^{Credit: Big City Pizza (Blotto Films)}

Big City Pizza is entirely told from the POV of its protagonist, Boney (Sean Berrie). It’s not the first film to be executed in such a way, although Boney stands out for a few reasons. For starters, he doesn’t have any eyeballs. So, I’m not sure how we’re seeing things from his perspective when he shouldn’t be able to see at all. Maybe I’m burying the lead. Boney is a skeleton. Why is he a skeleton? The same reason his neighbor is a guy with a fish head, the local convenience clerk is a humanoid shark, and his work rival is a tiki guy named Oracle Bill (Corey Vent). No particular reason. This is just the sort of world Boney inhabits. 

It’s about as bizarre as it sounds. At the same time, Dusty Saunders’ film is surprisingly laidback in tone. Big City Pizza has the mood of a hangout movie, calling the earlier works of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater to mind. The stakes are relatively low, following Boney on his pizza delivery route the night of a big game. While all of his clients are colorful, some are more unhinged than others. Whether delivering pies to a dominatrix, broken-hearted Medusa doing her laundry, or a death cult, Boney maintains a chill attitude. I guess when you’re a talking skeleton, you’ve seen everything. 

That’s not to say Boney isn’t invested in anything. He has a crush on his co-worker/hotheaded boss’s daughter Mia (Ali Graba). Amidst the bizarre shenanigans, there’s room for a relatable romance. Of course, surreal comedy is the film’s main focus. Tonally, Big City Pizza is in the spirit of Adult Swim. Visually, the film is reminiscent of the bumpers that used to air on Nickelodeon during its heyday. It’s ironic that Boney’s first stop is at a fortune teller’s shop, as you can rarely predict what Big City Pizza will throw at you next in this After Hours-esque escapade. 

In some respects, the film also plays like a video game. The first-person perspective factors into this. More specifically, though, Big City Pizza has the essence of an old-school LucasArts game like The Secret of Monkey Island or Sam & Max: Hit the Road. The protagonist is even a skeleton like in Grim Fandango. In the vein of those games, it can sometimes feel like Big City Pizza is making itself up as it goes along. Even if the plot isn’t carefully mapped out, the film is heavy on laughs, strange imagery, and highly entertaining characters who are a joy to listen to.

Some of Boney’s misadventures might go on longer than necessary. Yet others make you wish the film’s runtime were stretched further. Either way, Saunders has created a world that the audience can easily lose themselves in. Perhaps that’s because it oddly resembles our own, mirroring how weird is the new normal. I wouldn’t say it’s a deep commentary on the state of society, but the film reflects society nonetheless. It’s a textbook definition of a midnight movie. You may need to be in the right frame of mind to vibe with it. For night owls, stoners, and fans of underground animation, though, Big City Pizza has the makings of a cult classic. It also seems like a natural fit for late-night pizza parties. 

The Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology runs from August 18-23 at OMSI with 170 films from 31 countries, 130+ animated works, and 30 world premieres.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!