Color Me Olsen is an 18-minute 2007 short

Short subject

A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...

 independent film

Independent film

An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...

 directed and written by Darren Stein

Darren Stein

Darren Stein is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer who grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Among his works include the documentary Put the Camera on Me, the upcoming summer 2010 horror comedy All About Evil, and the satirical major motion picture Jawbreaker - which has been...

.

Plot

Bright-eyed 18-year-old identical twin brothers come to Hollywood with the age-old dream of becoming stars. When they see the performers in front of the world-famous Grauman's Chinese Theater impersonating Superman

Superman

Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

, Dorothy

The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...

 and the Pirate Johnny

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...

, they think this could be their big break. Crossing the gender divide, they take on the roles of mega-famous twin sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen are American actresses and entrepreneurs.Both have appeared in television and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television programs, films, interviews, as well as commercial endorsements...

, losing themselves in their "roles" of the tween superstars, until their fabricated personas threaten to overtake their own identities forever.

Reviews

After its showing at the Tribeca Film Festival, reviewer Daniel Montgomery characterized the film as "ugly, depressing and vicious," asking "Why would anyone write this, direct it, star in it, or watch it? It’s reprehensible and should be punishable by heavy fines and jail time. Grade: F."

In contrast, online reviewer Scott Hoffman found the film "at first cheerfully amusing and entertaining," but concluded that it was "eerily similar to watching a great comedic sketch that's jettisoned to its punch line way too soon, with all the very important build up strangely absent."

San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle

thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...

critic David Wiegand was "not all that fond" of "a concept in search of smarter execution than you get here."

Another Tribeca reviewer, Ryan Stewart, described the film as one of two from Mood Enhancer (Tribeca's short films program) that "some will come away loving...There are a handful of genuine laughs in this one".

Cast

Jessica Amento ... Ashley Olsen

Ken Barnett ... Superman

Kevin Berntson... Glitter Dad

Clint Catalyst

Clint Catalyst

Clint Catalyst is an American author, actor, spoken word performer, and stylist.Catalyst has covered music, fashion, LGBT issues, and popular culture for magazines including LA Weekly, Frontiers, Out, Surface and Swindle.-Early life:Born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Catalyst was raised an only child...

... Oompa Loompa

Peggy Dunne ... Glitter Woman

Edmund Entin

Edmund Entin

Edmund Entin is an American Actor.-Biography:He is well known for his role as Robin Stanton in The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and as Jonah in the upcoming Seconds Apart.-Personal life:...

... Ashley / Taylor

Gary Entin

Gary Entin

Gary Entin is an American Actor.-Biography:He is well known for his role as Paul Stanton in The Seeker: The Dark is Rising. Entin co-stars with his brother Edmund in the upcoming After Dark Originals Seconds Apart.-Actor:-Producer:-Editorial Department:-Writer:-Miscellaneous...

... Mary Kate / Hanson

Dana Galinsky ... Tourist Daughter

Bruce Green ... Pirate Johnny

S.A. Griffin ... Tourist Dad

Liza Journo ... Cupcake Girl

Paul Ryjin

Diane Salinger

Diane Salinger

Diane Louise Salinger is an American actress, voice actress, and comedienne.-Filmography:* Creature as Melanie Bryce * Pee-wee's Big Adventure as Simone * The Morning After as Isabel Harding...

... Dorothy

Kelsey Sanders

Kelsey Sanders

Kelsey Sanders is an American actress and singer from Atlanta, Georgia. Her first starring role in film was as Heather in the 2008 horror-comedy flick Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust. In 2009, she starred as Reed Brennan in the teen-oriented webisode series called Private based on the...

... Mary Kate Olsen

Rachel Winfree ... Tourist Mom