Shorts (Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock) (2009)

43% of critics liked it
(99 reviews)
36% of users liked it
(182,247 ratings)

A young boy living in a cookie-cutter suburb gets hit on the head with a rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it in this family-oriented fantasy comedy from Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez. All the houses in Black Falls look exactly the same, and everyone who lives in this… More A young boy living in a cookie-cutter suburb gets hit on the head with a rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it in this family-oriented fantasy comedy from Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez. All the houses in Black Falls look exactly the same, and everyone who lives in this suburban Shangri-la works for Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated. A highly profitable company thanks to their latest invention, Mr. Black's Black Box -- an all-in-one communication device that's revolutionized the technological landscape -- Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated also employs the parents of 11-year-old Toe Thompson. But Toe isn't entirely sold on the concept of this corporate conglomerate; all he wants is to make some new friends, and that wish comes true after Toe is struck in the head by a mysterious rainbow-colored rock that falls right out of the clear blue sky. A magical stone that puts Mr. Black's Black Box to shame, Toe's rock possesses the power to grant wishes. Now, as the rock begins to change hands, Black Falls is overrun by miniature spaceships, crocodile armies, boogers the size of boulders, and whatever other oddities the imaginative local kids happen to dream up. Who would have thought that the real trouble would start once the grown-ups in town get their hands on the mysterious rock? With the situation quickly spiraling out of control, it's up to Toe and his friends to save the townspeople from themselves by proving to them that the things you wish for may not actually be the best things for you. Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, and James Spader co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Robert Rodriquez, Robert Rodriguez
Written By: Robert Rodriguez
Genres: Action & Adventure, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 21, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Nov 24, 2009
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
The latest child's-eye adventure from Robert Rodriguez, Shorts doesn't hit the heights of his Spy Kids series. But it provides just enough smart, silly fun for families desperately seeking an easy escape from hazy August humidity.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
The movie is as lumpy and misshapen as a giant booger.
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times
Yes, I realize this is a kids' movie, but that's no excuse for short-circuiting creativity.
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
My fourth-grader giggled maniacally. The 9-year-old in me did, too.
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
Be careful what you wish for, Shorts reminds us; you just might get it. Especially if that wishing was along the lines of a smart and funny kids' flick.
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
Magic vies with technology in this exuberant adventure comedy, which unfolds achronologically in a series of zany, effects-laden vignettes.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
Robert Rodriguez makes two kinds of movies - gritty action movies for adults and goofy CGI adventures for kids. Shorts falls in the latter category, capturing the story-telling feel of a young child.
Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
It is a wildly self-indulgent fantasy adventure that should have gone straight to Youtube, where all 'Dad-thinks-he's-cool-with-a-camera' home videos belong.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Chaotic, messy, and horribly mind-numbing...
Anton Bitel, Eye for Film
the extras themselves are, for all their brevity, as fun, beguiling and strange as the main feature
Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies
Yes, it's definitely made for the much younger set, but it also has quite a few zany little off guard touches, resulting in genuine laughs for anyone who can appreciate the humor.
Rubin Safaya, Cinemalogue.com
...what poignancy is served injecting heavy messages about parenting... into a movie which glorifies the suburban existence, makes light of bullying, and gratuitously employs property destruction for comic effect?
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...it seems like the kind of movie Rodriguez made up as he went along. (Blu-ray Edition)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...a mishmash of slapstick fights, tiny green men, galumphing alligators, nose picking, giant booger monsters, and endless silliness.
Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat
Shorts is constantly pinballing back and forth, from one thing to the next, in such a hyperactive fashion that one wishes it would just slow down a bit.
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
A fun trifle -- essentially, a homemade 'Little Rascals' update in which youngsters with a 'wishing rock' wreak accidental havoc (and create upright crocodiles, a giant dung beetle, a 'big bad booger' monster and an intellectual telepathic baby).
Sandra Hall, Sydney Morning Herald
All of these adventures call on Rodriguez's fascination with visual effects, which could be tough on his human cast, but he has the wit to keep them in focus. All up, it's good fun.
Anders Wotzke, Moviedex
A kid-friendly caper that's drunk a bit too much CGI-spiked red cordial.
Jon Hamblin, SFX Magazine
Exactly the sort of kid-in-a-candy-store experience you'd expect.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
Good clean fun is what Robert Rodriguez delivers in this energetic and inventive film about wishes and being connected.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Brad W

Terrible film
Michael E

very different than many kids films and is very good
Bently L

Let me guess. You scrolling down the review section of our profile, looking at each poster on the left of the reviews, and come across this review and see only kids on the film poster. Yes! Robert Rodriguez's "Shorts" is a kids-only film. The film's actors are… More
Let me guess. You scrolling down the review section of our profile, looking at each poster on the left of the reviews, and come across this review and see only kids on the film poster. Yes! Robert Rodriguez's "Shorts" is a kids-only film. The film's actors are decent but the film and its sense of humor is too silly for adults. But I have to give props to its creativity, the way the film is split into chapters (probably a homage to Quentin Tarantino movies), and energy. Not as good as the "Spy Kids" movies but better than the terrible "Sharkboy and Lavagirl" movie. Eeesh! Double eesh!
KJ P

Shorts, is a harmless, chessy, over-the-top kids movie with bad effects, bad dialogue, but a good heart. This movie will definitely not win awards for either the razzies or the oscars, but I believe it can settle right in the middle of the films this year. Shorts fits in just fine,… More
Shorts, is a harmless, chessy, over-the-top kids movie with bad effects, bad dialogue, but a good heart. This movie will definitely not win awards for either the razzies or the oscars, but I believe it can settle right in the middle of the films this year. Shorts fits in just fine, but it's nothing to talk about, so see it if you have nothing better to watch. It's just pure, brainless, kids funny entertainment at it's mediocre best!
Lafe F

From the maker of the "Spy Kids" series and "Shark Boy and Lava Girl" - It's frantic Robert Rodriquez kid-movie zippy zany action picture about a magic rainbow wishing rock - presented in different chapters (aka"Shorts"!) CGI is overused used for… More
From the maker of the "Spy Kids" series and "Shark Boy and Lava Girl" - It's frantic Robert Rodriquez kid-movie zippy zany action picture about a magic rainbow wishing rock - presented in different chapters (aka"Shorts"!) CGI is overused used for bright cartoony fun. I chuckled at the crocodile falling out of the sky toward the cute baby - and the transforming cube baddies. I thought it was terrible, irritating and headache-inducing -- but the little hyper-kids of today ought to get a buzz out of it.
♥˩ƳИИ &

Jimmy Bennett, Jake Short, Kat Dennings A young boy's discovery of a colorful, wish-granting rock causes chaos in the suburban town of Black Falls when jealous kids and scheming adults alike set out to get their hands on it.… More
Jimmy Bennett, Jake Short, Kat Dennings A young boy's discovery of a colorful, wish-granting rock causes chaos in the suburban town of Black Falls when jealous kids and scheming adults alike set out to get their hands on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Watched this movie with my niece's and nephew. From the sound of their laughter and their screams, I think they enjoyed it a lot more then I did. But I did like the movie. Thought it was funny. Had some really grotesque moments that made me a little squimish. But it was a fun movie. Not to be taken serious. It's definitely a movie made for kids. Not a lot for of adult action in this movie. So I would definitely recommend seeing this with a kid to fully appreciate the fun of it.
moon r

an imaginitive feature for the tweenie crowd, reinforcing their feelings of evident superiority over the embarrassing adolescents they know. a little fun.
John H

not my cup-of-tea, but the kiddies will love it.
Bradley W

Terrible film
Sol C

I thought the film was better than Rodriguez's last family film, Shark Boy and Lava Girl, however, his Spy Kids films are much better, than all of them. I did like the unique structure of the film, how they are told in short film form, put together as a whole. The film at times… More
I thought the film was better than Rodriguez's last family film, Shark Boy and Lava Girl, however, his Spy Kids films are much better, than all of them. I did like the unique structure of the film, how they are told in short film form, put together as a whole. The film at times was good and at times, stupid. The film needed a rewrite. Hopefully, Rodriguez's next family film will be better. I think it will be another Spy Kids film.
Juan C

to be honest, i thought this was an entertaining and imaginatively funny, innocent little movie. having the ingrediants like the spy kids films, robert roderiguez has actually made a really decent and fun family comedy. their can be some scenes that can go really childish, but… More
to be honest, i thought this was an entertaining and imaginatively funny, innocent little movie. having the ingrediants like the spy kids films, robert roderiguez has actually made a really decent and fun family comedy. their can be some scenes that can go really childish, but it's covered by the energy by the young actors and the imagination of family entertainment. B
Marcus W

Robert Rodriguez, the director of From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado and Sin City, here brings us a harmless little kids film featuring snot monsters, giant wasps and all manner of other CGI things with the age-old moral of "be careful what you wish for". I cried at the end to… More
Robert Rodriguez, the director of From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado and Sin City, here brings us a harmless little kids film featuring snot monsters, giant wasps and all manner of other CGI things with the age-old moral of "be careful what you wish for". I cried at the end to think that all this money COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON SIN CITY 2. Bad Robert Rodriguez.
Jim W

I don't think any director is more in sink with a child's imagination than Robert Rodriquez. I mean, he's such a kid that he had to include a giant booger monster in this movie. Which kids will find funny, grown-ups will be grossed out however. Still, I was entertained… More
I don't think any director is more in sink with a child's imagination than Robert Rodriquez. I mean, he's such a kid that he had to include a giant booger monster in this movie. Which kids will find funny, grown-ups will be grossed out however. Still, I was entertained by the scenes that didn't include nose picking, small boogers or giant boogers. Which is most of the movie at least. The movie is fun and the kids have chemistry. Especially Jimmy Bennett (Orphan, young James T. Kirk in Star Trek) and Jolie Vanier as the girl bully. Their scenes together are actually more of a show stealer than the magic rock. Still, I can't say the film is better than Spy KIds 1 or 2, but it is at least much better than part 3.
Jason C

If you look at the movies Robert Rodriguez does, you'll notice that he is very versatile. He'll go from Planet Terror to Shorts, and you have to know he directed Shorts to be able to tell it's one of his movies. When Robert Rodriguez DIRECTS a kids movie, it IS a kids… More
If you look at the movies Robert Rodriguez does, you'll notice that he is very versatile. He'll go from Planet Terror to Shorts, and you have to know he directed Shorts to be able to tell it's one of his movies. When Robert Rodriguez DIRECTS a kids movie, it IS a kids movie. Unlike what Pixar is doing with its movies, Rodriguez doesn't put any adult themed jokes or dialogue in it. You're going to get simple dialogue with a bunch of fart jokes, and gross out jokes that are geared toward children. Shorts is such a funny movie with so many laugh out loud jokes and gags. There were 5 people in the audience, including me, and I wish I would have been in the theater when more kids were watching it. I can only imagine how loud it got. Boogers, doody, and alligator stomach contents. It's well written and directed, and the cast was very entertaining. I recognized the adults from lots of other films, but none of the kids. I'm sure I will, though. One was a young Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller, and I would have swore one little girl was related to Christine Ricci. Besides a couple of bumps in the story, it was solid and kept my attention. The kids did great. Rodriguez is a genius. What more can I say? There are plenty of laugh out loud jokes that any kid, or child minded adult, will appreciate.
Brad J

Cute kids movie, but just that - a kids movie. It had the same feel as Spy Kids, so if you liked that one, you should like this one (Same director).
Jimm C

Somewhat like "Jumanji", the out of sequence style may have been difficult for kids to follow, yet with the youngest viewers it may have been kept their interset. The kids sitting beside me were getting restless during parts of the second half of the movie.