Emotional drama drawing Oscar buzz

By George Gust

With the Oscars this weekend, we’ can (finally) put the films of 2022 to rest. Much of the leadup to the Academy Awards ceremony reads like a horse race of public opinion, and throughout the year there have been no more bigger swings in opinion than with this year’s Oscar front-runner “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.” During its original theatrical run, it was the odd independent film could- showed strong numbers for a movie that has a high concept premise and wholly original cast of characters. Now it has gone from an anomaly of box office to success to critically praised to critically re-evaluated and now to Oscar front-runner, but is this film worthy of Oscars’ top honor?

“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” follows a middle-aged Chinese immigrant (Michelle Yeoh) who 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.

“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” is a movie that eludes categorization. There are plenty of recognizable elements in the film, but the overall experience of this movie feels completely original. And this balance between the familiar and the extraordinary is where this movie succeeds the most. At its heart the story is a grounded emotional family drama that features complex and layered characters, but the all the trappings surrounding the heart are heighted to an extreme degree with mind-bending ideas and quirky visual representations of those ideas.

Holding the proceedings together for this off-thewall bonkers movie is the fantastic performances all around. Centered on Yeoh as the linchpin, she’s continuing to show that she’s capable of delivering on the full spectrum between action super-star and emotional matriarch who is thrust into an unthinkable po- sition of saving the universe. In support, Jamie Lee Curtis is phenomenal as the tax auditor who’s putting pressure on Yeoh’s business and Ke Huy Quan turns in a particularly emotional and connected performance as Yeoh’s husband who has stumbled into this off kilter existence.

Overall, “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” is a movie that is not exactly a crowd-pleaser in the traditional sense but does deliver a surprisingly emotional drama with the trappings of a fun and wild multiverse story. The uniqueness, yet dramatic accessibility of “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” make it the award season’s darling and deservedly so. It’s not likely to be recreated and some of the visual style and tone may not match the taste of general audiences, but the completely original and fun exploration of the world created by “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” is an experience that shouldn’t be missed by film lovers with a strong stomach for the bizarre.

“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” is rated R for some violence, sexual material and language.

4.5 out of 5 stars

To reach George Gust for a comment on this review, please e-mail gust.george@gmail.com

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Officials recommend healthy diet

Shape Your Future, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), encourages Oklahomans to participate in National Nutrition Month this month and start, or recommit, to healthy goals in 2023.

Shape Your Future is celebrating the monthlong observance by sharing tips and advice to make healthy eating easier.

“Healthy eating is vital to good health, and encouraging kids to develop that habit early can help them maintain good health throughout their lives,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director.

“Small changes like filling half your plate with fruits and veggies or getting children involved in preparing meals can help to improve the health of the whole family.”

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created National Nutrition Month to promote nutrition education and information.

One way Oklahomans can find nutritious food is by shopping at a local farmers market, and Shape Your Future can help. Try the Farmers Market Locator to find a market near you.

Another great way to get fresh produce, and some physical activity, is to grow your own garden.

Crossword Puzzle

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Layla Oliver, 7, and her brother Maurick Oliver, 8, played the scavenger hunt during a Feb. 25 visit to the Arcadia Round Barn. Their parents are Tim and Sarah Oliver.