Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

kellyf-30288 Robert Altman was a master director and it is great that with the advent of the internet the new generation can know and watch films of his that they would never have gotten an opportunity otherwise. Short cuts, much like most of his films is an ensemble piece featuring top notch actors playing distinct characters in the city of Los Angeles. All are connected- some literally, all thematically. This is a great piece by a master and it inspired many filmmakers, among others PT Anderson. Go watch it now.

videorama-759-859391 Short Cuts for me was a surprisingly entertaining, if engrossing watch, really surpassing my expectations, due to the interplay of stories and characters. The scenario with the little boy, knocked over by trashy ex alcho-waitress, Tomlin, (check out her loser husband) in the hospital, clinging for life, is what had me, but it's the other stories too. Though there's comparisons to this and Magnolia, both films, starring Julianne Moore, the characters and occupations are more offbeat, and therefore much more interesting and exciting. There are so many wonderful actors in this film, I'd be forever writing them down, probably Penn, in still a good performance, was the lesser acting strength, as a birdwatching pool man, who's wife (Jennifer Jsson Leigh) is a blatant sex phone worker. Altman through his story, seems like he's let the actors kind of rabble on with their own scenes, ala Mike Leigh, kind of, some conversations are all so realistic, if documentary. The end, particularly, mirrors Magnolia, with another tremulous event, containing one shocking moment on Penn's behalf. Honestly I just love this movie, for what it gave me. It's the characters and their lives. Robbins, as well as being a low piece of s..t, involved in dognapping, for instance, is a real idiot for having an affair with Mcdormand, while he's got sexy Revenge star, Madeline Stowe. Another shocking aspect to the film, involves some dirty fisherman/camping, who partake in filming a dead nude female's body, found floating in a stream, and not reporting it. It sometimes is the dark side of characters to adds to the great movie's appeal. One funny aspect has Mcdormand's wife, Peter Gallagher, avidly and methodically, turning her ex's loungeroom, into one of ruin, a much loved retribution hitting big here. Here'a a great 90's movie, we breeze easy through it's over three hour running time, one minute than Magnolia, in fact.

Jackson Booth-Millard From Oscar nominated director Robert Altman (MASH, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Player), this was another film with a big ensemble cast of big stars, featured in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was looking forward to seeing. Basically a fleet of helicopters spray for medflies, and along the path flight we meet various characters, most not aware of each other, only some that are, but all going through regular day to day things, but all have an element of luck and chance come into play and change things for them, whether based on infidelity or death. Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) is married to wife Marian Wyman (Julianne Moore), but she later admits she has been sleeping with another man, Marian's sister Sherri Shepard (Madeleine Stowe) is married to police officer Gene Shepard (Tim Robbins), he initially plans to leave the family and the irritating barking dog following his affair with Betty Weathers (Frances McDormand), but changes his mind for his children, and Betty herself is divorcing helicopter pilot Stormy Weathers (Peter Gallagher). Waitress Doreen Piggot (Lily Tomlin) is married to alcoholic limousine driver Earl (Tom Waits), she is shocked after hitting Casey Finnigan (Zane Cassidy) with her car, the day before his ninth birthday, the little boy seemed fine for some time, but then his mother Ann Finnigan (Andie MacDowell) finds him in a bad way and he is taken to hospital where he goes unconscious, and Casey shockingly dies all of the sudden, the baker gets a harsh explanation of why Ann or TV commentator husband Howard (Bruce Davison) didn't collect the birthday cake. Tess Trainer (Annie Ross) is a cabaret singer seen singing throughout the film, her daughter who lives with her is cello player Zoe (Lori Singer), she becomes overwhelmed by her mother's alcoholism and isolation, breaking down and committing suicide breathing gas fumes from inside her car, later being found dead by her mother, and Jerry Kaiser (Chris Penn) is a pool cleaner married to wife Lois (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is a mother at home with children, and often taking care of them at the same time she makes money as a sex phone operator. Stuart Kane (Fred Ward), and his buddies Gordon Johnson (Buck Henry) and Vern Miller (Huey Lewis) are on a three day fishing trip, they find a woman's body in the river near the rocks, but initially considering it they do not report it to the police, they simply tie her to the rocks and continue fishing, and report the death after the trip, Stuart's wife Claire (Anne Archer) is angry that they did nothing all that time, and feeling guilty she attends the funeral of the dead twenty three year old girl. Other characters you see appearing in the film in amongst the other story lines and events include couple Honey Bush (Lili Taylor), Doreen's daughter, and makeup artist Bill Bush (Robert Downey Jr.) who spend most of their time entertaining each other at home, and Howard's father Paul Finnigan (Jack Lemmon) in the hospital who approaches some people being friendly or jokey, and the event that involves all characters is an earthquake in the area. All the stars in the film do their parts very well, whether being funny or serious, especially MacDowell, Robbins and Jason Leigh, obviously none of the stories are really related or connected, but you are compelled by a good number of them, when they are illicit, distressing or emotional, a most watchable and interesting ensemble, interweaving and multi layered drama. It won the Golden Globe for the Special Award for Best Ensemble Cast, and it was nominated for Best Screenplay. Very good!

stormwings ...I try to tell from inside the universe of one single human being I become speechless because I cannot decide what to say and what to conceal.But not these three men who wrote this screenplay like a symphony between Bach and Jazz - and Mark Ishams music is the same kind - divinely brilliant.A novel? Two? Three, five? Or is this all hackneyed phrases? Is there a difference at all? Three hours full of moments I found myself smiling and slightly shaking my head at the same time. Never saw such a lot of 'perfect pairs' as in "Short Cuts"!The set dressing and costume design are straight to the point. Always winking. Don't worry about little earthquakes. Never get a breakfast in a diner without sunnies. And don't lose heart because of a body in the river... Simply enjoy - inside the prison of life :-)