The defence The Popcorn Loyalist
“It owes the canon nothing.”
The movie pursues immediacy and audience pleasure without begging institutions to certify its worth.
Back to trending 
Shorts
Family · Fantasy · Comedy · 2009
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.
Movie details
Shorts
“NOT SO TALL tales from the director of Spy Kids.”
2009 Family · Fantasy · Comedy 1h 29m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
5.9 / 10
Community rating
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.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Shorts?
For the defence
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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The Twits
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When Toaster and the gang spark friendships with the playful animals at the veterinary hospital, they soon discover their new pals are about to be sent to a testing laboratory.
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After a mysterious chest opens a gateway through time, teen gamer Jack is transported to an ancient empire terrorized by a cruel barbarian king. Jack will need all of his gaming skills as he battles to defeat the barbarian, protect a beautiful princess, and somehow find his way back home.
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
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An 11-year old boy believes that he is the best detective in town and runs the agency Total Failures with his best friend, an imaginary 1,200 pound polar bear.
The Luck of the Irish
Family · 2001
A teenager must battle for a gold charm to keep his family from being controlled by an evil leprechaun.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Robert Rodriguez
Written by
Robert Rodriguez · Álvaro Rodríguez
Jimmy Bennett
Toby Thompson
Jake Short
Nose Noseworthy
Kat Dennings
Stacy Thompson
Trevor Gagnon
Loogie Short
Devon Gearhart
Cole Black
Jolie Vanier
Helvetica Black
Rebel Rodriguez
Lug Short
Court is in session
Put Shorts on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“Easy pleasure, short half-life.”
It moves efficiently through the moment but offers little reason to keep arguing once the credits end.