I'm Here

Impressions before seeing it
I'm Here is a short film from Spike Jonze that I found out about while browsing IMDB and Wikipedia. I thought it looked cool, and then I discovered it was available in a book/DVD/soundtrack package, so I ordered it.

How was it?
Basically, it's about these two robots who start dating each other. I suppose the male was a slightly older model, because he is very squarish (his head looks like an old computer tower) and the female was more round and sleek, and had hair. It's cute and charming, but the little problem I had with it was that the robots were actually too human; not just because they were clearly played by human actors in robot costumes, but because they expressed the emotions and mannerisms of humans, too. This allows us to feel more invested in their relationship, sure, but from a more objective storytelling standpoint I just wondered why bother making a story about robots in love if it would be almost exactly the same story with human characters? Well, on an emotional level anyway; there exists some robotic appendage transplanting as an important element of the relationship and obviously humans can't do that so easily. Other than that and the cool stylistic elements, I didn't really see the point of making this movie, but don't get me wrong: I'm glad it was made. It's sweet and original and I actually wish it was longer, both because I enjoyed it and because I would've liked to have seen a little more development across the board. Also, please note that even though this short was sponsored by Absolut, it really has nothing at all to do with vodka.

Recommendation
While I haven't checked out everything yet, the fact that this one short film comes with a behind-the-scenes book, a soundtrack CD, and some special features on the DVD is really impressive, especially for a short. There are tons of full length movies that don't even get that kind of treatment. So if you happen to catch it (it's probably online somewhere) and enjoy it, I recommend looking for that package. It would be under "There are Many of Us", which is the book's title.

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Impressions before seeing it
I've seen all of the other Wallace and Gromit shorts, plus the movie, and always enjoyed them. A Matter of Loaf and Death is the most recent short. Should be more of the same cute family fun.

How was it?
The Wallace and Gromit movies follow a loose formula: Wallace is a sweet, cheery guy and a brilliant inventor but is otherwise simple and naive, so when he gets himself into a dangerous situation it's always up to his intelligent (but mute, being a dog) friend Gromit to figure out a way to save him. They're light and family friendly, and funny but moreso in a cute way that makes you (or at least me) smile rather than laugh. Loaf and Death was actually a little bit darker in that Wallace fell in love with a serial killer who was secretly trying to kill him, but emphasis on the "little bit" because it's still done in an age appropriate way.

Wallace has had love interests before, so that was nothing new, but in this one they gave Gromit a love interest in the form of a female poodle. If there is another short, she may even make an appearance in it. There was a fun climactic battle at the end, but in general this short was more of the same, which is not a bad thing.

Recommendation
You'll probably enjoy it if you're already a Wallace and Gromit fan, but I understand people not liking when something has a cutesy family quality. I don't always like that myself, but I'm fine with it if it's done well, like here or in Pixar movies.

Love & Distrust

Love and Distrust is another collection of short films I picked up. Mini reviews of each below.

The Summer House
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Talulah Riley
This one was one of the worst pieces of crap I've ever seen. It was like a fan fiction written by a 13 year-old girl - which isn't far off either, given that Robert Pattinson is in this. Basically it's about a girl visiting her aunt in 1969, they pick out a dress for her to wear to their moon landing party, her ex-boyfriend shows up wanting her back, she rejects him, interspersed with footage of the moon landing. The end. I'm glad this was only a short film, because if it was full length I would have blown my brains out.

Blue Poles
Starring: Sam Worthington, Emma Randall
I imagined this was one of Sam Worthington's first roles because his performance wasn't very good, but IMDB says he'd been acting for four years before doing this one. The short itself wasn't too bad though. It's a little road trip story about a guy who picks up a free-spirited hitchhiker and they fall for each other when staying in a motel. Doesn't stand out, but isn't terrible (although after The Summer House, anything would've seemed good).

Grasshopper
Starring: James Franco, Rachel Miner
In this one, James Franco plays a snooty businessman who shares a train car with a whore (Miner). He accidentally leaves his palm pilot on the train, the whore finds it when he calls the number, and they arrange for her to give it back to him. Sounds boring, but I didn't want to spoil the interesting part. I liked this one, although it was a little sad and depressing.

Pennies
Starring: Amy Adams
I bought the collection for this one because I'd already seen it online and liked it. Amy Adams plays a desperate waitress trying to make money in a short amount of time before a knife-wielding man on the other end of the phone cuts her daughter. There's a cool little plot twist at the end that completely changes the tone of the movie, and I like Amy, so thumbs up.

Auto Motives
Starring: Michael Imperioli, Robert Downey Jr., James Cameron, Allison Janney, Jim Rash, Melissa McCarthy, Moon Unit Zappa, Octavia Spencer
This one was like a short film made up of even shorter films. Directed by actress Lorraine Bracco, Auto Motives is a series of unconnected stories involving people and their cars. There's a creep trying to lure women into his convertible; a couple of robbers who lost the keys to their getaway car; a middle aged woman in a limo seducing a midnight cowboy to spite her ex-husband; two women in an RV seeking to be country music stars; a dweeb who gets stuffed into the trunk of a car after trying to run from the mob with their money; and my favourite, two car washers who work for director James Cameron, appearing as a douchebag version of himself in a big black Hummer. Apparently these were improvised, a credit to all of the actors except McCarthy and Zappa (the ladies in the RV) because their part was annoying and not funny. But this was a fun one and it was a nice surprise to see a lot more familiar faces than I thought I would (including Jim Rash, the Dean on Community!).

Celebrity Mix

Celebrity Mix is a collection of 8 short films featuring familiar actors that I purchased on DVD. I'll briefly discuss each one below.

Laud Weiner
Starring: David Hyde Pierce
This one was basically just a four minute joke about how Hollywood producers barely do anything yet take all the credit and prestige. Probably true, but as a short film it was only mildly amusing. However its short length is a strength because otherwise the joke would've gotten old really fast.

House Hunting
Starring: Zooey Deschanel, Paul Rudd, Terry Kinney, Felicity Huffman
I had already seen this one online and bought Celebrity Mix because of it. Deschanel and Rudd star as a young couple being shown houses by a quirky real estate agent (Kinney). It's funny and interesting, but mostly I just like Deschanel and Rudd.

Curiosity
Starring: Cheyenne Jackson
I recognized Cheyenne Jackson as Danny, the new TGS castmember on the fourth season of 30 Rock, but this DVD was released before that so I guess he's done other things to qualify as a celebrity. Anyway, this one is about a guy who finds a DVD taped to a street lamp and, when he takes it home to watch it, discovers some slightly creepy footage on there. Basically it kind of rips off the beginning part of David Lynch's Lost Highway with the videotape and, just like Lost Highway, feels pointless when it ends. I wasn't really impressed.

Dysenchanted
Starring: Jim Belushi, Alexis Bledel, Laura Kightlinger, Sarah Wynter, Jaime Bergman
Jim Belushi plays a shrink leading group therapy sessions with a bunch of classic fairy tale princesses who have psychological issues. Kind of cute and charming, but I think it was a comedy and more "cute funny" than actual funny.

Dependable People
Starring: Laura Kightlinger, Lewis Black
Laura Kightlinger - the only person to show up in this short film collection twice - wrote, directed, and starred in this one about a temp who comes to work at an office where the characters are kind of weird and unlikable (to me anyway). Not really worth watching a second time.

Media Whore
Starring: Chris Hardwick, Ali MacLean, Coolio, Taye Diggs, John Doe
Chris Hardwick (who you may recognize if you watch a lot of G4) introduces footage of a fictional MTV-type VJ interviewing such celebrities as Coolio, Taye Diggs, and John Doe. Poking fun at the shallowness of stations like MTV and Much Music (and their VJs), "Astrid" asks them a lot of dumb questions and makes conceited comments about herself. Funny if you like the whole "dumb/mediocre/inappropriate interviewer" shtick used by characters like Ali G and Jiminy Glick in the past, although it might have been funnier if they'd gotten better people to interview.

Waking Dreams
Starring: Ben Shenkman, Tina Holmes
I don't really know who Ben Shenkman and Tina Holmes are (they've done a lot of TV though, and they looked familiar), but this ended up being my favourite one in the collection. Waking Dreams is about an office manager who is told by a temp that she dreamt he will die if he takes the vacation he's been planning. I really loved the writing and acting, helping to create a great dynamic between the two characters. Overall it seems a little vague though, but I guess that makes it more interesting.

Mr. Dramatic
Starring: Amy Acker, Oliver Hudson, Rachel Nichols
In the final short, a woman waits in a bar for her blind date when she discovers that he is... Mr. Dramatic. Clad in a white tux and doing almost everything in slow motion, he quickly becomes the center of attention. If you are the type of person who loved the "Dear Sister" SNL short, you might enjoy this one too, because it has that similar joke of overly dramatizing stupid things. I found it funny, and the deep, dramatic movie trailer narrator voice was also a plus.