This compilation of film shorts has some stellar actors and some intriguing story lines. In the opening piece, a struggling writer (Gerard Butler) is despondent that his wife split, taking his daughter. He has a gun and contemplates shooting himself but tries one last time for a reconciliation. Julie Delphy, in another piece, thought she would have it made it she grew up to wear high-heeled red shoes but found out that romantic happiness is more elusive. She, too, is pondering a final solution to her misery. In one of the most impressive shorts, a woman (Imelda Staunton) goes to a lovely country inn in England to wait for her own demise. It seems all of her relatives died on the eve of their 58th birthdays and she expects the same for herself. Although her "last meal" is not what she had in mind, the crab legs suggested by the chef prove delicious. All of the inn's staff receive big tips for their care but will she pass away? Then, there is a clever piece devoted to a national spelling bee, where television commentators Charlie Sheen and Anna Faris become amazed at some of the young contestants' strategies. Also included is a very dark work dealing with a German concentration camp and the last one features a damsel in distress (Eva Mendes) with a broken-down car. All in all, this is one unique film which will certainly not please everyone, especially with some of the touchy topics and language. Yet, its avant-garde qualities will delight other film fans who crave the unusual. With good acting and offbeat plots, viewers who admire independent flicks will want to try it.
