Our Time Is Up

This films tells the story a psychologist who gets some life-changing news. Let's just say this drastically changes the way he deals with his patients--with surprising results. I saw this movie at the AFI Festival in Los Angeles and was not only moved but found myself laughing throughout. Kevin Pollack leads a large cast of talented actors, each who bring something fresh and different to the table. The writing is both clever and honest and I found the directing to be truly inspired. It's rare these days to find movies that not only entertain you but force you to re-evaluate your own life. This films achieves that, much in the way that ABOUT A BOY does. If all short films were this entertaining and professionally produced I think we'd see some of them getting released theatrically. Bravo.

OUR TIME IS UP is a cleverly written comedy starring Kevin Pollak (USUAL SUSPECTS), Jorge Garcia (LOST) and a whole slew of solid actors. Writing is quick-witted. Each character is well-defined, unique and grows by the end of the picture. The pacing and editing are first-rate. Film has very high production value. I've seen this film at several film festivals and have never grown tired of it -- especially the woman who has a hard time with accepting that soap doesn't really need to be cleaned with other soap! Check it out for yourself on iTunes (currently in the top 5) or at a theater near -- it's playing in the Shorts International / Magnolia Pictures Oscar Shorts program as a nominee.

Hands down one of the best shorts of the year! Through this film, Pearlstein, as a young director, exhibits an ability to create and direct superior work, at a high level, with an ensemble cast. The impressive writing and direction engage the audience from the beginning and leave you wanting more...in the form of a feature film.

With limited resources and financing, Pearlstein has put together a real winner and this should serve as a springboard to a lucrative career. As an avid moviegoer, I look forward to his next project and hope the Academy and the rest of the movie-loving public feel the same way.

Good luck on March 5th!

This is a jewel of a short film, featuring always-brilliant Kevin Pollack. He plays a self-important psychiatrist who's found professional nirvana with a flock of dutiful patients suffering from varying psychoses, none of which he makes must of an effort to address. We meet each of his patients in a cleverly created montage, which features the good doctor's tricks to keep them coming back for more. His world is then rocked when he receives a phone call informing him he has just six weeks to live. It's amazing what a little vulnerability--and brutal honesty--can do to change people's lives. This is a first-rate short film, nominated for an Academy Award. The supporting cast shines and makes perfect use of every second on camera. You'll be wishing for more when "Our Time Is Up".

Our Time Is Up is a rapid fire dead pan comedy that eventually runs out of bullets in its brief running time. Successful, self important psychologist Dr. Stern leads an orderly life dispassionately dispensing paint by the numbers observations to clients of varying hang-ups. When health issues arise Stern does a complete one-eighty with his practice and methodology.

By means of syntax Time starts sharp and remains so with seamless dialog transitions between client sessions that are amusingly revealing in character development. The clients never get beyond the clichés they wear though and by second and third sessions are out of fashion as this film stumbles to its feel good ending, the irony all but beaten out of it.