O-1 Visas
Jiadi Tang’s animated short, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Dick,” owes much to Milan Kundera’s beloved 1984 novel of almost the same name, including the fact that an overactive penis plays one of the main characters. The troublesome body part belongs to Tom, drawn as a slinky yellow dude with a long neck and a flowerpot head. He falls for Tessa, who plays guitar and has a watering can above the shoulders. There’s a crazy party that ends badly, a showdown on the soccer field, many broken shards of terracotta, and some unexpectedly profound philosophizing. Oh, and yes, the penis is detachable, uncouth, and very vocal. Read Kundera’s book for more details, plus the original setting of the Prague Spring, but watch Tang’s six-minute video for hilarity, brevity, and a visual style that owes much to the outrageous shenanigans of Adventure Time. More of this, please.
—Lori Waxman 2025-12-02 4:20 PM