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FIRST LOOK

First Look: Robert Rodriguez's New Kids Movie Shorts

by Alex Billington
December 13, 2008

Before Robert Rodriguez starts work on Sin City 2, he's got to finish up another kids movie, in the vein of Spy Kids or Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D. The movie is called Shorts and is about a young boy who discovers a "colorful, wish-granting rock" (seen above) that causes chaos in the suburban town of Black Falls when jealous kids and scheming adults alike set out to get their hands on it. In addition to William H. Macy, James Spader, and Leslie Mann, Shorts also stars Kat Dennings, Jimmy Bennett, Trevor Gagnon, and Robert's son Rebel Rodriguez. Honestly, I'm quite a bit bewildered by these oddly colorful photos.

Robert Rodriguez's Shorts

Shorts is both written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, who brought us the Spy Kids trilogy as well as Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D. Warner Brothers is releasing Shorts in theaters everywhere on August 7th, 2009 - potentially in 3-D. I'm personally not a fan of any of Rodriguez's kids movies, so I'm not sure I'll even take an interest in this in the end anyway. These photos remind me of Speed Racer, but in an even worse way, like as if a gay pride rock landed in the hands of the kids from Explorers. You probably won't be hearing much from us about Shorts next year, but at least we shared these photos with you.

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Related categories: First Look, Photos

Da Man

Yeah, I'm so glad he put off Sin City 2 for three years so he could put out gems like this.
Bob

Honestly, it looks awesome. The colors and cast I'm sure guarantees another Spy Kids. Which was AWESOME!
Fuelbot

How many film directors can say they full on made a movie FOR THEIR KIDS? Not some, "I wanna make some toned down affair of my regular movies for my kids", but a legitimate movie that is, from start to finish, for your children. I know this is Rodriguez cashing in on his Spy Kids success, but these films are also the very reason he's able to do stuff like SIN CITY & GRINDHOUSE without studio pressure. Also, just because a film has MORE THAN ONE COLOR doesn't mean its a bad thing. Since when did color become such a deterrent to filmmaking? You can't use cold blue filters all the damn time.
Jaf

It's pretty dope how Rodriguez can pull off kids films AND adult-pushing-the-rating films too (I actually liked Grindhouse - it was awesome through and through)
Kail

Guys come on Sin City 2 comes out in like 2 weeks did you guys suddenly forget that?
icke

another poor imaginative film from the dullest director Robert rodriguez
Peloquin

I'm psyched he's producing another cash cow of a film produced for the money making family demographic. This just means that Sin City 2 will have a larger budget and therefore he'll be granted more freedom to stay true to his vision for the sequel. This is good news people even if you could care less about ever seeing this movie (I'm with ya there).
janet

it's got a decent cast but yeah it doesn't really appeal to me and can I just say Shorts has got to be one of the dumbest titles I've heard in a while or maybe it just bothers me.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

#6 - Dull? You've got to be kidding me... Sin City was dull? Planet Terror was dull? You are OUT of your MIND!
http://www.youtube.com/user/UribeFilmProductions Vic

Sin City is only a a testament of his technical ablility, Rodriguez is a failure a sa director. Just look at the body of work of Del Toro or let's say; Alfonso Cuaron-- Robert should stop making movies.
Chris

Given positioning/framing of the camera and the way the kid is holding out the rock in such an awkward fashion in the second image, it looks like we are in for another of his forced looking piles of 3D PoS.
vic

AGREE! This movie looks gay.
wm

This may be "gay" to us real movie guru's, here. But the kids will love it. Plus, you really don't need to be a kid to enjoy Rodriguez's films. He has good techniques on how to make a film. He makes a movie for kids that they could be entertained with and have fun, I don't think that's anything to be ashamed about. By the way, he's one of the best directors out there.
wm

Let's see all the films Vic's made.
wm

just kidding Vic, to each his own.