with others so I grabbed a couple of my friends and sat them to watch it.
Its as you say for the movie hitting you with everything and overloading the senses, to drop your guard in a sense. The absurdity of the senses and direction opened them up to the climax of the film and it hit everyone in thier emotions at the same time.
I enjoy this film so much and hearing your own thoughts and perspective from this film was great, like a friend who sat me down to tell me about something, good work mate.
Did you notice the couple of Easter eggs in the first 20 minutes? Opening scene you see the purple bag meant for the lady customer in the upper right corner with the Google eyes.
When Evelyn was admiring the dance musical scene, in the lower left side was an pull tab advertisement for Evelyn giving vocal lessons.
I did catch the googly eyes in subsequent watches, but did not notice the advertisement at all! Do you mean when she is looking at the TV program with the prince/princess? So the pull tabs were in the laundromat?
@@ananythingbagel5197 Yeah totally! I just really loved the idea that they showed evidence of "hobbies mistaken as businesses" even before the IRS visit. It's interesting because the "hobbies mistaken as businesses" can also mean "Other successes in other verses are unmistakes in the choices in Evelyn's life."
There's also someone in the same pizza sign flipper costume Evelyn wore shown while the family was on the way to the IRS.
This movie was not what I expected. It connected with me because of so many similarities during my teens. My mom worked at a laundromat, my parents were divorcing, my oldest brother had become reckless, and my other brother was slowly following in the same path. I felt like I was doing my best to help my family move forward, while trying to keep my family from completely breaking apart and destroying themselves. By the end of the movie, I was just worn out. I was overwhelm with emotions, I couldn't even cry.
I can't remember if I already commented on this video or not, but towards the end, you said, "...and I can only hope I did it some justice". Well, brother, in my opinion this is the BEST, most thoughtful and engaging review of this movie I have yet come across. I give the link to this review to anyway who wishes to really do a deep dive on it.
Oh that's a perfect channel name
wow great content! WE WANT MORE
this is the review I was looking for. thank you
I'm crying just listening to your breakdown of the film. What a movie and great breakdown. I watched it for the first time last weekend and was a bit nervous that this film would suck given how silly it was. I'm glad I stayed because the character development of Evelyn was amazing. Many parts of the film got me really emotional. Namely Waymond's message to be kind, being happy to do laundry and taxes with Evelyn, Evelyn's turnaround and fighting with kindness, the IRS woman being lovable, and introducing her daughter's girlfriend to her dad. Waymond is such a nice and emotionally supportive character and personally, it's something I wish I saw from my dad in my parent's marriage and his treatment towards me and my siblings. Starting from the bottom as an immigrant in the US is really difficult and for Waymond to say that he'd be happy doing laundry and taxes, that really got me. His quote to be kind when we don't know what's going on really hit me due to the past 2 years of living with covid and all the hate and chaos that is coming out of it in the US. I also was really overwhelmed at the end of the film and wasn't sure what to think yet. I just sat there in silence with my face drying from the amount of tears shed
I loved this movie too! I resonated most with your point about acceptance towards the end of the essay
Absolutely! I think the idea of acceptance/surrender is a huge part of optimistic nihilism, and the movie did a great job mirroring that in its experience.
Great video! Regarding how it conveys the messages and brings the audience to their breaking point going back and forth with comedy and existentialism reminds me very much of the filmmaking style of Taika Waititi, director of Jojo rabbit, and how he has always talked and advocated for comedy as a serious storytelling genre, saying "comedy serves to make the audience let their guard down and for the message to be more powerful" and "Comedy for me is a really important tool and it really irks me that it gets overlooked so often as a meaningful form of art" when talking about how comedy can help in taking away the power of powerful people like dictators or royalty, I think that everything everywhere really masters this aspect of making you feel so overwhelmed by life itself, going from laughing to hysterically crying, amazing movie
thank you for this! i’ve been looking for a video essay that specifically talks about the philosophy of everything everywhere all at once. the movie was such a spot on representation of absurdist philosophy.
My friend and I were having a discussion on this movie, we both loved it and want to watch so many time, but my friend told me that if they wanted to, they could have stop at Evelyn breakdown part, where she accepted the nihilism, and the movie would have been good still
I agree at first but the movie become a masterpiece after that part due to how touching and emotional it is, even for me (I cry alot at Evelyn and joy hug)
I found that the scene in which Evelyn battles her way up the stairs and eventually Joy in front of the bagel to be a bit laborious too, and it's possible it could have been handled better. But the scene was still important in my opinion, since it shows Evelyn's use of absurdity when fighting (Fighting like Waymond), and builds up to the parking lot scene which was integral to the conclusion of the movie. But I love this move so much that those gripes take nothing away from it, a masterpiece isn't always perfect!
What an eloquently succinct analysis, An Anything Bagel! I'm a huge fan of Daniels and have personally seen this movie 5 times myself; it watches differently every time! On the last day of showing in our town, my friends and I almost filled up an entire row in the cinema to send the film off... Commenting on the aspect ratio, I think it's Daniels staying true to the cinematography of the different film genres that they hop throughout the movie (wide aspect ratio for drama/rom-com) and so forth.
I wouldn't have guessed that this is your first video. I really liked your analysis and hope to see more videos from you!
Yes. You sound very enthralled.
Here to confirm that your hopes were certainly met. Very much did justice to the movie! Hoping to see more from you soon :)
Thank you for your efforts and thinking and writing it down and reading it to us and anyone who encounters your RUclips video. I can add my agreement and relate to this film that I hesitate to call it a movie film because it is so much more. As a good friend of mine, an American woman who married an Asian man and had two daughters before getting divorced and moving apart said, "it's EVERYTHING, everything". My own case, a WASP Born Again Atheist from San Francisco, California, a creative artist and International serious high art musician living in London cursed with no work thanks to Brexit, I met the love of my life who rejected me after 2 years of blissful paradise, and now I am totally alone, lost and confused, destroyed and sad but still fighting the nihilism with kindness and determination hoping that my efforts to get her to see this EEAAO, if not with me then on her own as she is travelling and writing during her research break as a long- time professor of Thai at SOAS for over 34 years. The specks of joy, love and bliss we had shared together I cherish and will keep with me for the remainder of my life. Love, empathy, compassion and kindness follow me all the days of my life as I give her unconditional love from afar that she is blind to and unknowing. I now understand her better because of knowing and acknowledging and fully appreciating the fact that she was an unwanted child of parents who did not love her, especially her mother, who still lives. Our mother is who and how we learn what love is. Not having received love from her mother, she carries a burden throughout life that cannot be eliminated. That fact further confirms my unconditional love for her and I am at pains to find a way to reach her for her to know true love and that she has that from me forever and ever even after my death. My isolation and seclusion in an oblivious uncaring world of sapiens on the brink of extinction is only endurable through my own conviction of love and kindness and truth as expressed in bell hooks book, "all about love" which describes and defines a love ethic that gives us the tools and ability to succeed in relationships. As my love was in Thailand and Paris and next to Spain until September, I keep my love for her deep in my heart forever in spite if her rejection and apathy. I don't know if EEAAO will open her heart to kindness and love and truth but I passionately hope so. I know a few people who didn't like EEAAO. In fact very many sapiens hate EEAAO. Triadic personalities like Trump, Putin, all politicians and most of the 8 billion on planet Earth. We, however, are the truly blessed. Thank you again for understanding EEAAO. The magic of this work of humanity is the evidence of the entire cast and crew and producesr, every single one experienced an epiphany that made this a work of love and made everyone family. That is clearly obvious to me and the embodiment of Beauty and Truth. Never give up! Please be kind!
Wow! Insightful analysis. Thank you for sharing.
Reminds me a bit of Stoicism. "Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will-then your life will flow well." Or, "If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it."
Thank you for your well considered remarks. I would encourage you to keep reviewing movies. You have an exceptional grasp of how to digest and organize your feedback. I walked out of the movie feeling a bit dazed. Listening to your review helped me revisit the details and process my own perspective. Well done.
What we do now creates limitless possibilities for our futures but in the next instant those limitless possibilities have limitless possibilities. No matter how much we like to tell ourselves we do, we really don't have any control over our futures. There is only one thing we truly have control over: how much kindness we show to others in the moment we are in right now.
I was sure this was a channel with thousands of subs. this video was so well written and put together. Subbed in the hopes that you'll make more great content.
I didn’t notice the way the aspect ratio changes between scenes the first time I watched it but that really helps maintain the plot structure
Great analysis. Looking forward to the next video
Seen this movie twice.
It's one of the greatest movies ever. I cried laughed and couldn't stop smiling.
Watching it again this weekend and can't wait. So fucking good
EEAAO and Community? What is this, a crossover episode?
Love your analysis!
Nothing matters. So let's be kind.
Thank you for adding to the conversation!
So many thoughts, which I believe was the design of the movie in itself. I genuinely love the match between the ideals of Evelyn and Joy, it was such a resounding answer to Joy’s Truth, and jogged the mind of every movie watcher, that in this bleak crazy world we live in, we always have a choice to be kind. It’s not an easy task, but that can create focus, goals, and meaning for someone’s life. I can’t even comprehend a movie being better than that masterpiece.
Of course the new Avatar looks great, and if they fully dive into the sociopolitical dynamics, it’ll be great. But the way this movie creates concepts on how verse jumping is possible, was staggeringly creative and authentic. I love Astro-physics and quantum mechanics, and this film just took it to a whole new level! Their attention to detail, the fighting. It’s extremely inspiring, to the point I want to do my own review on this film and jump back into writing! But I love what I do in creating affordable homes for families, and I feel unlike Evelyn, I keep striving for my better self. It’s like when you try and max out all your skills in a video game, but of course somethings will be better than ever. What’s funny is I’ve been preaching what Evelyn discovered at the end of the film in my business. Win/win situations are possible, harmony is possible, empathy is the key to incredible business and leadership acumen.
Three times I got chills: Explanation of Multiverse, Introduction of Joni, Opera Singing.
I couldn’t tell you how hard I laughed at the Hotdog Finger Verse! The lore got me so fucking hard, apes sitting on a rock with hotdog fingers, I mean wtf!
My apologies for whatever crazy, creative soul poured through this. This movie compelled me to share this.
Visually, the googley eye is the inverse of the bagel, so it counteracts it/ cancels it out. :)
So glad I found this. Keep it up! I'm subscribed and ready for more from you.
Thank you for your kind words! I plan to make an analysis on Waymond in the near future
@@ananythingbagel5197 that would be great! He's one of my Favorite characters and watching him made me and my nephew tear up.
Beautiful video
Gorgeous video thank you!
This movie is really a masterpiece. Its very psychological. It shows how powerful our mind is whenever we are subjected to different challenges. The conflict in our heads presented in a multiverse plot. Amazing!
Two extremes of existence can be seen between the Everything Bagel and Googly Eyes. I like Accented Cinemas take on how they are in direct opposition. The bagel seems like death, where the googly eyes make things appear alive. The contrast goes deeper than that.
To many people see nihilism as a toxic thing just because they want to see meaning in life. Evelyn didn't learn to fight nihilism, she embraced it to free herself from the stress of her mundane life(s). What she fought was sinking in to **despair** through nihilism. The bagel wasn't meaninglessness, it was despair and death.
Wow! Thanks! I'm subbed and hit the alert.
A great analysis! Thanks!!!
Great video, good luck to you.
Great video! For me a core theme of the film about the paradox of choice, even though never outright stated, which the regrets about the choices people make and the hope that more choices will provide happiness like the everything bagel represents, this felt like a criticism on modern life and how success and goal driven people spend their existence and still get nothing out of it.
Great analysis!
To me the multiverse was a representation of Evelyns escapism and redemption arc. At first she was dreaming of different lives and not engaged in real life and the consequences of this is she is destroying her actual life and that of her family's. Alpha waymond was a representation of an ideal husband and one that fought, the change came when this strategy died and Evelyn started to accept she was the the cause of her own life. The movie is like fight club and all parts are about Evelyns rejection and redemption.
The real power of family
Fantastic synopsis. Thank you so much, sir. May I ask if you could possibly slow down your pace a little when u speak, as an older person, I had to rewind quite a bit, bc I didn't want to miss any of your excellent perspectives. Just a suggest; no insult intented. Subscribed. ❤ So proud of you for making the foray into writing again.
Just in case you're not aware, you can change the video's playback speed for anything you watch on RUclips
Thank you for the feedback! I certainly will in the future :)
I was flabbergasted that nobody in the comments didn't understood the bagel is a torus. A torus being a 4d structure, 4d is the dimension of time. There's more outside the torus jobu had not seen all.
a masterpiece
This movie broke me down for two days.
Keep it up dude, great review. Subbed👏👏👏
Great video.
as i was describing the movie to a friend i said that it takes place mostly in china with a lot of chinese people in it but after rewatching it that turned out to be not so true, but it was nonetheless my impression of it so no wonder there is a lot for Chinese immigrants in this movie
I see something else completely. This entire movie is a fantasy that Wayman plays through his head every day, as in the real world his infinite patients and unconditional love had failed, his marriage fell apart and his daughter committed suicide. He was never alpha Wayman, never took control of his life, except in moments that meant nothing, he never gave his wife the instructions that could have prevented the death of his daughter, he never stood up to his father in law, he never stood up to or for his daughter, he never stood up to the irs auditor, and he lost everything because of the 2 most admirable but foolish of qualities. There is no multiverse, just the fantasies of a father and husband that lost everything, even wishing there could be a version of himself where and when he never pursued the woman he loves most, and she could have had a glorious life without him, where he even would run away from her, he believes as he sees her through rose tinted glasses.
For if it wasn’t for the alpha Wayman interluder and kibitzer, his wife would have destroyed everything.
Really, it’s a warning against self-righteousness, as all 4 members of the family start out in states of self-righteousness, and only through compassion, compromise, and communication can their problems be solved, but the nihilism shines through that it’s all a fantasy, and the truth is Joy went off that cliff, the irs took the house and business and Wayman filed for divorce, and all the years of hard work went to nought, as they all do.
If you need more of the Daniels you should watch Swiss army man
I made a comment about Absurdism because that's a more accurate description instead of optimistic nihilism. I was trying to reply to my comment and say that I hadn't finished watching the whole video since I realised you mention Absurdism at the end.
Not sure if my comment got deleted. Oh well. Good video!
Thanks! When writing this it was tough to discern which parts belonged to nihilism, optimistic nihilism, and absurdism, since I thought so many themes touched on all 3 at once. In the end I aligned Waymond's philosophy much more with optimistic nihilism, though I would say the movie as a whole likely fits the absurdist definition better. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Its more so about finding optimism in nihilism rather than "modern nihilism" what ever that it.
subscribed
Yep that's exactly what I thought. Camus and Nietzsche came to mind as I watched. Jobu was literally a God trying to kill him(her)self. God is dead but can he be resurrected? Does he(she) need to be resurrected? Perhaps not. Film of the year...decade. Instant cult classic
End of Evangelion's optimistic sister
What happens to the channel now?
I'm a bit overwhelmed with other stuff atm (ironic lol), but am hoping to put something out in a few weeks discussing this movie from an asian-american immigrant perspective!
This is the best, most in depth and thoughtful response to the movie I have been able to find. I don't fully agree with everything and, unlike most, I didn't really enjoy the movie, I just thought it was ok. It had some great qualities. For instance, I loved the way it was filmed, the colours, the textures, the feeling of the actual visuals, the set design and costume design and so much more. I really appreciated that. I also appreciated the basic premises of the film, the themes it explores and, in general the way it was explored, although I feel less enamored with the conclusion.
The facets of this movie that left me feeling like it was only ok are the inconsistencies, for one. Obviously this movie wasn't trying to be realistic and obviously it is full of absurdity, which is used often successfully, to lighten the mood and to entertain, but to really be effective, I think a story needs to choose the laws of reality that it will break and stick with those decisions. Otherwise it's too easy for anything at all to happen in order to move, or conclude a plot line, which is just lazy writing in my opinion. For example, at first, physical items cannot be brought with a character when jumping from one timeline to another, except Waymond manages it when he brings across the two ear pieces for his wife to wear? Ok, so maybe when one becomes adept at jumping timelines they can manage to bring physical items with them? The grandfather manages this quite well when he brings a high-teq wheelchair with him, he must be particularly adept, and it sure helped him fight. Joy's character displays godlike ability to manipulate physical reality, giving her almost endless power. Yet, despite Evelyn gaining as much insight into the multiverse as Joy, she never manages to manipulate reality, which would have been an extremely useful thing to do when fighting. I know this seems like nitpicking, and it wouldn't matter all that much if this were the sole inconsistency, but it's only one of many that ultimately distracted from the movie for me.
Another thing is that I didn't enjoy some of the acting all that much. Especially, for example, Waymond's character and especially in the beginning when the alpha verse version of Waymond first meets Evelyn. It was so cheesy and didn't feel authentic at all to me.
I also thought that the movie focused too heavily on the absurdity and fighting scenes and didn't spend enough time fleshing out the underlying philosophical themes. I felt it could have gone into so much more depth about existential nihilism, or more importantly Buddhism, the clash of Chinese and American culture, Chinese culture in and of itself, the context of post-modernity, technology, climate-change (or human impacts on the environment in general). Though I guess this somewhat to be expected from a film aimed at the general public, who don't seem to be aware of Buddhism? I'm surprised that next to no one seems to be picking up on the Buddhist influence in this film. Only one Guardian article points out that the west misses the point of EEAAO. According to the article "To boil down more than 2,000 years of Buddhist discourse - it is thought that all things exist only through our perception of said things. Therefore, they are without inherent meaning. They’re empty. This is expressed in the film’s multiverses." It continues; "In Buddhist thought, it’s our compassion that grounds us - makes us human - and emptiness isn’t the mark of nihilism and despair but an opportunity to leave behind the bad and cherish the good." It concludes that "Unfortunately, these points are often missed by a western audience and even the near wall to wall positive coverage of this film barely touches on its philosophical significance."
Ultimately, I enjoyed parts of the film, but I wouldn't watch it again. I felt it was lazy in its writing, was inconsistent and focused too heavily on absurd humour when it should have been diving deeper into the real meat of the story, the philosophy, without which the movie is simply a meaningless barrage of colours and gag.
Thank you for taking the time to write this out and share your thoughts! I agree that there were quite a few inconsistencies, especially in regards to the rules of the multiverse. For instance, Gong Gong's policy to kill Jobu in a universe as protocol- which makes us assume that Jobu actually only has control in universes Joy already physically exists in, but we later learn that they can even exist in universes where Joy was never born, even as rocks. From a worldbuilding/laws of the universe perspective, it's admittedly messy. That being said, I personally find it easy to forgive because I don't think the inconsistent multiverse laws / Alphaverse plot really mattered in the end to me, when the personal journeys of each character stole the spotlight.
In regards to fleshing out further philosophical themes, I agree that the opportunity certainly was there- but I am fine with the direction the Daniels' went instead. The movie is still a character and plot-driven narrative overall, and Evelyn was able to find peace with her own understanding of philosophy- regardless of whether or not it was shallow or fleshed out. Personally that is enough for me, as it was what she needed to solve her personal crisis.
Thanks for your comment! Other takeaways and perspectives like yours are great to read. I am definitely lacking in knowledge of buddhist philosophy compared to western ones, so I'll be sure to try to read up on that before my next rewatch. Cheers!
Wayman is the ubermensch
Yessss
Philosophically speaking, “optimistic nihilism” is nonsensical. I’d argue instead that, in the face of nihilistic (aka ontological fascistic) despair, to be “optimistic” in the parlance of the film is to actually just notice and chose to emphasize those things that actually give life meaning. Or, more directly, in the face of the sheer fact of even just the possibility of love, connection, kindness, etc, to be nihilistic is to be just as naive as one is of one avoids the difficulties of the world. That, in truth, the naive refusal to notice and emphasize love, connection, kindness, etc. (and thus be a nihilist / ontological fascist in that refusal) is to assist the forces of meaninglessness (aka naïveté) in their ignorant (emphasis on “ignore” in “ignorant”) destruction of life.
that was the stupidest effing movie i've ever seen. a bunch of confusing garbage.