The two hands-down best movies from this past year, Everything Everywhere All at Once, which was released March 11 and The Banshees of Inisherin, released recently on Oct. 21st , are two very different films with unique themes, characters, and visual styles.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a sci-fi comedy, while The Banshees of Inisherin is a drama/comedy. The former features a middle-aged woman, played by Michelle Yeoh, who discovers she has the ability to travel between parallel universes. In contrast, The Banshees of Inisherin follows Pádraic, played by Colin Farrell, and his friend Colm, played by Brendan Gleeson.
The plots of the two movies differ significantly. Everything Everywhere All at Once explores the nature of reality and identity, as the protagonist, Evelyn Wang, grapples with the different versions of herself in each universe. On the other hand, The Banshees of Inisherin portrays themes of tragic reality incorporating friendships, joy, rage and sadness.
The themes of the two movies are quite distinct as well. Everything Everywhere All at Once explores the concept of identity and the question of what makes us who we are. The movie suggests that the choices we make and the paths we take determine our identity, even across different universes. The Banshees of Inisherin explores themes of friendship and hope intertwined with comical moments.
The visual styles of the two movies also differ. Everything Everywhere All at Once employs more special effects and CGI to create the different universes that Wang travels between. For instance, one scene that is just so visually appealing is when Jobu Tupaki and Evelyn make jumps through the multiverse, we get to see a mix of different various situations between the two in different environments and exceptional uses of CGI. The visual effects are stunning and add to the otherworldly feel of the movie. Meanwhile, The Banshees of Inisherin focuses on capturing the rugged beauty of the Irish landscape, with sweeping shots of the cliffs and sea.
Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Banshees of Inisherin are two very different movies with unique themes, characters, and visual styles. While the former is a sci-fi comedy that explores the nature of identity, the latter is a drama that emphasizes the strength of community and tradition. Both best picture nominee movies are excellent in their own right and provide unique experiences for audiences.