Indie animation king Bill Plympton’s newest feature is a dark and humorous allegory about morally bankrupt men. A misanthropic schlub named Angel is horrified to wake up one morning with wings sprouting through his shoulder blades. He initially tries to hide them and rid himself of this “problem,” but after mastering flight he begins to use the wings for his own greedy ends. The wings, however, seemingly have a mind of their own and over time they gradually begin to change Angel’s outlook on life. Fans of Plympton will be enthralled by Idiots and Angels (for which he drew every cell himself), but also will note a much sparer style and color palette than in his past films. Anchoring Plympton’s trademark style of hand drawn and surrealistic transformations is a somber and weighty noir. With no dialogue, the film’s music and sound design add to its unmistakable elegance, even as it depicts some of the most selfish and hateful people one could ever meet.

Written by Bill Plympton (78 min, Plymptoons)