After I heard that the folks at Indy Mogul had named Consumerism! The Musical one of the best short films in the world, I just knew I had to review this thing. It has some of the most exuberant dance choreography since the opening-credits sequence of Get Over It (am I the only one who remembers that Ben Foster-Kirsten Dunst guilty pleasure from 2001?), and the message is a satirical one along the lines of What Would Jesus Buy? In other words, this is essential viewing.

In the U.S., consumerism is like the weather, so it's always best to take a comedic approach when commenting on it, lest you draw the ire of an angry mob. I'm reminded of that quote by playwright George Bernard Shaw: "If you're going to tell the people the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise they'll kill you."

And laugh we do. Beyond the film's larger significance, this is just a really entertaining music video. It starts off with Justin Carter ordering "a grande vente soy verde latte with extra whip cream" in what's obviously supposed to be a Starbucks. He downs the drink from a tip jar and promptly breaks into song, accompanied by some very talented dance artists, and exclaims how his spend-now-and-save-later lifestyle adds up to "a wonderful life." The lyrics are pointed without being too pushy ("I get more than a few of my favorite things"), and director Brandon McCormick complements them visually by shooting in food courts and shopping malls. Consumerism! The Musical is a very rare thing indeed, a Strangelovian comedy that makes you laugh and makes you think.