Shorts: The Adventures Of The Wishing
Rock (2009/Warner Blu-ray + DVD)
Picture: B-/C+/C
Sound: B/C+ Extras: D Film: D
Drifting back and fourth between children’s fare and adult
kicks, Robert Rodriguez is back to mostly general audiences with Shorts, his first such work since
finishing The Adventures of Shark Boy
& Lava Girl and the results are forgettable, unfunny and really go
nowhere. This is part of a cycle of
films we could call “child gets empowered by a gadget” but this is the least of
them, is all over the place and despite a likable cast, they are left adrift in
silliness.
It plays like a silly throw-together and is bonkers in the
most incoherent way as the title device allows the child stars to transcend
time and sort of travel back and forth through it. The chance to spoof the likes of a Pokemon or Ben 10 are also lost throughout and you would never guess who the
director is because his children’s titles do not have his distinct mark. However, it is harmless for the most part and
if you have a child and it holds their attention, but don’t expect much
otherwise.
The 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot
in digital High Definition video and has more motion blur and detail issues
than expected. The DVD’s anamorphically
enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is available on the DVD included with the Blu-ray and
separate DVD release, looking even softer with worse Video Black, while the
separate DVD adds a really poor pan & scan 1.33 X 1 version that is a
highly unnecessary disaster looking particularly bad and phony.
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray is not great, but
is by default, the highlight of both releases and the most technically
competent of both. The Dolby Digital 5.1
mix in both formats is much weaker and on the pan & scan 1.33 X 1 version
has its limited soundfield further diminished.
Extras in both versions include Ten Minute Film School: Short Shorts and Ten Minute Cooking School: Chocolate Chip Volcano Cookies, while
the Blu-ray adds Digital Copy for PC and PC portable devices, BD Live
interactivity, Shorts Show & Tell
and a making of featurette.
- Nicholas Sheffo
