Film Review round up- 2 Oscar nominees + latest Marvel

 

Everything Everywhere All at Once definitively lives up to its title. In a frenetic and remarkable narrative, there is so much content, so many twists and turns that you could feel overwhelmed yet you will likely end up satisfied. Middle aged Chinese American Evelyn Wang is deep in debt, struggling to run her laundry business with the IRS watching her every unpaid bill. Her husband Waymond is about to serve divorce papers (albeit for the sweetest reason) while she tries to find a way to explain to her demanding father that her daughter Joy is gay. Then one day when the family are in the IRS offices Waymond is suddenly taken over by a more confident `alternative` version of himself from the Alphaverse – one of an infinite number of alternatives - who is trying to stop his dimension’s version of Joy who could destroy the entire multiverse. 

 

The expected route for a story concerning multiple versions of the present day would be high tech and serious but this is a riot as the panicky Evelyn finds herself able to draw on all kinds of unexpected abilities from her alternative selves. It’s a bracing ride as characters morph from one personality to another giving the cast great opportunities which they embrace with gusto. The always fabulous Michelle Yeoh is tremendous as Evelyn is hurled from one possibility to another and there are cracking performances too from Key Huy Quan as the good hearted Waymond, Stephanie Hsu as Joy and complete with an astonishing look Jamie Lee Curtis as the fearsome IRS inspector Deirdre.

There are plenty of antecedents for the concepts featured – not least Marvel but going back further The Terminator and Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy amongst others- but few of them portray the ideas with the same charm and likeability. The story remains wedded to Evelyn’s life so the alternative versions of her are all aspirations from the past representing an escape from her dreary life while Waymond’s are more heroic versions of his meek persona determined to prove that Evelyn can be the best version of herself. Joy’s `villainy` is in fact no more or less than a daughter seeking love and understanding. What it also shows is that underneath what people need is each other, though I’ve rarely seen a more surreal way of demonstrating that idea. More than anything the narrative is about everyone finding a place in what may seem like a chaotic life. So while the means may seem high concept it’s actually a very personal journey that Evelyn takes.

Like the best sci-fi by keening close to issues everyone can relate to the film gets away with some outrageous ideas including a world where people have hot dogs for fingers (this is the biggest LOL moment), a chef (Harry Shum Jr who moves like a modern day Charlie Chaplin) whose cooking is secretly done by a raccoon under his hat in a big nod to Ratatouille. We watch two seemingly inanimate rocks talking via subtitles and a giant bagel into which people are pulled like some sprinkle covered Stargate! There’s also enough king fu action to satisfy any martial arts fanatic with the production turning a lower budget into an advantage. The amazing and the everyday clash in a vivid manner while directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert gleefully play with styles and genres as well as some nods to other well known films, notably 2001. The results are unexpected, captivating and rewarding. All at once!

Twenty years on from The Pillowman (still one of the most astonishing plays I’ve ever seen) Martin McDonagh’s dark humour has become even grimmer if slightly less wordy. His latest film, The Banshees of Inisherin already laden with award nominations, is a strange tale set in 1923 and reuniting Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell in a story of broken friendship on the remote Irish location of Inisherin. At its core is a truth that we sometimes discover- a friend may become less interesting to us or vice versa. It’s nobody’s fault especially, but people take different paths. One day instead of meeting up at the pub as they always do Colm (Gleeson) tells Padraic (Farrell) he no longer wishes to speak with him. He gives no reason leaving Padraic baffled and, when the latter presses it, Colm threatens to cut off one of his fingers very time the other man talks to him.

The results spiral in a sort of macabre comedy that examines how toxic small communities can become and the sense of isolation they create. Is life all about living or simply passing the time before death? McDonagh’s script uses repetition of phrases to underscore the claustrophobia and has Padraic obsess on smaller things like whether or not he is dull. Donkeys and dogs play a prominent part in proceedings.  Colm’s reasons become clearer though as matters progress it’s hard to pick a side in what develops into a more serious matter. The film is also an allegory for male conflict and how it can escalate which could also be applied to the Irish civil war which we see rumbling in the distance. How far will either side go if neither will step back? The argument that never really was becomes the divide that changes both men.

Despite the storyline the film manages to bring Gleeson and Farrell together enough times to enjoy the way they act off each other and there’s strong support from Kerry Condon as Padraic’s sister who is already planning her own escape and Barry Keoghan who adds another impressive role to his roster as the simple minded Dominic. The film belongs to Gleeson and Farrell though as they navigate McDonagh’s undertow in interesting ways. There are some laugh out loud moments and wit aplenty but they are matched by shocks. It’s a tall tale to be sure but packed with nuances that ring true.

 The Quantum Realm is a microscopic dimension depicted fully for the first time in Marvel’s latest feature The Antman and the Wasp- Quantumania. It’s colourful topography is populated by strange creatures of all kinds including some very odd looking inhabitants. It is also under the power of Kang the Conqueror whose role owes much to events that happened when Janet van Dyne was stuck in the realm for five years. Believing him to be in the same predicament she helped him rebuild his ship only to discover his ill intent and was able to sabotage his tech and trap him there. As might be expected of someone with the sobriquet `Conqueror` Kang has subjugated the people while waiting an opportunity to escape. When Janet’s family including Scott Lang aka Antman are sucked into the realm he is coming for them to enable his escape into the real world. At least I think that’s what is happening. See, this movie is vivid and fun enough but also propelled by as much technology on screen as it is behind the cameras.

Despite spirited performances all round- Paul Rudd, Jonathan Majors and Michelle Pfeiffer are all excellent- its difficult to be overly thrilled by such a barrage of visual FX. Apart from the scenes which bookend the film, the whole running time takes place in the Quantum realm which is entirely digitally rendered. There is talk of impending danger but without any real world counterpoint these events seem cut off from anything familiar. While it is undoubtedly impressive to see what can be created by such an idea it also makes one more aware of what is missing.