All In

While my score of 8 may not seem super-high, I don't have a habit of giving out 9s and 10s. Plus, with last year's Oscar nominees for Best Live Action Short, even some of them did not get 9 or 10 when I reviewed them all. So, in light of this, I must have really liked ALL IN.

ALL IN is a German short but fortunately the version on IMDb is subtitled. It tells the story of a desperate man whose daughter is dying. She needs a transplant, but he cannot afford it. So, he's willing to do just about anything to save her young life. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Several nice twists and turns occur following his fateful decision that make the film exciting and clever.

The leading actor, Alexander Benjamin, didn't say or do a lot in the film but his face showed a lot of emotion--nice job. In addition, a combination of evocative music, a nice plot and writing and taut direction make this a winner. I can't wait to see more from these folks!