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Shorts

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Funny, imaginative fantasy from Spy Kids director.

Themes in this movie include:   family relationships, friendship, honesty, peer pressure

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Kids will definitely remember the message of being careful what you wish for. They'll also pick up on the lessons about how a bully could end up actually being your friend, how greed is bad, and that "green is the new black."
  • Messages:

    Teamwork and overcoming obstacles (usually in the form of the Black family) are key messages, as is the basic idea that you have to be careful what you wish for -- because you never know if you just might get it. There's also a strong message about family life. Many sibling and parent-child relationships are strengthened over the course of the adventure. Toby makes new friends and rediscovers old ones who all work together.
  • Role models:

    Toby works tirelessly to keep the rocks from falling into the wrong hands. He convinces others to do the same, even when it's against their self interest. Helvetica, although a somewhat negative role model, is a strong female character, and she ultimately redeems herself. Loogie's brothers are the voice of reason, trying to explain to Loogie that he should be wishing for world peace or the end of starvation instead of fortresses and candy bars. Toby's parents are also good role models, prioritizing their marriage and family above career goals.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Cartoonish and fantastical violence includes a booger turning into a giant monster that chases a group of scared people; a person becoming a weaponized, Transformers-like being that wreaks havoc on a town; a kid's "wish" of rattlesnakes and crocodiles coming true (and then attacking him and his brothers); and the like. More realistic incidents include Helvetica's ongoing bullying of Toby, which usually consists of a daily trip, headfirst, into the nearest trash can; kids falling out of a tree; and kids falling out of a window and breaking both arms.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Toby jokes that Helvetica picks on him because she actually likes him; they have a middle-school love/hate relationship. Toby's parents lament their loss of intimacy, and, after a rock literally binds them at the hip, they nearly kiss and eventually fix their relationship. Loogie misguidedly flirts with Toby's older sister, who's in a fight with her boyfriend (they eventually make up with a hug).
  • Language:

    Fairly frequent use of colorful insults like "lunkhead," "hillbilly teeth," "Dr. Dumb Butt," as well as more traditional ones like "you suck," "freak," and "loser." Kids' nicknames can be mean-spirited, such as "Toe" for Toby, "Hell" for Helvetica, and "Nose" for a boy who eats his boogers.
  • Consumerism:

    The candy bar Nutrageous is shown many times as part of a running joke (a boy wishes he had an endless supply), and Skittles and IKEA are both mentioned.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Glimpses of adults drinking wine/champagne at a fancy costume party in one scene.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Shorts

Parents need to know that this fantasy adventure from Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez is sure to appeal to kids and tweens. Expect some mild insults -- like "lunkhead" and "this sucks" -- and potty humor, mostly regarding a booger (one entire vignette is devoted to the topic). The violence is generally humorous and fantasy based; most is directly related to characters' wishes (people transforming into animals, the above-mentioned booger becoming a giant menace, etc.). On a more serious note, the movie has several thought-provoking messages about bullying, family relationships, and technology.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the kids (mis)use the power of the magical rock. Which characters used the rock for good, and which used it for selfish reasons? How did possessing the rock change the characters?
  • What's the movie's message about our modern-day obsession with technology and fancy gadgets (like the Black Box)? Do they help us or hurt us in communicating with others?
  • The relationship between a bully and the person she picks on is one of the movie's main themes. How is bullying portrayed? Do most bullies attack kids physically? What are other ways that bullies can attack?

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Our Members Say

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  • What did you think about Shorts?
  •  I think this movie is

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See all 35 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Some rude words, but nothing much.

    this movie is ok for slightley matured children but the movie is terrible and no one should ever watch it!

  2. I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    love it..

  3. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism

    Pointless rubbish that quickly gets worse and worse as the movie progresses. The whole part about him jumbling up the movie is simply annoying, and the story makes no sense whatsoever. And how come the town consists of only around twenty people?! Awful stuff.

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 1.0

    Pointless just garbage Avoid it !!!

  5. I rate this title on for age 3 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    funny and good

    not bad at all

  6. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    This movie has a great message at the ending and it's not bad at all . There's not one cuss word in the entire thing .

  7. I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Very Funny

    I took my two kids, 8 and 10 to see this movie. Unfortunately, I felt my 6yr old was too young to see a PG rated movie, so he stayed home with his dad. The movie was very funny, and the insults the kids used weren't explicit at all, but they were still a bit mean spirited.

  8. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0

    Lots of laughs!

    We saw this movie twice in one weekend. Both of my kids (almost 6 and 11) loved it! The sequence of the story was not as confusing as I was led to believe before seeing it. It addressed several issues my 11 yr old deals with at school (bullying and braces) which was funny. It was a lot better than I expected and for me to sit through it twice says a lot!

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 2.0

    suitable for kids, retarded for older kids

    ages 5 and up: CRUDE HUMOR (P.S. not funny for kids over around 10)

  10. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    I rate this title off for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Eh...

    I'm not watching it.

  11. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Shorts is short, but it is very funny!!!

    Shorts: The Adventures Of a Wishing Rock is a very funny movie. There is action in this film,but mostly the action is comical. This movie has language that includes insults and one use of bad language, but the word is played for laughs. There is some gross humor, but it is funny. This is a funny film for kids ages 6- 7+. This movie Shorts is short, but it is still very funny!!!

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 4.0

    Very cute

    This was a very cute movie. There's nothing bad in it, so It's pretty much good for anyone. Little kids might find all the shorts confusing. I would definetley reccomend this to anyone!

  13. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    good for people 6-13

    a very great movie

  14. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

    A terrible lame movie

    It's just another lame film by robert rodriguez. i can't believe how kids can seriously like this film

  15. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    everyone

    aswome movie one of my favorites no bad stuff except for like you suck and stuff

  16. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    hi

    this movie is awsome it's one of my favorite movies of all time.

  17. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good But Not For Ages Under 6

    I Saw It With My 7 Year Old Son And We Both Loved It.

  18. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    I enjoyed it very much, and so did my almost 7 year old son. My daughter just turned 5 and she liked it too, but was a little fidgety in some parts (maybe the multiple short story format was a little much for her?). Very cute, this generation's Goonies. Classic in the making.

  19. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational

    awsome

  20. I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    The best part is that it was short!

    This film appeals to kids because it is very youthful in its ideas and execution – which makes for a poor film from this adult’s perspective! No meaningful story, lots of random and shallow ideas. See me review it with my 7yr.-old son on Youtube: "Gab and Max review Shorts"

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