Wet Seal Cigarettes

Absolutely stunning

In many ways, this film is very much inspired by classics. There are obvious homages to slapstick gags of early filmmaking, as well as a clear dedication to the French New Wave, both in style and subject matter. Its interest in Existentialism is fascinating, particularly when paired with so much cheerful absurdity-it's like The Stranger with a sneaky grin. While the protagonist of that story is deemed suspicious because of his reaction to his mother's death, Nicholas is deemed suspicious for... not smoking. It's ridiculous, but then again, so is everything else.

It's this kind of duality that makes this short film so watchable, and it's equally effective at helping its more philosophical subjects go down smooth.