Very funny and original shot. After reading your descripition I applaud you for coming up with it.
I think what hurt this image was a lack of light. Hence the noise.
What I've found when working with bad light is to try and compensate by reflecting as much of it as possible to increase what you have.
A few pieces of white paper set around the popcorn could have added enough to brighten the image where you wouldn't have had the noise problem. I'm assuming you were working with a hotel lamp.
Possibly you could have tried to not zoom as much as you did and given the illusion of a macro by cropping,, but I'm not 100% sure on that.
It really is a good shot and the humour factor is a plus.
I dont know how this will do in the challenge and it don't look much like popcorn
But it gave me a laugh I think he is so cute! So thanks for that
I like your humour