Science fiction movies are popular, and as such, each year multiple new sci-fi flicks premiere even though the genre's stories tend to be quite expensive to make. However, even in such a well-used genre, it's still possible to come up with something that feels new and fresh. Everything Everywhere All at Once is a good example of such a release.
It shows the many lives that the main heroine might have had, taking both the characters and the viewers on an unforgettable adventure. While Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of a kind, there are some movies with a similar feeling to them the viewers might enjoy if they loved this movie.
5 The Butterfly Effect (2004)
As the audience and Evelyn both learn during the movie, sometimes it takes a seemingly small thing for somebody's whole life to change, to go in a different direction. The Butterfly Effect suggests a similar thing. The main hero, Evan played by Ashton Kutcher, travels in time to fix things, but he only makes things worse as he tries over and over again.
The movie keeps the audience guessing about what will happen next just like Everything Everywhere All at Once. The Butterfly Effect is dark at times and has the power to make viewers consider the consequences of their actions, however insignificant they might seem. Ashton Kutcher gives a solid performance in the leading role, but the strongest point of the movie is its story, which makes it a must-watch for all fans of this genre.
4 Sliding Doors (1998)
Unlike Everything Everywhere All at Once, Sliding Doors only shows two possible lives, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. The emphasis once again lies on the fact that even a supposedly unimportant action can completely change the hero's life. In this case, the main heroine Helen misses her train when she goes from work...or maybe she catches the train; depending on which option transpires, what happens to her moving forward will be completely different.
Even though the movie switches between two various potential lives, it's easy not to get confused since both lives are differentiated from one another. Although more romance than science fiction, Sliding Doors takes the time to properly characterize its heroes, which makes it natural for the viewers to become invested in their fates, especially Helen's.
3 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
At least until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the MCU movie that develops the concept of the multiverse the most. In the movie, Peter Parker accidentally brings multiple universes together when he causes Doctor Strange to botch up his memory spell. Not only do the villains from different universes show up, such as the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, or Electro, but also two different Spider-Men, both of whom are Peter Parker, just different versions.
Many long-time fans were excited to see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles, and the same could be said for the iconic cinematic Spider-Man villains. The movie then has a potentially long-lasting implication for the entire MCU since it shows that a multiverse does indeed exist and that two or more versions of the same character can meet without it causing the end of the world. Everything Everywhere All at Once also shows that there can be multiple versions of the same person, albeit very different from one another.
2 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
While the MCU only properly introduced the multiverse last year, Spider-Man: No Way Home wasn't the first Spider-Man movie that worked heavily with the concept. The animated, Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is even closer mood-wise to Everything Everywhere All at Once since it's funny, colorful, and unpredictable.
It features a lot of versions of Spider-Man, not just Peter Parker, but also Gwen Stacy, Miles Morales, or Peter Porker (aka Spider-Ham). The movie's fast pace, sense of humor, captivating story, and, above all, the cast of Spider-Men made it one of the best superhero movies of the 2010s. The movie became such a hit that it's set to receive a sequel in 2023 in which Miles will once again work alongside other Spider-people.
1 Run Lola Run (1998)
The concept of Run Lola Run is seemingly simple, but it made for an impressive movie. Lola has twenty minutes to get the money her boyfriend owes to some bad men, or he's in trouble. From there on, three possible storylines start, each with a different outcome, different situations along the way, and, of course, different actions by Lola.
While a shorter, more down to Earth movie than Everything Everywhere All at Once, both films share the same sense of discovery and wonder. In Run Lola Run, the wonder is darkened by the fact that Lola is running for her boyfriend's life (or maybe her own as well), but the movie, while serious, never takes it over the top. And its frenetic pace and excellent actors make it a worthwhile movie even for those who normally don't watch non-English movies.