By Maggie Ma
When the Asian-American ensemble cast film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” released last spring, not a lot of people believe it will end up to be the front-runner of Oscars season. But after winning Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, and winning Best Picture at Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, it went on winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Editing at the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards held on January 15th, becoming the biggest winner that night. It’s clearly that this little film has won the American critics’ hearts. This will furth boost its chance to get Oscar Best Picture nomination this month.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” tells a story of a Chinese immigrant Evelyn, facing middle-age crisis from both work and family at the same time. Just when she felt hopeless and exhausted, she accidently found out that she had super power to transport to multi-universes. After seeing her lives in different universe, Evelyn started doubting her choice of coming to America and getting married. It seems that she can live a better life in another universe. Should she give up her family and choose another life?
This sci-fi plus action film is full of crazy ideas and physical comedies, which certainly surprised and appreciated by the audiences. No one has seen anything like it and just like it’s title, there are so many unexpected things happening at the same time. Audiences can also relate well with Evelyn facing the pressure of tax season and being a hard-working first-generation immigrant. The movie is a huge success in box office and has gained great buzz from the press and the audiences. It’s very hard for a spring release to enter the awards season, yet this little film with mostly Asian cast had done it without going to any major film festivals. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is certainly a miracle in this awards season and may continue breaking records in the coming guilds awards and Oscars in March .
Ke Huy Quan, who continues to win the Best Supporting Actor for this film, said at the Critics Choices Awards that he is so grateful to film critics and journalists for giving this film a good reviews, so that such a small film with Asian cast can be seen by more people. He also appreciated that journalists have reminded people about his pass acting jobs and background, giving him a second chance to be recognized by Hollywood. The directors / Writers of this film, Dan Kwan and Daniel Schnatter, AKA “the Daniels” also thanked the leading actress Michelle Yeoh, because of her reputation, more critics and audiences would be interested in seeing the film. A side note is that the script was originally written for KungFu master Jackie Chan but he was not available to do it, then they decided to change the leading man to a female character and asked Michelle Yeoh to star. Michelle said at first, she thinks the script was crazy but really interesting at the same time. Michelle was also nominated for Best Actress but lost to another brilliant actress Cate Blanchett from “Tar”. They will most likely continue this competition at the Oscars.
Actor Brandon Fraser, who has taken a break from his acting career also made a great comeback this year, won the Best Actor for a small budget film “The Whale” The film , which adapted from a play , was premiered at Venice Film Fest and Toronto Film Fest and had gained great buzz since then. He portrayed a 600 pounds man Charlie who was suffering from obesity and guilt and has been praised by the critics for his performance. After sexual harassment by a Golden Globe voter, Brandon had disappeared from Hollywood big screen but luckily he made a comeback this year. He cried when he won at the Critics Choice Awards, and said on stage: “If you are struggling like the Charlie who I played in the film, as if trapped in a dark deep sea, I hope you know: if you can do your best to stand up and walk into the sun, good things will happen!”
Netflix was also a big winner that night. Their “Pinocchio” won the best animated feature film; star ensemble murder mystery film “Glass Onion 2” won the Best comedy and Best group performance awards. Indian film “RRR” won Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Song.
The Critics’ Choice Awards are voted by more than 500 film critics and reporters in the United States. Although the composition of the voters does not coincide with the Oscars, it still has a great impact on the Oscars nomination because it is broadcast on the CW and the results of the awards are announced before the Oscars Nomination. Thus, studios and celebrities would see this award as a good opportunity to gain more exposure to the Academy voters.
Here are the winners of the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards:
BEST PICTURE
Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – Tár
BEST ACTOR
Brendan Fraser – The Whale
BEST DIRECTOR
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST LIMITED SERIES
The Dropout (Hulu)
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul (AMC)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
BEST TALK SHOW
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Claudio Miranda – Top Gun: Maverick
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino – Babylon
BEST EDITING
Paul Rogers – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Elvis
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: The Way of Water
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Daniel Radcliffe – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird (Apple TV+)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul (AMC)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
RRR
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout (Hulu)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Ruth E. Carter – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
BEST SCORE
Hildur Guðnadóttir – Tár
BEST SONG
Naatu Naatu – RRR
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Sarah Polley – Women Talking
BEST COMEDY
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Gabriel LaBelle – The Fabelman
