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.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.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.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total
- Director
- Writers
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Featured reviews
Through the Eyes of a Child
Overall, this is a great family film in the Disney vein of talking Herbie cars and other implausibilities that I loved as a child and am glad I saw with my child. Better than Spy Kids 2 or 3D, Shark Boy and Lava Girl.
I honestly don't know.
It's not that good but I really can't give an honest review of this movie. All I can say is that is incredibly surreal and gross.
This movie is just such an experience that I can't explain.
It really does feel like a movie that I just made up as some false memory and I really just can't believe it actually exists and wasn't a figment of my young mind.
A family film with good imagination
Not the best, but not terrible.
I'm rating this on the same level I rated "The Final Destination" and "GI JOE."
"The Final Destination" was a silly gimmicky horror film. "GI JOE" was a silly generic action film. "Shorts" is just a silly generic kids film, and when I say it's a kids film, I mean it's a KIDS film.
Children will either like it or they won't. It's got a lot of stuff in it that will probably keep an undiscerning 5-10 year old entertained for an hour and a half. However, anyone over a certain age will just go... "Hey, that's kind of ridiculous..."
The acting ranges from good to bad. The special effects are mostly obvious CG effects. The story is kind of lame, but it's a kids movie. Really everything in this film is just... OK. It's not a terrible film, but there's nothing that really makes it stand out either. The one thing I kind of liked was the story structure and editing style, but that's just about it.
I just think its a kids film that tries a little too hard to be "just for kids." It doesn't really respect the intelligence of the kids watching it, but if the kids aren't picky anyway, it's not really a problem.
I wouldn't really recommend it, but there's nothing wrong with it. If you just want to take your child to a movie, and this is the only thing playing, I'd say go for it. But its not something you absolutely have to see.
5/10 - Generic kids film, but it's not terrible.
2 Ridiculous
The high spot was child-actress Jolie Vanier who played the female lead. I predict a great future for her.
Computer graphics and special effects were great and very well done.
Actually, it is hard to believe that anybody thinks this movie will be successful.
I would say that this movie is not suitable for anybody over ten. However, one adult I spoke to after the movie said that she liked it.
Sam Sloan
Did you know
- TriviaDITRADE(Robert Rodriguez): [fictional brand names]: Toby is seen eating Great White Bites cereal, also seen in Rodriguez' Planet Terror (2007).
- GoofsBlinker #1 blinks (at around 31 mins) while opening a cellophane bag over his cereal bowl. Blinker #2 blinks (at around 22 mins) in the background during the classroom scene where the aliens are circling the bottoms of the students' desks while the teacher is conducting an experiment with catalysts.
- Quotes
Helvetica Black: Shall we do this?
Toe Thompson: I just realized something. I know why you have them beat up on me everyday.
Helvetica Black: 'Cause I hate you?
Toe Thompson: Because you love me. That's right isn't it? We're both outsiders, We're both ignored, we both have railroad tracks for braces. we're lonely and boring and always getting in trouble because we have nothing else better to do.So, you're head-over-heels in love with me and that makes you furious! Am I right?
Helvetica Black: How about... NO!
- Crazy creditsWhen the closing credits reach the song section, Jimmy Bennett states he wrote the song 'Summer Never Ends' thereby his wish came true
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: The Marc Pease Experience/Shorts/Post Grad (2009)
- How long is Shorts?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $40,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $20,919,166
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,410,339
- Aug 23, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $28,972,508
- Runtime
- 1h 29m(89 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1






