Fantasia Film Festival 2021 Capsule Review: Pimple on the Nose

Written by Alexander Reams

50/100

Style over substance is a line that is constantly crossed in filmmaking. Whether correctly or incorrectly analyzed, action movies commit this sin the most. However, when approached correctly it can be a fantastic exercise in visual storytelling. Unfortunately, Davide Di Saro’s latest short, Pimple on the Nose, abandons any semblance of a plot, preferring to trade it in for eyegasmic visuals that are far superior to any Pixar film. From the beginning when a teletubbie-Esque character falls through what appears to be a wormhole, the lyrics kick in. Instead of traditional dialogue, everything is sung. The dialogue/lyrics are very reminiscent of songs by “Sparks” and are more just background music than they are affecting the visuals appearing on screen. Despite this, the visuals displayed in this short amount of time have given me images that are seared inside my brain, particularly the first minute of the short. While I was hoping for more from Pimple on the Nose, I find it hard to complain about what I was given, gorgeous visuals that would fit right into a Rick & Morty episode, a song that while not fitting with the images presented is still fun to listen to. I would be remiss if I did not knock the film for not having any sort of plot, however, I can l partially forgive it due to the chutzpah it took to make a vibrant, disturbing assault on the senses that occurs in this short amount of time.

Pimple on the Nose Trailer

Pimple on the Nose was screened as part of the 2021 edition of the Fantasia Film Festival.

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