I get that it was supposed to reflect a descent into madness (with memory loss); but it was just too odd for me. Random information discussing situations that really are not that interesting or are the character's taste etc. It seems to have hot the mark for many reviewers and so it may be worth a watch to see if you are among the fans. You will know within minutes whether you will relate to it - so dont waste your time like I did and watch the whole thing (it doesnt improve as it progresses).

From his beginnings as the animator of absurdist comedic shorts like "Rejected" and "Billy's Balloon", Don Hertzfeldt's career has always been promising and he has now become one of the finest filmmakers working today, a mature mastermind with a sense of humor that somehow manages to create stunning works of art using stick figures."It's Such a Beautiful Day" is a tragicomic combination of fantasy and reality, portraying the life and death of a seemingly normal man named Bill, a relatable extension of ourselves who lives a confusing yet mundane life that seems to have been wasted by year after year of nothing. Featuring a deadpan and often hilarious narration by Hertzfeldt himself, Bill's psychological and physical collapse is portrayed through the unique usage of flashbacks, dream sequences, absurdist gags, surrealist science fiction imagery, etc. All of these fragments of memories and crises and sad moments and happy moments and funny moments and stream of consciousness style musings on existentialist concepts of death and love and life all culminate to form something inexplicably beautiful. This is the story of a fragile man taking place over the course of his most fragile days as life seems to vanish in his socially awkward grasp. Of course, this is not a conventionally sad work, although it IS extremely tragic and heartbreaking throughout, for Hertzfeldt's often dark and occasionally even slightly juvenile and slyly bawdy sense of humor shines through even the most melancholic of moments. The result of this brilliant philosophical tale is a work of both intellectual and emotional mastery crafted by an underrated and unbelievably talented artist whose works can combine elements of comedy and tragedy and poetry using bland, almost poorly drawn stick figures. This filmmaker and this films are both movie miracles and prove that even in this modern age of repetitive corporate media cinema is not dead and can still be excellent and original!

I ran across this on Netflix and thought "wow, this guy won an award for drawing stick men?" So I watched it with a disdainful bit of envy at first, being an aspiring visual artist. While watching, I was disturbed by the subject matter and the obviously unhinged and intentionally melancholy atmosphere. I watched it in pieces, the first part during a bout of insomnia, the second with my girlfriend after drinking three spiced rum and ginger ale on the rocks, and the last part this morning when I woke up early. I am not sure how to describe this piece, is it genius or sadistic? It basically does make you really think about things. I already do that a lot, so I am compelled to wonder if this film really impacted me the way it was intended to. The main Character, Bill, really seems a bit like he isn't self aware at all. I guess there are some redeeming qualities this film maker needed to share about life from the perspective of disorientation. My final conclusion? Don't watch this bit of film making unless you want to feel disengaged from humanity and disillusioned by mixed feelings about the meaning of life. It is definitely a film making experience, just not one I am sure I would recommend.

When I sat down to watch this, I had never heard of Don Hertzfeldt, the genius behind "It's Such a Beautiful Day." Since then, I've watched every single film he has made at least three times. This film changed the way I look at art; film, music and literal art, in the form of paintings. It is truly incredible. Hertzfeldt's animation style in one of the best in the industry, and has now become my favourite. The story that is told in the series of shorts will make you laugh, cry and consider why you are even living. The way that the simple animation style is composited on screen is unique, and also works seeing as it is told from Bill's perspective. The main character, Bill, is a lonely, confused stickman, who suffers from depression and a mental disorder. The things he dreams up or the hallucinations he sees show Hertzfeldt's absurd humour, which will confuse you and also make you laugh. The questions that he asks will stay in your head for a very long time. The fact that this masterpiece was produced entirely one person with no help from computers makes the film stand out even more.I don't know whether I'll ever watch a film the same again.