Fridge Brilliance
General- The use of the eight shorts to tease the film to offload otherwise trivia details that would have bogged down the film. The film itself works completely without any of the information given by the shorts for the intended target demographic (young girls). However, to the more nit-picking older fans, questions like "Doesn't anyone else see these pony transformations?" or "Why did they even get a band together?" would remain unanswered in the film. Instead, while we don't get a full narrative towards this, the shorts answer enough of the questions so that the film doesn't seem as abruptly introducing these concepts. In addition, two of the shorts: "Guitar Centered" and "Hampocalypse Now" set elements that would become significant in the film: Rainbow's and Trixie's rivalry, and Rarity's insatiable urge to create fashion despite other priorities. As well as "Music to my Ears" establishing how little of the outside world DJ Pon-3 hears with her headphones on.
- The last two shorts, "Shake Your Tail!" and "Perfect Day for Fun!", fit perfectly as sequels to the movie (if you ignore the daydream explanation from the novelization, which just doesn't fit). First off all, it's only possible for Twilight to get back into the human world after the movie, since she found a way to reopen the portal. Also, you'd notice that the group's anthropony forms feature the "Rainbow Power" hair, something that isn't added until the end of the movie. Their costumes are also better-looking and more personalized, Rarity having taken into account some of the complaints about the initial set. As for why Sunset Shimmer is nowhere to be seen, whatever the reason that would explain why they'd call on Twilight for both performances, to have a sixth member at hand for the song.
Music to My Ears
Guitar Centered
Hamstocalypse Now
Pinkie on the One
- Putting Pinkie Pie in the role of the drummer not only fits well with her personality and boundless energy, it also has an added bonus: avoiding that Pinkie would be bouncing all over the place if she'd have a more portable instrument. There's enough of Rainbow Dash doing that already....
Player Piano
- According to novelization, Rarity borrowed the piano from Trixie. That explains why it doesn't have wheels — Trixie doesn't trust them!
A Case for the Bass
Shake Your Tail!
Perfect Day for Fun!
- Twilight and Applejack drag Fluttershy into a haunted house attraction, but they end up fleeing while Fluttershy just walks out, shrugging. Most likely explanation: the haunted house is using some sort of scary critters (spiders, snakes, rats, big creepy crawlies, etc.) to scare off the customers. As shown with pony Fluttershy (especially in the comics), she's utterly unafraid of animals, even the most ugly or frightening, it would make sense human Fluttershy is the same.
- Also of note is Fluttershy's reaction to seeing the Discord doll. Twilight probably assumed, that like her Fluttershy, she would have liked the Discord doll and got it for her. Unfortunately for Twilight, human Fluttershy freaked out at the sight of the doll and smacked it with a mallet.
- Applejack coming in last to spike. She's a Human, she's strong, but not abnormally so. He may look like a dog but he's still a dragon from equestria, a Dragon who built a massive tower of rocks, something pony Rainbow Dash thought to be impossible.
Fridge Horror
- The Short "Hamstpocalypse Now" shows that Fluttershy may actually be able to hypnotize people with her Pony Up abilities. Thank goodness that power went to such a kind-hearted person...
