Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Robert Reynolds This short won the Academy Award for Live Action Short. There will be spoilers ahead: This is a comedic parody of West Side Story with the setting changed to Israel and the star crossed lovers being Israeli and Palestinian and the two "houses" being competing fast food places right next door to one another.The parallels to West Side Story are blatantly obvious. That's the problem-they're often too obvious for words. This is funny and entertaining, but it tries too hard and is too over the top. I enjoyed this, but the leads are too gorgeous by half, the two warring factions are too comical for words and it all comes off as a little too cute for its own good.I understand why it won the Oscar and it's by no means a bad choice. But I would have preferred Helmer and Son or One Too Many myself.This short is available on DVD in more than one instance, most notably on a DVD/Blu-Ray combination compilation released by Shots International of Academy Award winning live action and animated shorts. This short is worth watching and the DVD/Blu-Ray compilation is excellent. Recommended.

mean_bean1 I adored this movie. After seeing that it won an Academy Award, I bought it and realized why it did. I'm from Egypt myself, and I was afraid that it would be partial to one side, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was very objective. It made fun of both equally, and at the same time, ended on a happy note with the two families working together. I completely disagree with the reviewer who posted before me, who said that it was biased towards the Israelis, namely because he didn't see any Muslims in the credits. Firstly, even if there were less Muslims in the credits, it doesn't mean that the Palestinian side wasn't shown. Secondly, I think they were portrayed very well and that both sides had some serious stereotypes. For example, the first Israelis you see consist of an Orthodox Jew, and a guy with a big nose! Anyway, I thought it was very well done.

harborrat28 This movie left me feeling as if I'd tasted something more than a bit spoiled. It was puerile, a circumstance which may be explained by the fact that it was part of a masters' project in a California film school.Quel surprise that the Hollywood pack would pick this movie over any of the others, all of which were foreign. I waited for the credits with curiosity to see if there were many Muslim participants in its planning and execution. There weren't.My own feelings about the Jewish/Palestinian question are very conflicted. Overall, however, I know it is serious and I wonder if many Palestinians (or, for that matter, thoughtful Israelis, especially those whose sons are being carried home in body bags) would find this an amusing movie . It was as if the film's makers chose to do a musical comedy featuring a seriously disabled person, using that individual's problems as pratfalls for cheap laughs. It was in excruciatingly poor taste and very juvenile. But the old Hollywood trade association was true to form--parochial and gross in its tastes.

lori hofmann Although it lasts just 22 minutes, "West Bank Story" does a beautiful job of entertaining and educating the audience. The backdrop of the West Bank is a perfect setting for this poignant, playful take on the traditional "Romeo and Juliet" story. It is clear that all involved with this film paid great attention to detail; from the costumes to the cinematography to the conversations, every element is vividly and engagingly conveyed. The satirical spins on Shakespeare, the musical genre, the ongoing political and ideological conflicts in the Middle East, and even the fast food industry make this a must-see. "WBS" was one of the true highlights of Sundance 2005...kudos to cast and crew on a job very well done. I made sure I was one of the first in line to add this short to my collection when it was released on DVD!