Ke Huy Quan – We Are Movie Geeks

ZOOTOPIA 2 – Review

What’s this? Or maybe I should say, “What’s gnu?”. We’re almost at the end of the year, and we’ve got a flick that hits the usual Summer “sweet spot” twice. Yes, this is an animated feature, and it’s a sequel, though it’s been nine (!) years since the original opened, time enough for a whole new “moviegoer generation” (back before home video, Disney would re-release their classics every seven years, as a kind of “turn-over”). And much like the return of THE BAD GUYS, we’re back in a world without humans, just cute (mostly) adorable animals. And at the heart of the story is a most unlikely, very odd couple. Oh, and now they’re both “on the force”, so it’s “buddy cop” movie, too. The “Mouse House” hopes that everyone will want to join them on their new “case” in ZOOTOPIA 2.

After a brief flashback back to the finale of the original, we’re soon return to the wild streets of “Tundra Town” in Zootopia with Det. Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and her partner Det. Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Somehow the bust of a smuggling ring goes, well,”bust” as the bunny and fox end up destroying the statue of the beloved creator of the “Weather Wall” (which generates vastly different climates with the city, that allows the various mammals to co-exist). Of course, they’re reprimanded by their boss, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) and taken off patrol duty (riding a desk). But does this stop the ever-upbeat and curious Hopps? No, she spots a logo on footage of the smuggler’s van that connects it to a big fancy museum gala that will showcase the original design book of that Weather Wall with the offspring of the inventor, the wealthy and powerful Lynxley family in attendance. Hopps and Wilde don disguises and sneak in. But just as Hopps has a friendly meet up with the less-celebrated of those heirs, the bumbling shy Pawbert (Andy Samberg), someone cuts the lights and the treasured book is snatched. The police duo corner the thief, who is revealed to be a pit viper named Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan). How can this be? Reptiles were banished from Zootopia years ago. When Gary escapes, Hopps and Wilde must use all their sleuthing skills to learn the true origins of their home, before sinister forces destroy it.

Wisely the producers have assembled a stellar vocal cast mixing the usual celebrity “star” roster with a few cartoon voice vets like Maurice LaMarche (forever “The Brain”), Bob Bergen, and Debra Monk. Since he’s been so prolific “behind the mike” we could add Patrick Warburton, who is quite funny as actor turned politico Mayor Windancer ( love how he constantly whips his mane), along with Alan Tudyk (the studio’s “good luck charm”) as several supporting characters. As for the “big names”, Goodwin and Bateman are still are a terrific pairing as Hopps and Wilde with her sprite-like sunny energy and his laid-back cool. Ditto for Elba’s intimidating, “bass-heavy” Bogo. A few of the “newbies” really shine. Quan gives the slithery Gary a real sweetness as he tries to toss away his species’ “bad rep”. Samberg conveys a needy, goofy quality as Pawbert. As his father Milton Linxley, David Strathairn, is quite effective as the impossible to please tyrant of a papa. Another big addition comes from the world of stand-up as comic Fortune Feimster puts an energetic, frantic spin on the conspiracy-lovin’ podcast-hostin’ beaver, Nibbles Maplestick.

The directing team of Jared Bush (who doubles as screenwriter) and Byron Howard return to ensure the same excellent artistry of the original. This film will benefit from multiple viewings, since it’s almost impossible to consume all of the “eye candy” that fills nearly every frame with witty visual puns and bombastic sight gags. Everywhere, there’s a pun-filled sign or an interestingly garbed animal engaging in a wacky bit of business. Of course, the latter begins with the superb character design, ranging from towering elephants and rhinos to the diminutive mice and moles. The artisans really had a “field day” with Gary whose elastic coiling torso balances an almost angelic face (even with the fangs). But then all of the physical acting (such emotive gestures) are top-notch. Michael Giacchino contributes a score nearly as light and bouncy as his work on the Fantastic Four flick. Critter-loving kiddies should be in “hog heaven” as they ID the astounding variety on screen, though the too-convoluted conspiracy plot line (almost a stumper for Benoit Blanc) may leave them lost in the various twists and turns (simple’s always better, along with a slightly-shorter runtime). Otherwise, this is a superior bit of family entertainment, ZOOTOPIA 2 is a nice extra dessert (along with that pumpkin pie) for this Thanksgiving.

3 Out of 4

ZOOTOPIA 2 arrives in theatres everywhere on Wednesday, November 26, 2025

LOVE HURTS (2025) – Review

February has finally arrived, the month of romance with that big holiday for sweethearts almost “smack dab” in the middle. And naturally, the Hollywood studios are certainly ready to cater to the big occasion, perhaps making a trip to the cinema a fitting finale to an evening of bubbly, flowers, and swanky dinners. Now this year they’re not content to merely release a “swoony” romance or even a riotous “rom-com”. No, moviemakers are mixing things up with the two big releases this weekend. One adds elements of horror flicks and thrillers in HEART EYES. In another section of the multiplex is this “high-concept hybrid” which sprinkles in some “mushy stuff’ with a a fast and frenetic action crime thriller. And with all the roundhouse kicks and furious fists, it’s clear, and not an understatement, that LOVE HURTS.

The opening scene of the story takes us to suburban Milwaukee, where a lovely dark-haired woman exits a bus, whips out a big marker, and quickly vandalizes an ad on the bus stop bench. Getting the black ink embellishments is the image of the top salesman for Frontier Reality, Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan). Back at his own modest home, he whips up some Valentine’s cookies to dole out at an open house in a fairly new subdivision. He’s a bit annoyed by one of his defaced signs, but carries on, extolling the house to several possible buyers. A bit later he heads back to headquarters and checks in with his bored assistant Ashley (Lio Tipton). Ducking into his office, Marv is punched by someone in the shadows. When he comes to, Marvis is surprised to see an old “frenemy” the poetic knife-wielding assassin known as “The Raven” (Mustafa Shakir). Turns out that Marv was a former “enforcer” for a criminal gang run by his own brother, “Knuckles’ (Daniel Wu), who now believes that a former accountant named Rose, who embezzled several million dollars from him, is still alive. Since Marv was supposed to have eliminated her years ago, Raven wants Marv to reveal Rose’s hiding place. The surprised Marv gets the upper hand, dashes away to a model home, and is beset by two goons, Otis (Andre Eriksen) and King (Marshawn Lynch), sent by Knuckles’s new “right-hand man”, Merlo (Cam Gigandet). This new battle is soon halted by the arrival of the “lady in question”, the “back from the dead” Rose (Ariana DeBose). So, just why did Marv spare her life (the holiday is a big hint)? And can the duo, despite Marv’s “new persona” survive the henchman hordes dispatched by the enraged Knuckles? Could this be a new “Valentine’s Day massacre” for the 21st century?

In his first feature film outing (and first lead role) since his Oscar win for EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Quan is a delirious delight as the sweet, “mild-mannered” realtor who transforms into a whirling dervish of destruction. His mix of expert comic timing and physical prowess. much as with Jackie Chan and even going back to the silent clowns, Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd, make his milquetoast Marv a most unlikely action hero. Quan somehow balances his furious fighting with a kind and gentle demeanor that earned him so many fans during that 2023 awards season. Speaking of trophies, the actress who handed him the gold (a year after she received her own), DeBose makes Rose an enigmatic but playful femme fatale, as she draws the audience to her, perhaps to ponder and solve the mystery of this “lady on the run”. Her ultimate pairing with Quan is worth the wait as DeBose becomes his guide and coach, inspiring Marv to be his “true self”. But it takes their combined skills to confront the revenge squads sent out by Knuckles played with a banal, casual cruelty by the unpredictable Wu. Tipton excels as the emotionally numb Ashley (a spin on Aubrey Plaza in TV’s “Parks and Recreations”), earning laughs and pathos when the brooding killer poet played with dark intensity by Shakir ignites a spark of passion buried deep within her. There’s also comic chaos generated by the other main baddies, Gigandet, Eriksen, and the rampaging “human bulldozer” King played with good humor by former pro footballer Lynch. But the biggest comic support can be found in the smaller supporting roles of the captured crooked “bean-counter” given lots of manic energy, though he’s mainly taped into a chair by the the superb Rhys Darby, and the simple, but warm-hearted “good ole’ boy” boss of Marv played by Quan’s GOONIES pal Sean Astin, a nice guy scooped up in this underworld war.

And speaking of firsts, this is the first directing job for stunt coordinator Jonathan Eusebio, Perhaps this cemented a “simpatico” bond with his leading man since Quan was himself a “fall guy” for many years. And this accounts for the very creative fight sequences, full of energy and great wit, as Marv tries to quickly assess the situation and use all manner of nearby household items for defense and attack (staplers can inflict pain and block lots of deadly blades). Eusebio has a good visual eye, especially in an early variation of the montage, as prospective clients change as Marv strolls from room to room in the model house. The location work is also tops with Manitoba subbing very well for Milwaukee. Plus he expertly guides the cast as the script goes from slapstick romp to deadly sibling showdown. The biggest problem may be with the abundance of stunt scenes as they feel like “plate-spinning” as the story nears the big reveals and the finale. Thankfully the filmmakers probably realized this since the flick clocks in under ninety minutes (no need for a BRUTALIST intermission). Action fans will get their needed “fix” without feeling as though they’ve taken too many rapid kicks to the noggin. As I mentioned earlier, the pairing of Quan and DeBose makes an inspired couple of pain-relievers to ease the sting and aches when LOVE HURTS.

2.5 Out of 4

LOVE HURTS is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of LOVE HURTS

No matter how hard you try, you can’t break up with your past.

This Valentine’s Day, Oscar® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Loki) rockets into his first major leading man role as an unlikely hero, a seemingly mild-mannered realtor with a dark secret that he is desperate to leave behind. Spoiler alert: He won’t.

From 87North—producers of the groundbreaking action films Nobody, Violent Night, Bullet Train, Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy—comes a visceral, high-octane story of wrath and revenge.

LOVE HURTS opens in theaters on February 7.

The St. Louis screening is 7PM on Wednesday, February 5^th at Galleria 6 Cinema (6PM Suggested Arrival)

PASS LINK: http://gofobo.com/eMBhd00636

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

RATED R.

L to R: Ke Huy Quan is Marvin Gable and Ariana DeBose is Rose Carlisle in LOVE HURTS, directed by Jonathan Eusebio

Now, Marvin is thrust back into a world of ruthless hitmen, filled with double-crosses and open houses turned into deadly warzones. With his brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu; Tomb Raider, Warcraft), a volatile crime lord, hunting him, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly buried.

The film features a killer soundtrack and impressive and diverse cast that includes former NFL running back and Super Bowl champion Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch (Bottoms, 80 for Brady), Mustafa Shakir (Emancipation, Luke Cage), Lio Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love., Lucy), Rhys Darby (Jumanji: The Next Level, Yes Man), André Eriksen (Violent Night, The Trip) and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Perry Mason).

Produced by 87North’s Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, Love Hurts is written by Matthew Murray (Sheltered, CloudStreet: Soaring the American West) & Josh Stoddard (Warrior, Kaleidoscope) and Luke Passmore (Archenemy, Slaughterhouse Rulez). Guy Danella (Violent Night) is also producing. The executive producer is Ben Ormand.

Making his feature film directing debut on Love Hurts is acclaimed veteran stunt coordinator and fight coordinator JoJo Eusebio, whose credits include some of the greatest action films of the past decade including Black Panther, The Avengers, the John Wick films, The Matrix Resurrections, Violent Night, The Fall Guy and Deadpool 2. Eusebio also served as the second-unit director on Deadpool 2, Violent Night and Birds of Prey.

Watch The First Trailer For LOVE HURTS Starring Ke Huy Quan And Ariana DeBose

No matter how hard you try, you can’t break up with your past.

This Valentine’s Day, Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Loki) rockets into his first major leading man role as an unlikely hero, a seemingly mild-mannered realtor with a dark secret that he is desperate to leave behind. Spoiler alert: He won’t. From 87North—producers of the groundbreaking action films Nobody, Violent Night, Bullet Train, Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy—comes a visceral, high-octane story of wrath and revenge.

Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a realtor working the Milwaukee suburbs, where ‘For Sale’ signs bloom. Gable receives a crimson envelope from Rose (Oscar® winner Ariana DeBose; West Side Story, Argylle), a former partner-in-crime that he had left for dead. She’s not happy. Now, Marvin is thrust back into a world of ruthless hitmen, filled with double-crosses and open houses turned into deadly warzones. With his brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu; Tomb Raider, Warcraft), a volatile crime lord, hunting him, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly buried.

https://www.lovehurtsmovie.com

For those of you who watch the Academy Awards, Ariana DeBose presented Ke Huy Quan with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 95th Academy Awards. DeBose and Troy Kotsur presented the award to Quan for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

LOVE HURTS features a killer soundtrack and impressive and diverse cast that includes former NFL running back and Super Bowl champion Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch (Bottoms, 80 for Brady), Mustafa Shakir (Emancipation, Luke Cage), Lio Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love., Lucy), Rhys Darby (Jumanji: The Next Level, Yes Man), André Eriksen (Violent Night, The Trip) and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Ringstrilogy, Perry Mason).

LOVE HURTS opens in theaters February 7

L to R: Ke Huy Quan is Marvin Gable and Marshawn Lynch is King in LOVE HURTS, directed by Jonathan Eusebio

Ke Huy Quan is Marvin Gable in LOVE HURTS, directed by Jonathan Eusebio

KUNG FU PANDA 4 – Review

Since we’re nearly into Spring Break season for students, the studios are gearing up to release some sequels (usually a Summer staple). I suppose you could consider last weekend’s DUNE: PART TWO a sequel, though it’s really the conclusion of the original story. Ah, but this weekend’s big studio release is the latest entry in a “tentpole”, a franchise that’s now a teenager (sweet sixteen). Plus it’s an “all-ages” series with a”PG” rating that parents are always searching for (he’s been MIA at the multiplex for eight years now). It’s not from the “Mouse House”, but rather their biggest animation rival for a time. And this was the character they created that truly worked for me (I’m not a fan of the look of the big green ogre’s exploits). Watch out, and hold on to your snacks, as Master Po is back, and hungry as always, in KUNG FU PANDA 4. Skadoosh!!

This new adventure begins with a “call back” of sorts when some hard-working mineral minors are menaced by an old foe who should be chilling in the afterlife. Cut from the prologue to the happy patrons of the noodle shop run by Mr. Ping (voice of James Hong) and Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) who are thrilled to meet the Dragon Warrior himself, Po (Jack Black). But the festivities are cut short by a surprise visit from Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman). It seems that it’s time for Po to step up into the role of the spiritual leader of the valley creating the need for a new DW. Auditions are held, but Po isn’t quite ready to decide. Things get more complicated when he stops a skilled “sneak thief, a fox named Zhen (Awkwafina) from looting the Jade Museum. After she’s handed over to the jailer, those miners, from the opening scene, arrive to beg for help. Po is baffled that an old foe is back until Zhen mentions that this is the work of the shape-shifting master criminal The Chameleon (Viola Davis). Naturally, Zhen can lead Po right to her. The fox is put into his custody and soon the duo are on the way to her hometown, the bustling Juniper City. Along the way, they must hire a boat to take them across the vast sea. Unfortunately, the captain of such a vessel, is at a truly dangerous “dive bar”, the “Happy Rabbit”. But the danger really kicks (get it) in J.C. as they earn the wrath of the local police while trying to enlist the aid of Zhen’s old cohorts in the “Den of Thieves”. And with Ping and Li only a few hours behind him, can Po keep them all out of danger and defeat the devious, cunning Chameleon, or will his new temporary partner (the “Furious Five” are all battling evil elsewhere) pull a “fast one” on the lovable ursine?

So how can an actor be so energetic in a role he’s been “voicing” since 2008? Answer me that, Mr. Black! Perhaps that’s a big part of the near-universal appeal of the panda named Po. But it’s not all “hollerin’ and whoopin’ it up”, as Black shows us the sweet side of the bear, even giving us a touch of the caring teacher. That’s especially the case in his scenes with Zhen, whose streetwise, fast-talkin’ delivery comes from the very busy Awkwafina (this is her second Dreamworks character). Her wisecracks and “burns” keep pace with the fox’s manic slapstick, although we get some dramatic shading in the big finale. And the two are a terrific team, almost matched by Hong and Cranston as the two bickering but united “daddies”, an animalized “odd couple”. Well, there’s a third papa if you consider Hoffman’s Shifu who is still a perfect peeved straight man, er…red panda, to the exasperating Po. The story also benefits from a couple of inspired new voice actors. Ke Huy Quan is quite engaging as Zhen’s former “father figure” Han, the armadillo-like (a Sunda pangolin to be precise) who rolls about the underground lair of the underworld. It’s been said that a great villain reflects on the hero, and Davis is a treat as the regal, silky, sneering Chameleon who imbues venom into every command and taunt.

Making this sprawling action/fantasy yarn proved to be a task for two terrific directors, Stephanie Stine and Mike Mitchell, who deliver the comedy and the pathos with equal aplomb. The staging of the stunt setpieces is truly amazing, defying gravity and using it as another threat, as in the big brawl in the pub teetering on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea (one character even asks, “Who thought this was a good location?”). The directing duo also guided an army of tremendous artisans in the look of the environments (Juniper City dazzles above and below ground) and the design of the new characters from shifty alligators to snarling wolves and even a trio of sadistic bunnies (shades of that white rabbit that bedeviled those Holy grail seekers). I was especially impressed by the constant flow of Juniper City foot (well paw and claw) traffic. The artistry is enhanced by a clever script that sports a few wild twists and a big finale that salutes the previous big-screen epics. Sure, some will be missing the “Furious Five”, but those returning characters and the new friends and enemies more than “take up the slack”. If desired this is a great send-off for the series, even as the end credits hint at a possible new direction(s). If we return to the Valley of Peace, audiences will be “pleased as Po” if they’re as well done (ala Ping’s noodles) as KUNG FU PANDA 4.

3 Out of 4

KUNG FU PANDA 4 is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win A Family 4-Pack Of Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of KUNG FU PANDA 4

THIS SPRING, AWESOMENESS RETURNS! JACK BLACK IS BACK IN DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S KUNG FU PANDA 4. RATED PG. IN THEATERS MARCH 8TH

https://www.kungfupandatickets.com/

The special screening is 7PM on Tuesday, March 5th at Galleria 6 Cinemas (6PM Suggested Arrival) .

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

10 winners will receive 4 passes to the screening.

GET YOUR PASSES HERE: http://gofobo.com/IwIIA76314

After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems.

First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar® winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. So, Po’s going to need some help.

He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

The film features the voice talent of returning stars Academy Award® winner Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master, Shifu; James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Academy Award® nominee Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li, and Emmy Award nominee Ian McShane as Tai Lung, Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis. Oscar® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the ensemble as a new character, Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is directed by Mike Mitchell (DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls, Shrek Forever After) and produced by Rebecca Huntley (DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys). The film’s co-director is Stephanie Ma Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power). In 2008, the Academy Award®-nominated 2008 inaugural chapter, Kung Fu Panda, became DreamWorks Animation’s highest-grossing original animated film and launched a franchise that has earned more than $1.8 billion at the global box-office.

Watch The Brand New Trailer For KUNG FU PANDA 4

This spring, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, with a hilarious, butt-kicking new chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4.

Check out the brand new trailer.

That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position.

Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar^® winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.

So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

The filmfeatures the voice talent of returning stars Academy Award^® winner Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master, Shifu; James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once)as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Academy Award^® nominee Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li, and Emmy Award nominee Ian McShane as Tai Lung, Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis. Oscar^® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the ensemble as a new character, Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is directed by Mike Mitchell (DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls, Shrek Forever After) and produced by Rebecca Huntley (DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys). The film’s co-director is Stephanie Ma Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power). In 2008, the Academy Award^®-nominated 2008 inaugural chapter, Kung Fu Panda, became DreamWorks Animation’s highest-grossing original animated film and launched a franchise that has earned more than $1.8 billion at the global box-office.

© 2023 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

(from left) The Chameleon (Viola Davis), (right) Tai Lung (Ian McShane) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

Marvel Studios Drops First “LOKI” Season 2 Teaser – Streaming October 6 On Disney Plus

Today, Disney+ released a brand-new trailer and poster to celebrate the upcoming second season of Marvel Studios’ “Loki.” The first season of “Loki” is the most watched Marvel Studios series on Disney+, and the second season promises new excitement as it thrusts the infamous God of Mischief into a new set of adventures with the TVA.

The series stars Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, Neil Ellice, with Jonathan Majors, Ke Huy Quan and Owen Wilson.

Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Dan Deleeuw and Kasra Farahani direct episodes. The head writer is Eric Martin. Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Kevin R. Wright, Tom Hiddleston, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Eric Martin and Michael Waldron are the executive producers, with Trevor Waterson serving as co-executive producer.

Benson & Moorhead previously directed two episodes of Marvel Studios’, Moon Knight (2022).

Composer Natalie Holt returns to write the score for season 2 .

Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.

Marvel Studios’ “Loki” Season 2 begins streaming on October 6, exclusively on Disney+.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

LOKI, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. © 2023 MARVEL.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE – Review

*Michelle Yeoh in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. Photo Credit: Courtesy of A24*

Michelle Yeoh gives a tour-de-force performance in the wildly creative EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, as a weary middle-aged laundromat owner whose marriage is failing, business is being audited by the IRS and daughter is becoming estranged – and is the only person who can save the multiverse. The genre-bending, entertaining, crazy EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE actually is all about everything, as Mrs Wang (Yeoh) – Evelyn – confronts her life, choices and everything about life, as she bounces from alternate universe to alternate universe. Michelle Yeoh is the driving force behind this crazy, hard-to-categorize film that is part comedy, mind-bending sci-fi adventure, visual effects extravaganza, martial arts action-er, and family drama. Yeoh is its dazzling star, as this unlikely heroine.

Mrs. Wang’s (Yeoh) American dream hasn’t worked out. She had big dreams when she married Waymond Wang (Ke Huy Quan) against her parents wishes and ran off to America. Buying their own business, a laundromat, was supposed to be a ticket to prosperity. Now Mrs. Yang feels all the work falls on her, handling the business and the books while her silly, impractical husband pastes googly eyes on everything and her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) is often off with her non-Chinese girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel). Mrs. Wang is preparing for a birthday party for her elderly, widowed, wheelchair-bound father Gong Gong (a wonderful James Hong), who lives with her but still scolds her about marrying against his wishes. On top of it all, Mrs. Wang has an appointment with stern IRS agent Deirdre Beaubeirdra (an unrecognizable Jamie Lee Curtis) who is auditing the Wangs’ business. On her way to the appointment, something very strange happens to Evelyn Wang: she is contacted by a visitor from a parallel universe, who begs for her help to save the multiverse. The visitor looks just like her husband but isn’t him, and hands her an earbud that is a way to blip between universes, where she has very different lives.

Sounds like a mental break, doesn’t it? And the fact that this movie does not start out in the realm of superheroes feeds that skeptical sensation, but it also actually adds to the intrigue of the story as we go down this rabbit hole. Much of the action takes place in the IRS office, in various universes, but Evelyn also gets to sample what her life would be like in other worlds, if she has followed another life path.

In one of the weirder universes, everyone has long fingers that look like hot dogs, and in another, Evelyn is a famous performer. There are common elements to the universes, like a Bollywood movie on the TV and a RATATOUILLE running joke, Evelyn’s life is very different, for better or worse. All the while, the threat to all existence is pressing in, a threat in the form of a bagel with everything – literally everything.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE feels somewhat like a cross between a Charlie Kaufman and a Jackie Chan film, with a lot of other things thrown in. This film asks some deep philosophical questions and puts us in a mind-twisting world, but also features comedy, marital arts, romance, and family drama, all with an unlikely heroine forced into a situation where she must do extraordinary things. This wild yet gripping tale, which is divided into three chapters, was directed and written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known collectively as the Daniels.

What pulls it all together is Michelle Yeoh’s remarkable performance. It is a rare thing to see a middle-aged ordinary woman at the center of a movie, but Yeoh makes the most of the opportunity to break preconceived ideas. At first, Evelyn Yang is angry and exhausted, frustrated with her life and full of regrets, yet seeing no way out. The visitor from the older world looks like her husband but is clearly not, an experience Evelyn finds disconcerting to say the least. In other universes, Evelyn has different skills and as she flips between them and battles adversaries, her confidence grows. It gives Yeoh a chance to play multiple roles at once and gives the audience the chance to see her display her famous physical skills.

Jamie Lee Curtis is hilarious as the stern IRS agent who becomes a murderous adversary in an alternate universe. She leads a pack of fighters are bent to preventing Evelyn from saving the multiverses and are allied with a shadowy villain called Jobu Tupaki. Later, we see another side to her because nothing and no one is simple in this film.

This wild tale is as visually dazzling as its gifted star Michelle Yeoh. Some of the worlds are as surreal and colorful as a vivid dream or crazy as an acid trip, and as detailed as Tibetan mandala. Flipping between worlds is handled brilliantly, spinning is around as Yeoh’s character is but landing us on our feet long enough to follow the action.

At once silly and serious, this film is endlessly inventive and creative. The visual effects are a delight, and often played with a tongue-in-cheek humor, but directors Kwan and Scheinert keep us from descending into confusion. The pacing is frenetic, and relentless, and dividing the tale into chapters gives the audience a brief moment to catch their collective breath. We never know what twist is headed our way, but it is a delightful wild ride.

The film is an impressive accomplishment but such an enjoyable film that some audiences may not quite realize that, because they are so swept up in its wild ride. This is the rare kind of film with the potential to wow both critics and audiences, at least for anyone with any taste for fantasy or science fiction at all.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE opens in theaters on Friday, Apr. 8.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

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