Michael_Elliott Alles wird gut (2015) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Divorced father Michael (Simon Schwarz) picks up his daughter Lea (Julia Pointner) just like he does every other weekend. It starts off as a fun time as the two visit a toy store but soon the daughter begins to realize that this day isn't like the normal visitations.ALLES WIRD GUT is the German short that received a Best Short nomination and it's a pretty powerful film even though I thought it ran a tad bit long at 30 minutes. There's no doubt that director Patrick Vollrath did an excellent job at keeping the viewer in the dark for the first ten minutes before revealing the twist of what was really happening. Another major strong point are the two performances with both Schwarz and Pointner doing excellent work. I thought Pointner was extremely believable as the confused daughter who soon realizes what her father's intentions are.

jtncsmistad-82689 From thequickflickcritic.blogspot.com/ The Oscar-shortlisted German Short "Everything Will Be Okay (Alles wird gut)" touched me in a particularly personal fashion. As a father, I found it wrenching to process this chronicle of a scheduled visit between a divorced dad and his young daughter as it rapidly disintegrates into a dark and ominous journey of utter desperation and debilitating sadness.Though I am not divorced, I certainly identify with the overwhelming love that Michael (a searingly heartbreaking portrayal from Simon Schwarz) has for his baby girl, Lea (8-year-old Julia Pointner in a stunningly moving performance beyond her years). Without reservation I can not condone the extremes to which this deeply troubled man goes to secure his child for his very own. Still, I absolutely comprehend the all-consuming emotions invested in doing whatever a parent must to care for and protect those whom you love literally more than you love your own life.At different moments in the film, little Lea is assured by first her father and later her mother that "Everything will be okay". Yet in the wake of the spirit-shattering final scene we have just witnessed, we are sure only of this: While it is a comfort well intentioned, for this conflicted child caught in the crossfire of scathingly contemptuous parental warfare, it is a promise that can never truly be honored.For more of my Movie Reviews categorized by Genre please visit: thequickflickcritic.blogspot.com/

David Ferguson Greetings again from the darkness. Dramatic short films are challenged with generating an ultra-quick connection with viewers. German director Patrick Vollrath begins the film by showing a man anxiously pacing and buzzing the gate bell outside a suburban home. Our instincts that tell us he must be in some kind of trouble fade a bit when an 8 year old girl runs into his arms exclaiming "Daddy!" Lea (newcomer Julia Pointer) clearly loves her father, and we quickly figure out this must be the scheduled every other weekend visit resulting from a recent divorce. Lea's excitement is palpable as they stop off at a toy store where her dad tells her she can pick out any two items she wants. A simple gesture that's probably repeated thousands of times each weekend, re-ignites the instincts we felt in the opening scene. Some "little" hints confirm our suspicion as the two hurriedly rush to an appointment at a government office and then on to the airport.Simon Schwarz plays Michael Baumgartner, the dad who transitions from anxious to warm/loving to purely desperate. His performance, and that of young Ms. Pointer, are realistic and so spot on that we as viewers are sympathetic to both. It's an exceptionally tense and dramatic half-hour reminding us that in a broken family, it's rarely the case that "everything will be okay", and sometimes things escalate into a literal tug-of-war that is heart-breaking. This is expert work from a filmmaker that understands the magic of short films, and it's little wonder the film has been so well received at AFI, Cannes and numerous other festivals.

FlashCallahan For a film that is a little over 30 minutes, long, Everytihng Will Be Okay packs more into its running time than your average Hollywood drama, which to be fair, this will probably end up being remade as a gritty Hollywood drama, which will be average, and star someone like Russell Crowe.The film starts with Michael picking up his daughter Lea from his assumed estranged wife. They don't exchange words, but Lea is happy to see her father, so again, one assumes that the break up must be fresh.So we follow Michael and Lea to what seems a perfectly normal Father and Daughter day, he takes her to a toy shop, and for a moment, when he forgets his wallet, I thought she was going to be abducted by an unknown, but no, he proceeds to buy her what she asks for, a perfectly normal thing to do for a parent trying to win favouritism.But then when we are back in the car, Lea cannot find her Cellphone. And then the alarm bells start ringing, and the film goes from a somber piece of drama about a dad trying to win his daughters affections, to a story of total desperation and despair of a man who doesn't believe in the old adage that time is a good healer, and then you realise that the title is highly ironic, because after the actions that Michael does out of sheer desperation, Everything is definitely not going to be okay.The last ten minutes of the film are heartbreaking, the makers really make you sympathise with both Lea and Michael. Lea loves her father dearly, but doesn't know why her father is doing what he is doing, and you sympathise with Michael, because there is a point where he realises what he is doing is wrong, but he is at that point of no return.As short films go, it's one of the most powerful things I've seen in a long time, and it's going to stay with me for a long time, because everything is not going to be okay for the central characters for a very long time.One mans selfish actions, can scar a vulnerable child for life.