Shorts (Blu-ray) (2009)

"Fast and funny, and grown-ups will not suffer sitting through it.  Connie Ogle, Miami Herald
"More zippy, diverting fun from Robert Rodriguez's family filmmaking factory.  Justin Chang, Variety

Editor's Note After a violent detour for GRINDHOUSE, director Robert Rodriguez returns to the family film genre of SPY KIDS with this adventure. In SHORTS, the suburb Black Falls may seem quiet, but the arrival of a wish-granting rock causes the small town to fall into chaos. William H. Macy, John Cryer, Leslie Mann, and James Spader star in this magic-filled film that was shot in Rodriguez's beloved Austin, Texas.

	Jake Short
	Trevor Gagnon
	Devon Gearhart
	Rebel Rodriguez
	William H. Macy
	Leo Howard
	Jimmy Bennett
	Leslie Mann
	Jolie Vanier
	Kat Dennings
	James Spader
	Jon Cryer
	Mohammed Khalaf - Executive Producer
	Edward Borgerding - Executive Producer
	Ethan Maniquis - Editor
	Robert Rodriguez - Composer
	Carl Thiel - Composer
	George Oldziey - Composer
	Robert Rodriguez - Visual Effects Supervisor
	Dan Lin - Executive Producer
	Robert Rodriguez - Director of Photography
	Robert Rodriguez - Editor
	Hunt Lowry - Executive Producer
	Robert Rodriguez - Producer
	Elizabeth Avellan - Producer
	Robert Rodriguez - Screenwriter
	Robert Rodriguez - Director

USA Today
"[F]ast-paced, imaginative and often cute....Robert Rodriguez tells it in a snappy series of shorts that create freshness and spontaneity." 08/21/2009

USA Today 7 of 10
Fast-paced, imaginative and often cute, Shorts is slight but enjoyable family fare...Though the story covers familiar ground, director Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids) tells it in a snappy series of shorts that create freshness and spontaneity...Toe (Jimmy Bennett), a target of bullies, tries to outwit his young enemies with the help of a magical, multicolored rock that makes wishes come true and rocks the neighborhood...The community revolves around Black Box Industries, the maker of a multipurpose gadget that can serve as anything from a Blackberry-style communications device to a cheese grater. Every adult on the block works for the company and answers to the venal Mr. Black (James Spader), who is so busy trying to expand the Black Box's uses that he ignores his two bratty kids...The undeniably worthy message is that parents can become too obsessed with work and not take enough time for each other or to listen to their children...Gross bathroom humor is still a big part of the adventure. A germ-phobic inventor dad (William H. Macy) and his lonely, booger-eating son (Jake Short) must contend with a giant, menacing nasal emission that threatens to return the favor and devour the boy. This gooey-gross segment is unlikely to enthrall anyone over 12, but younger viewers probably will enjoy it...The rock bounces among the kids, whose wishes backfire or add unexpected, newfound dangers. One boy points out, "Why not wish for world peace?" Great idea, but what kind of action movie would that make?..The climactic scene is too frenzied, but another timeless message rises above the ruckus: Be careful what you wish for. - Claudia Puig