“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is one of the best reviewed films of the year and could be in line for some Oscar glory, but some of the film’s fans took their aggression too far when it came to calling out critics who declined to put the genre-bending (and blockbusting) A24 film on their Top 10 list.
Daniel Kwan, one half of the directing duo known as “Daniels” behind the movie, took to Twitter to ask fans of “Everything Everywhere” to stop aggressively tweeting at critics and publications that don’t put the film on their year-end list.
“The algorithm pushed this onto my timeline, and as one of the people who made the film, this aggression will not stand, man,” Kwan said in a tweet that included a screenshot of some of the vitriol being spewed.
“I know the end of year discourse on film twitter can be toxic af with all of the ‘Best of’ lists that come out, but this really needs to stop,” he continued. “The act of ranking any piece of art is so absurd and should only be seen as an incredibly personal and subjective endeavor. This was an incredible year for movies and there is so much to celebrate, why waste your time on anger? (it’s a rhetorical question, I know the algorithms have been training us to chase these emotions, capitalism has taught us to see everything as a zero sum game blah blah blah).”
Kwan noted that “a healthy industry requires a diverse range of films finding their own success,” adding that he’s “grateful to the fans who love this film and have made it their own” and saying, “I know for many, this story and characters mean a lot so any slight towards the film feels like a personal attack, but lashing out does everyone a disservice (and is coutnteractive to the film’s message).”
The “Swiss Army Man” co-director continued, “Next time you see something about our film that makes you angry, take a step back, remind yourself why you fell in love with our movie. Those feelings are infinitely more important to you than any list from some critic who has a completely different lived experience from you.”
And speaking to a likely awards season presence for “Everything Everywhere,” Kwan attempted to cut outrage off at the pass.
“To even be a part of the conversation is an honor. To have created something that has connected with so many passionate people is enough (seriously please no more validation, I’m drowning),” he said before adding, “(all of the above applies to the rest of the Oscar season, especially after the nominations/winners are announced. Seriously fam, I want to see absolutely no bullies, no meanies, no buttheads acting out on behalf of our film post-Oscar announcements.)”
Kwan concluded with a message he asks be sent to any fan who “crosses a line” in the future. Read the full Twitter thread below.