Shorts (HBO)

About Shorts (HBO)

'Shorts', released in 2009, is an adventurous American family film directed by Robert Rodriguez. The film tells a fantastical tale about a magical rainbow rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it, leading to chaos in a small town named Black Falls where the stone lands.

Making/Production

The movie was shot in Texas by Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios. Rodriguez, true to his style, uses a unique nonlinear story-telling device where the story is presented in "shorts" or segments, each with a storyline contributing to the overall plot.

Actors

• Jimmy Bennett plays 'Toe Thompson', the young boy who discovers the rainbow rock. He effectively captured the curiosity and fearlessness typical of a child his age.
• Jolie Vanier as 'Helvetica Black', plays the confident and menacing character perfectly. Her character forms a rivalry with Toe, adding an interesting dynamic to the plot.
• Jon Cryer and Leslie Mann play the parents 'Bill' and 'Mom' Thompson respectively. Their performance adds comic yet emotional depth to the parental figures.
• William H. Macy plays 'Dr. Noseworthy', the germyphobic scientist, and father to one of Toe's friends. Macy’s performance is always reliable, and he makes Noseworthy truly humorous and neurotic.

Trivia/Interesting Facts

• Director Robert Rodriguez’s children Rebel, Rocket and Racer Rodriguez have supporting roles in the film.
• The film is also known as 'Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock'.
• Shorts was produced not only for an English-speaking audience but also dubbed in diverse languages like Spanish, French, and German.

Awards

While 'Shorts' did not bag any major awards, it was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the 36th Saturn Awards.

Quotes

• "We can wish for anything we want" - Toe Thompson
• "Every wish it grants, it grants with a twist" - Helvetica Black
• "Keep it away from those who want to use it for bad things" - Dr. Noseworthy

Music and Soundtrack

• The film score was composed by Robert Rodriguez and Carl Thiel. The film, noted for its lively and playful music, has a soundtrack that complements each scene seamlessly.
• "Spy Ballet", a memorable track from the movie, offers a goofy, mystery-solving vibe.
• The soft and tentative melody of "Wishing Rock", rather adds depth to the magical theme of the movie.