TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Lalo Dla Fuente When I saw the short film West Bank Story I didn't expect a Musical shortcut. At the begging it was wonderful to see the differences about both cultures Israelis (Jewish) and Pakistanis (Muslim), from cloths, food, life style and ideals, even music and dance can be appreciate in this film. The main actors in this film are two young persons a Pakistani Cashier Girl and a Israeli Soldier that are in love, the problem as you can expect is the rivalry between both cultures. The plot is only about how the young lovers can workout differences between both families. A great film to think about our own ideals and cultures.

st-shot This smug short subject Oscar winner made in the US is a clumsy piece of heavy handed satire that borders on being downright offensive. Lacking in wit or originality the film parodies West Side Story in the comic environment of the Palestinian Israeli conflict (see Paradise Now). Both Jews and Palestinians are reduced to buffoons as they battle for fast food supremacy from their respective eateries Kosher King and The Hummus Hut. Director Ari Sandel's less than inspired idea degrades even more upon fruition as he turns his characters into arch cliché (Menorah Mickey?)and seething ignoramus, wearing funny hats, singing to camels and joking about suicide bombers. The choreography is lack lustre and the parody side of the music score falls flat on its face. West Side Story is filled with identifiable melodies and ripe for satirical lyrics but Bank doesn't employ them and the concept defeats itself. The slapstick, broad and over the top (ululating cashier firing an AK 47 into the ceiling as well as a fiddler on the roof) completes this sweeping failure of a satire that is overlong at twenty minutes. It's condescension is only surpassed by it's artistic ineptitude.

kirklott I just saw this at the Boulder International Film Festival, and it was the highlight of the comedies. West Bank Story is a ruthlessly funny send-up of everything from Middle East tension to Hollywood musicals. I have no idea how much the filmmakers spent, but they went over the top for what appears to be a student film (USC). Great casting, music including a complete orchestral score, writing, production design - this has it all, especially for a short. I hope director Ari is able to find a career in Hollywood, because he deserves it. (OK, IMDb is forcing me to write more, so I'll tell you the movie featured a camel, clever sets, etc.)

Melissa_1982 This film is hilarious! I just returned from the Sundance Film Festival, which is where I saw the film, and it got a great response from everyone in the audience. The cheers at the end were so loud, I was actually expecting a standing ovation. I attended the festival as an intern with the co-founders of the Harry M. Warner Film Institute. We're holding our first annual film festival this spring, and we went out to Sundance to see some films and get some more experience with festivals in general. After this show, both of my supervisors were so impressed that they approached the director of this film to see if he would be willing to submit a film to our festival. If you haven't seen this film yet, you are definitely missing out.