Shorts is a kids' film by Robert Rodriguez. Like his friend and oft-times collaborator Tarantino, Rodriguez makes the films he wants in the way he wants and serves no master save himself as regards expectations. Shorts is such a film.
The story is simple - a wishing stone turns up, kids and others make wishes, mayhem ensues, people learn lessons. The telling of it is less simple - told in often non-linear flashback, the structure of the movie is more than a little messy. When taken into account along with assorted poo and snot sequences, the telltale influence of the younger members of Rodriguez' family looms into view: as with Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Rodriguez incorporates creative input from his kids on the grounds that they probably know best what kids like.
And you know what? He's probably right. To me, as an adult, this movie often struck me as if the kids were handed the camera and told to go off and film what they want, and what resulted then got state of the art CGI plastered over it - this didn't disguise the lack of maturity in the source material and structure, it simply made it look slicker.
But perhaps I'm simply not the best person to judge because it seemed to me that the kids in the cinema were loving it.
And it was interesting to see William H Macy, James Spader and Leslie Mann taking part in something like this. Newcomer Jolie Vanier has a big future ahead of her - she has a strong screen presence.
Shorts is a chaotic mess, but has a gawky charm of its own.
The story is simple - a wishing stone turns up, kids and others make wishes, mayhem ensues, people learn lessons. The telling of it is less simple - told in often non-linear flashback, the structure of the movie is more than a little messy. When taken into account along with assorted poo and snot sequences, the telltale influence of the younger members of Rodriguez' family looms into view: as with Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Rodriguez incorporates creative input from his kids on the grounds that they probably know best what kids like.
And you know what? He's probably right. To me, as an adult, this movie often struck me as if the kids were handed the camera and told to go off and film what they want, and what resulted then got state of the art CGI plastered over it - this didn't disguise the lack of maturity in the source material and structure, it simply made it look slicker.
But perhaps I'm simply not the best person to judge because it seemed to me that the kids in the cinema were loving it.
And it was interesting to see William H Macy, James Spader and Leslie Mann taking part in something like this. Newcomer Jolie Vanier has a big future ahead of her - she has a strong screen presence.
Shorts is a chaotic mess, but has a gawky charm of its own.