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Setback (2011) Directed by Bulent Ozdemir



It often takes far more effort to read a review than to watch an actual short. So what are you waiting for? Just go watch this short, fore it's truly a great and wonderful one.

This is another great high quality short by Bulent Ozdemir, on different levels. It isn't too often that I want to watch a short again right after I have finished watching it but this one managed just that.

But there's a very good reason for it really. Beauty about this short is that it gives you the feeling that you have missed something the first time you watched it. Not that this is an over-complicated and convoluted short to watch but it's one that doesn't lay everything out for you. It tells its story through its visuals, just as much as through its narrative, which is something most filmmakers often forget about.

While watching it, i couldn't help but think of a Michelangelo Antonioni movie. Antonioni was a master at letting the audience work and more or less forced them to put things together for themselves, in their own minds. This movie does the same thing, only in the time span of just a few minutes. There is also no right or wrong way how you could interpret this movie, in my opinion.


It's also a great looking movie, with some very good cinematography and a nice editing style. Truly an atmospheric piece of work, that's a both professionally looking and feeling one.

I also liked the main actor Andrew Dowbiggin in this, who suited his role perfectly. Even though the short is only a couple of minutes long, or short, or whatever, he still displays a variety of emotions and his character goes through some interesting transitions, that he handles well.

A very recommendable short, that is a well made and interesting one.

8/10

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Promised (2012) Directed by Bulent Ozdemir



This is being one exceptional shot short movie, that should not pass by unnoticed.

Even while probably chances are you not constantly going to fully understand what is going on at the moment on screen, you still get a grasp of its importance and gravity through its intensity. It's an intense short, shot in an extreme tense way, with some dynamic camera-work and a wonderful, effective, dark atmosphere.

It would help to first read what this movie is supposed to be all about, since it will help you to understand things that the movie doesn't just spell out everything for you. This is not a complaint about the actual movie but more as a friendly warning to those who are planning to watch it.

So no, it's not being a short with a clear story really but that doesn't mean it's not being effective with telling a story and getting its point across. It's using visuals and metaphors, rather than words and long pieces of dialog, without ever feeling pretentious by the way.

And luckily the movie does have some great visuals in it. Just because it's a short and independent movie, that doesn't mean it has a cheap and simple look to it. This short is just as good looking as an over-expense blockbuster, dealing with the same themes and featuring a similar type of atmosphere. This still remains the foremost thing the movie impresses with, though it basically is being a great one with every other thing as well. It shall cause you to completely get drawn into the short and its story.

The complaints and problems I have with this short are only minor and therefore not really worth mentioning, since they in no way interfere with the movie its quality. There just really is not a good reason why you should not watch this short and it's totally worth the 10 minutes of your time. Chances are this short will actually leave you hungry for more!

8/10

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30 Seconds 2 Late (2012) Directed by Bulent Ozdemir

The way I see it; this is simply a short movie for the director to show of his skills. And there is nothing wrong with that of course, especially not when the director is as talented as Bulent Ozdemir.

It's definitely a good thing for aspiring filmmakers to first venture into the world of shorts and commercials. That way they can develop their style and see what works and what doesn't for them. Besides, they have full control, so they can basically do whatever they want! It's the best learning school for any young film-maker out there and shorts are often more interesting and stylish to watch than any given formulaic feature length movie out there.

And in that regard this short is also being a pretty good and interesting watch. To be frank, I wasn't taken by the story at all and it also seemed to be somewhat secondary for this movie but the technical aspects compensate a lot. The story was actually being something formulaic for these type of shorts, so it won't get any awards for its originality.

It has a great look and style to it, with some good camera-work and editing. It's not always perfect or flowing well enough but for a movie of this caliber, made with so little money and shot in, no doubt, so little time, it's simply being quite good all to watch and even somewhat impressive.

Overall the movie is being a bit too short and simplistic to truly leave a lasting impact but you can definitely tell there is some talent involved with this movie.

7/10

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