Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Ellis (2015) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Robert DeNiro narrates and is featured in this short film, which is a tribute to Ellis Island. Basically we see DeNiro walking around and narrating his story of an immigrant and what happened to him on the island.At just fifteen-minutes this is a pretty good short that works on many levels. Technically the film is extremely impressive and especially the cinematography by Andre Chemetoff. The camera-work is really some of the best that I can remember from any recent movie because it pulls you into the story but it also manages to make you float into the past where the narration is talking about.DeNiro is also in fine form here as the narrator. Eric Roth's screenplay is direct with its words and there's no question that the film works as a tribute as well as having something to say about immigration. DeNiro manages to turn in a tender performance as he tells the story of one man, his dreams and his outcome.

I watched this for two reasons: I love history, and Ellis Island has plenty of it, and DeNiro who is arguably one of the greatest actors of all time. I found it lacking. Through the short film I found myself absorbed, thinking this was one of my favorite actors' personal story. Alas, that was not the case and there was no mention at all as to the identity of the young boy who was being characterized or the young girl who died. The film was the worse for that omission of these pertinent details. By the end it seemed more like a plea for donations to a cause to keep Ellis Island as a national monument. It was heartfelt but I felt betrayed at the end.

For a short time in the late 1970s the government allowed the public to tour parts of the decaying buildings on Ellis Island. This was before some parts were spruced up for visitors as they are today. I was one of the few fortunate to be able to take the tour, and it gave a very profound look into the sadness and terror the island represented to so many. This film very ably conveys the feelings they must have experienced.I am a student of New York history, especially that related to its Port and the significance of all in it. I recommend this short film because it certainly gives a very insightful look at Ellis Island.

"Ellis" is a 2015 15-minute live-action short film directed by JR, no idea who that is, and written by Eric Roth, academy Award winner for "Forrest Gump". We see some solid shots, occasionally artistic while listening to Robert De Niro, who tells us the story of an immigrant that arrived at Ellis Island. I must say immigration and refugees were among the most-discussed topics in 2015, at least here in Germany, so there is an interesting connection to this short film. Still, I must say I am missing some substance here. It never felt really relevant to me and interesting to anybody who isn't a refugee themselves or has a connection to the Island that is the center of this little movie. Sadly, this is on-par with the forgettable movies De Niro has appeared in for a while. Sucks to see. I like him. But I cannot recommend "Ellis". Thumbs down.