While still uncommon, it is not entirely unheard of to see feature-length animated films not only created entirely in the independent space, but created and animated (almost) entirely by a single individual. These movies are typically easy to spot, either for having incredibly crude animation, simplistic character design (stick figures seem to be popular), or open-source soundtracks. But they often have impressive stories, being a pure and singluar vision unique in feel and theme to anything a commercial production would be capable of. They are also notoriously difficult to find, for they have virtually no advertising budget, and no budget for a physical media release, with little attention from distribution companies. The only place to hear about (let alone see) such movies would be at one of a handful of international animation festivals.I first heard about "It's Such a Beautiful Day" when reading it mentioned in passing in the book "Independent Animation - Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films" by Ben Mitchell (while not a paritcularly good guide for animators, it is a unique and well-researched biography of several well-known and lesser-known artists). To my surprise, a Bluray of the film existed on Amazon.com, sold by the director's (Don Hertzfeldt's) company "Bitter Films" (and originally made possible through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign). To my greater surprise was that, as of 2018, the 2012 film had an average rating of 4.7 / 5.0, with a total of 39 reviews. I expected positive reviews, and a total of perhaps two or three by family or friends making up the reviews, but 39 is more than many niche commercial films receive on the site. Further research showed that a number of professional critics had seen and applauded the film, some even declaring it one of the best animated films of its decade. That's a lot of hype for an independent film featuring stick figures. I didn't know anything about Don Hertzfeldt or his work (although his short films seemed vaguely familar), and was pleased to see the Bluray not only contained the feature, but most of his other (out of print) short films in a handy package. "It's Such a Beautiful Day" makes an impression within its first few minutes. It's a mixed media production made up of live-action video and images, experimental abstract imagery, and (most prominantly) simple pencil animation on white backgrounds of a stick figure named Bill. Almost all of the film is shown as a combination of shots in one frame, separated as image bubbles in a black background. While most indie films would try to avoid voice acting, the film has a single narrator (Hertzfeldt himself) explaining Bill's thoughts in each moment. At first, the narrator's delivery is jarring: it is well-spoken and confident, but talks quickly without any breaks in-between scenes and vignettes that each last a few seconds. It feels like an adult reading a story out loud to a child. Some of the content is also darkly humorous, further giving pause when the film seems to simply be describing the daily life of Bill. One scene describes how Bill was approached to buy a magazine subscription from a malformed student, and he "wonders why there aren't any porn magazines on the list... then wonders why he thought that." Another scene briefly mentions he has a fish eating his head under his hat, "probably a trout." It doesn't take long to understand that Bill actually has a mental sickness of some kind. It is never explained exactly what it is, but scenes revealing Bill's family history mentions cancer and dimentia. Much later, it is even suggested that Bill's memories might be untrustworthy, as his brain purposely makes up people and events to fill in foggy details. And so the film is really a subtle but revealing story from the point of view of a man with a mental disorder, complete with observations of unusual hallucinations, difficulty recognizing people or places, and finding interest in small details others would pass by without notice. The feature itself didn't hide the fact that it was a compilation of three prior shorts, although you wouldn't notice, as the three chapters all have the same delivery, characters and themes.
I am not aware as to whether the director has any personal history related to the material, but "It's Such a Beautiful Day" is surprisingly impactful in portraying a delicate subject, moreso than the few other films that cover the concept. Mental disorder is something that affects everyone, if not directly than through their relatives or aging parents and grandparents. This movie made me feel like I understood what someone might go through, moreso than I had before. And everything is covered with Hertzfeldt's bizzare and twisted sense of humor that fans of "The Far Side" comics would appreciate. Aside from the story, the visuals are also unusually impressive. Yes, they are as simple as you could expect in any film, but the animation is fluid as a great example of good character animation. And there are a handful of abstract but beautiful moments that convey a profound feeling or idea, the best of what indie films represent.Is "It's Such a Beautiful Day" overrated? A tad, but it was also much better than what I was expecting, thanks to impressive animation and a great script. It's a well-regarded example of indie cinema for good reason. Based on his current work, it looks like Don Hertzfeldt is preparing a new series of short films that might one day become his second feature film in "World of Tomorrow." I look forward to it.