Movie Review: YOUR STUDIO AND YOU

Now, I don't generally review short films because I think they have a very different dynamic than feature-length ventures. I have reviewed one short film - 2011's The Black Mamba - in the past, but that's as far as I've gone to this point. However, Your Studio and You happens to hold a special place in my heart (for reasons I will mention momentarily). I'm embedding the film below - make sure you watch both part one and part two - but let me set the stage a little bit. According to the synopsis on IMDb, executives from Universal Pictures commissioned the making of the short in 1995 after the company was bought by Seagrams. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone directed the piece, which works as a parody of 1950s corporate and industrial films. So without any further delay, enjoy the videos and wait for my "review" after the jump.

So the first thing that you're likely to notice throughout the film is the slew of big-time names that make appearances here and there. From the get-go, we see the likes of Steven Spielberg as Studio Tour guide, Michael J. Fox as a curious young man with a slew of questions, and even James Cameron working on beautifying his surroundings. Sylvester Stallone gets his extended cameo that proves to be one of the most hilarious parts of the film (in my opinion), especially his little afterward at the very end of the film. A few more names that surface that you might recognize include Demi Moore, John Singleton, Angela Lansbury, Brian Grazer and Jeff Katzenberg. The inclusion of these big-time names allows an outside audience (like myself) to connect with the film on a more personal level. Were they not in the film, it might not have appealed to me as much because a lot of the jokes and gags would only appeal to Universal Pictures employees.

Still, those in-jokes are definitely prevalent throughout the film's seventeen-minute run-time. However, if you know anything about Universal Studios in general, you should be able to follow along relatively easily. Knowledge of the Hollywood theme park will also enhance your viewing pleasure quite a bit.

Ultimately, this is definitely a film for anyone who happens to be a fan of Stone and Parker. It has the feel of the rest of their collective work, so if you're into things like South Park, then this should be right up your alley. The two even make an appearance in the film itself, but I won't give it away - I'd rather let the fans spot them. Overall, I personally think that Your Studio and You is one of the funniest short films I have ever seen. If it's not your type of humor, then I apologize, but if you can understand the tongue-in-cheek attitude, then you should have a grand time while watching.