Dorathen Better Late Then Never

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Shok" is a 22-minute live action short film from 2015 written and directed by British filmmaker Jamie Donoughue. However, looking at where this film plays, there is no English language in here, so you will most likely need subtitles. It is the story of two friends living in the Kosovo during wartime. This war is already over for quite a while, but this movie shows that with the right approach and script, it's still very much possible to make (engaging) (short) films about this dark subject. The complicated political and military situations puts the boys' friendship to risk on several occasions, but all that unites them is stronger eventually and goes way beyond the love for bikes when it comes to what they have in common. I think the acting here is solid overall, the fatter kid gives the best performance in the film. It sure is a depressing watch as well, but I guess it still depicts life in Kosovo realistically and death was a crucial component to living in this "country" at that point in time later in the 20th century. All in all, probably not an Oscar-deserving short film, but I don't mind the nomination. In terms of the quality, it is on a similar level like the winner "Stutterer", even if the subjects couldn't be more different. Worth checking out.

Brandon Schlepp A film that has amazing scope for its short duration and modest budget. On the one hand, it's a wonderful tale of friendship, forgiveness, and finding hope in darkness; juxtapositioned with a story of racism, cruelty, and ultimately tragedy. I always find it incredible when films can intertwine normal human interaction (such as fighting and making up with a childhood friend) into extreme circumstances like wartime. It reminds us that no matter the time or place, we all still have the same fears, loves, relationships, and feelings. The film pulled off this authenticity because of the stellar acting by the two young main characters.When the character we see at the beginning returns at the end, you look at him with a new perspective. This time his eyes cut right into you and you feel the cost of war. Rest in peace to all of the innocents whose lives were taken in the Kosovo War, and hopefully this film can impact future dialogue and the pursuit of other films on the topic. If I had been running the show at the Academy this year, "Shok" would have certainly walked away with the Best Short Film prize.

Michael_Elliott Shok (2015) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Set during the Kosovo war, this short deals with the friendship between an Albanian boy and a Serbian one. The two boys share a common bond of a bicycle and soon this here could lead them to tragic results.This short was shot in Mitrovica, Kosovo and really isn't the most pleasant film that you're going to watch. It seems when you go through the Oscar-nominated short films they are from filmmakers who want to do something series and tackle very dramatic and sometimes tragic events. Director and writer Jamie Donoughue certainly paints a rather tragic picture with this one and there's no doubt that the emotional punch is right on the mark. Setting a film during the war and involving kids can always be tricky but this short manages to get its point across without being preachy. The story itself is quite simple but the director does wonders with it and turns in a very depressing and bleak film.

MartinHafer Two boys, one Serbian and one Albanian, are friends despite the war and you see about this portion of their lives through a flashback that involves a bicycle. But it's hard to remain friends when the Serbian kid is being pulled one way and the Albanian the other. The climax comes like a brick against your skull and left many in the audience on the verge of tears.I have seen quite a few films about the civil wars that tore Yugoslavia apart. None of them are pleasant and really cannot be. However, this one stands out because the acting by the kids is very nice and the story very well directed and paced. It's hard to pick the best of the five nominees and after a lot of thought, I think this one is best. Will it win the Oscar, I have no idea. As I already mentioned, there are three depressing films (including this one) and they might tend to take votes from each other.I'll be updating this review after the Oscars are announced on February 28th.UPDATE: "Stutterer" took the Oscar for Best Live Action Short.