To those of you who spend the early hours trawling through YouTube instead of sleeping, the phrases my spoon is too big and my anus is bleeding will probably ring a bell. Both are absurd short cartoons by Don Hertzfeldt, a Californian animator whose bizarre sketches will outlive all of us and even then never be fully understood. Cant get enough of his surrealist approach? Good news; his acclaimed feature-length animation Its Such a Beautiful Day offers up 62 minutes of philosophical oddity. Presented in three parts 'Everything Will Be OK', 'I Am So Proud Of You' and a final eponymous chapter which were originally released as short films in their own right, Hertzfeldts narrative follows a character named Bill struggling with his mortality. Bills optimism in the face of adversity is infectious, making his disturbing hallucinations all the more jarring. Fans of dark comedy and janky animation will be right at home in Hertzfeldts dreamscape of sketchy lines and flashing colours. Its an impressive feat to make viewers buy in to the struggles of a stick man, however an engaging story of self-affirmation alongside frequent absurdist interludes and a quirky brand of humour makes Its Such A Beautiful Day a compelling hour of viewing.
A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen.
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