Pizza! Pizza! I scream. You scream. We all scream for Pizza!!! I am obsessed with the opening animation in Sebastian Hunt’s short film Pizza Man, very retro, very I watched this on my box TV when I was younger. The color grading felt real and not like a GLP-1 commercial on Hulu, which is always a plus in my book. It gave off a “depressing work place that I hate to work at and just wanna go home.” IF I saw some weird old man dressed in a pizza costume 7 hours into my shift at my box office job that I am for sure carrying on my shoulders, I’d lowkey be pissed though, like boy get out my face and let me go home, girl I don’t wanna deal with this right I'm tired and the only thing getting me through the day is knowing I have a california king waiting for me at home. Pizza Man gave off Thor from Avengers: Endgame, like bitch we have work to do go save a pizza I don’t know. ALSO, I’m reallllllly hoping that is not Mitchell’s handwriting as an adult because honestly not even Pizza Man can save that.
I feel like this movie was giving Captain Underpants, or what I’d imagine because I’ve never actually seen any of those movies, like there was something slightly off with the writing, but nevertheless very fun. My favorite part was when Pizza Man basically learns he is a fake and was made up for the entertainment of a child and was ecstatic, like wow realism. He is just happy to be alive or something. I think Pizza Man is about to go manic. He is a little too happy about all of this, like not flying me away from my job, tearing open the ceiling, making my boss hate me, and worst of all I KNOW FOR A FACT Mitchell is scared of heights. Pizza Man's dungeon is giving a grow room, lighting and all, put this man in Shameless he will thrive.
I just do not understand why his colors are purple and yellow, okay yellow I understand because of cheese, dough, or like the pizza oils, but how does purple fit into this realm? I guess if we really dive into it, it could not be yellow and red because the flash, yellow and green is aquaman, red and green is christmas, yellow and orange is applejack, isn’t purple and yellow like wario? I feel like there could be a better color combination here, I personally cannot think of anything but I know in my heart.
I really vibe with Mitchell. Something about his aura is just enamoring, like he’s just a girl at the end of the day confused as to why a random old man has captured him and taken him to his dungeon of sorts, and who really knows what Pizza Man uses that dungeon for…Mitchell is a mood, he just wants to get through the work day, but life decides he has to be the special like #emmetfromthelegomovieorsomething, or maybe he is genuinely going through psychosis with the same girl!! Obviously this movie is about following your dreams blah blah, and like a girl get out my face and let me get my promotion like do this another day when I'm not busy, maybe a weekend…every thought of that Pizza Man. Pizza Man cannot understand what it is like to be employed, he gives off a super hero mentality so bad. Mitchell and Pizza Man have the height difference I deserve. Maybe at the end of the day all you need is a Pizza Man in your life, I know I’ve been hating on him, but hey he does some good after all, he gave Mitch a prescription of zoloft and potentially helped him secure his promotion so you know what even with the controversies over his costume Pizza Man is not so bad…I think.
Pizza Man will screen at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival as part of Shorts Program #1 on Saturday, May 30, 2026 – Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5PM! Get tickets and more info here.
The 31st Annual New Jersey International Film Festival will be taking place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between May 29-June 7, 2026. The Festival will be a hybrid one as we will be presenting it online as well as doing in-person screenings at Rutgers University. Most of the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person when both are offered. The in-person screenings will be held in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ beginning at 5PM or 7PM on their show date. General Admission Ticket=$15 Per Program; Festival All Access Pass=$120; In-Person Only Student Ticket=$10 Per Program. For more info on the Film festival go here: https://2026newjerseyinternationalfilmfestival.eventive.org/welcome
