When I watched Everything Everywhere All at Once for the first time last year, I didn’t know what to expect.
The film synopsis was confusing and vague, but I saw it received good reviews and had an almost all-Asian cast with Michelle Yeoh in the lead role, so I decided to give it a go. After sitting through the 140-minute runtime, I’m glad I did. I've also since rewatched it twice. In addition to coincidentally having the same first name as Yeoh’s lead protagonist Evelyn, I found myself very connected to the film.
Despite all the plotlines that were touched on in the multiverse-spanning movie, the simple story of a Chinese-American immigrant family just trying to get by was the one that easily stood out to me the most.
For example, in the film, Evelyn and her husband Waymond are small business owners who run a laundromat and have to deal with annoying customers. This reminded me of my own parents, who immigrated to the US from China and Hong Kong, and became restaurant owners in their quest for the "American Dream".
While it might not mean much to other people, it was cathartic to see what felt like a shared experience being played out on screen. Being able to connect with something this simple made me wonder: if I had seen these examples when I was younger, would things have been different for me as I was part of one of only two Chinese families in a predominantly white town in Massachusetts?
In the past few years, there have been more films with Asian casts, as well as films from Asia, crossing over to mainstream audiences. The explosion of Hallyu from South Korea has also played a major role with K-pop, K-dramas and K-beauty seemingly everywhere while shows from Japan such as Alice in Borderland, Terrace House and Old Enough have also found success on Netflix.
Suddenly, being Asian actually seems very cool.
Growing up, there were so many times when I didn’t really know who I wanted to be. I’ve written before about my identity crisis when it comes to being Chinese but also being American and the difficulty in figuring out how to seamlessly combine the two.
I spent years trying to figure myself out in places that weren’t right for me. I’d watch make-up tutorial videos for eyes that weren’t shaped like mine or want to cut my hair in styles that weren’t meant for straight, thick Asian hair. Instead of just trying to lean into who I was, I wanted to find ways to be like everyone else because of that lack of Asian representation around me.
I think these days it would have been easier, thanks to things such as social media and streaming services. Asian representation is not only way more visible but is also embraced and celebrated. Sometimes it amazes me to see how many people from around the world can connect and bond thanks to something like K-pop or K-dramas.
Unfortunately, when I was younger, these things didn’t quite exist, at least not in the way they do now.
When I was 12, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (which also starred Yeoh, who was arguably snubbed for an Oscar then, though is up for Best Actress this year) garnered attention as it was a box office hit and won Best Foreign Language Film for Taiwan at the Academy Awards in 2001. But I just couldn’t relate to the film about martial arts heroes in ancient China, no matter how gracefully shot it was and how beautiful of a story it told.
It wouldn’t be until 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians — which again happened to have Yeoh in it — that for the first time, at 30, I saw characters I could relate to and that also looked beautiful while on the big screen. It felt like a watershed moment for Hollywood, finally putting out a film with an all-Asian cast for the first time since 1993’s Joy Luck Club.
But then it turns out, we didn’t really need Hollywood anyway. In the past few years, South Korea, Japan and China have since proven they are more than capable of making their own hit films without needing any western help. The best example is Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which became the first non-English movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020 among other accolades.
These days, it feels differently and rightfully so. Even if Hollywood is still slow to adapt, there are so many other places to find representation. Come Sunday night, I hope Yeoh finally gets her moment. I hope little Asian girls and young aspiring Asian actresses know that they can do it too. And even if they think they can’t, it's never too late to blaze their own path in this world.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jesse%20V%20Johnson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Rooker%2C%20Bruce%20Willis%2C%20John%20Malkovich%2C%20Olga%20Kurylenko%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
DC%20League%20of%20Super-Pets
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jared%20Stern%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dwayne%20Johnson%2C%20Kevin%20Hart%2C%20John%20Krasinski%2C%20Keanu%20Reeves%2C%20Olivia%20Wilde%2C%20Kate%20McKinnon%2C%20Jameela%20Jamil%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
TEAMS
US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*
* denotes captain's picks
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Most match wins on clay
Guillermo Vilas - 659
Manuel Orantes - 501
Thomas Muster - 422
Rafael Nadal - 399 *
Jose Higueras - 378
Eddie Dibbs - 370
Ilie Nastase - 338
Carlos Moya - 337
Ivan Lendl - 329
Andres Gomez - 322
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m
New schools in Dubai
The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 295bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh155,000
On sale: now
