A race of horse-eating survivalists gather for a harvest. All share the same trait; a grotesque mutation called the “Flocculus” that extends down from their chin in a way that resembles the long, narrow beard of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Whereas humans freak out at the appearance of an unsightly zit, these folks genuinely welcome this growth, relishing the sweet-smelling liquid it occasionally leaks. After the harvest, a seemingly painless snip, they head for the field like freshly sheared sheep; the valuable chin shards to be used in some unexplained manufacturing process. Like most animated shorts, Jeff Warrington’s disturbing film is way long on stunning visuals and desperately short on story. As grotesque as it is vibrantly colorful, “The Flocculus” never answers the voluminous questions it generates. Who are these creatures? Why is this “flocculus” so valuable? What happens if you don’t grow one? Regardless of how gorgeous and provocative the imagery is, pretty pictures by themselves aren’t enough to keep an audience interested. If they were, we wouldn’t bother going the movies. We’d just stare at a kaleidoscope for fun instead.
