Month: April 2022

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Review

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a magnificent achievement of original filmmaking that brings heart and creativity to the forefront.

CREDIT: A24

10/10

I will be 100% honest with you all, the first time I watched the trailer for Everything Everywhere All at Once I did not have the reaction the rest of the internet had. I don’t really know what didn’t captivate me from it but it just didn’t. I would continue to watch this trailer before multiple films at the cinema and I still felt no inkling of major excitement for this film. I still very much planned to watch it, but I was nowhere near being excited for this as other films that are to be released in the coming weeks. Well, sit back, relax, and let me talk to you all about my favorite movie of the year so far.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Swiss Army Man) or simply known as Daniels. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The film had its world premiere at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The film looks at an elderly Chinese immigrant who has to save the world by interacting with each iteration of her in the vast multiverse. Yeah, that does indeed sound like a lot and no she is not wearing a cape or the sorcerer supreme though I would not be entirely against Michelle Yeoh as Sorcerer Supreme. I am sure that we all can agree we need as much Michelle Yeoh in our lives as possible.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is mesmerizing original filmmaking at its finest that packs many punches. I found myself laughing, smiling, and crying throughout its runtime, and when a film can do all that while keeping my attention it is truly a special piece of art. It’s woven together by heart, an interesting stylistic approach, and clever writing that keeps you hooked until the very end. I loved every single performance from Ke Huy Quan’s charming and electrifying Waymond Wang who serves as the anchor to Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn Wang. The chemistry between Yeoh and Hsu is beautiful to watch unravel especially as Yeoh learns more and more through her different versions of herself how to be a better mother and partner. It’s those tender moments of the film that truly captures the essence of the Daniels’ beautifully crafted film. Everything Everywhere All at Once is unlike anything I have ever seen before and is a breath of fresh air in this current state of cinema that we find ourselves in.

Watch Everything Everywhere All at Once in theaters.

‘The Power of the Dog’ Review

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

Jane Campion constructs a patient and contemplative psychological western constructed around its expert craftsmanship.

CREDIT: Netflix

8.5/10

The 94th Academy Awards might have come and gone already, but in an effort to add more reviews to the site I am deciding to write about as many of these films as I can. Of course, some of these films we have covered on the podcast like Nightmare Alley (2021), Dune (2021), Raya and the Last Dragon, Luca, and most recently Flee. The Power of the Dog leads this year with a well-deserved 12 nominations like Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and more. Where did this stack up against the rest of the nominees?

The Power of the Dog is written and directed by Jane Campion and is based on the novel by Thomas Savage. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie, Genevieve Lemon, Keith Carradine, and Frances Conroy. The film is shot by Ari Wegner who is known for also shooting Zola last year. The film’s musical composition is provided by Jonny Greenwood.

The Power of the Dog is a psychological western where we meet two brothers Phil and George Burbank, and we follow each of their journeys throughout 1920s Montana. Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a cattle driver who has assumed leadership of his group since the death of his mentor Buck Henry. Bill Burbank (Jesse Plemons) is another cattle driver who eventually falls in love with widow Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst) who takes care of her brother Peter Gordon (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Life on this Montanna ranch isn’t easy as Phil terrorizes the Gordon siblings while hiding a prominent part of his life from the public light. What we are presented is a mesmerizing and patient film about toxic masculinity, sexuality, and the mystical aura of the American West.

The Power of the Dog took home the Best Director award honoring the brilliant direction by Jane Campion. Ari Wegner’s cinematography is masterful and it really captures the essence of what the film is trying to capture about the American West. Every single performer in this film gives a captivating performance but it is our main performances that truly set the chemistry of the cast. Jonny Greenwood’s score profoundly excels to provide the atmosphere of the film. Its strong themes of sexuality and masculinity allow the film to explore aspects of Western films that are usually not explored. The film’s biggest complaint in the film space is the runtime, but I think for its runtime the film is actually paced well. I definitely felt the first half worked a lot more than the second, but when push came to shove The Power of the Dog still found a way to keep my attention.

This is my first film by director Jane Campion but after watching this I will be checking out more of her work. Watch The Power of the Dog on Netflix.