Purely Joyful Movie!

How sad is this?

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

This is a 7-year-old movie by Oscar-nominated director Don Hertzfeldt. It's animated with his unique style as always and runs for 21 minutes. I am a really great fan of the director's works and I must say this one here is neither among his finest films nor among his weakest. It basically tells us first the family history of main character Bill and later puts the focus more on Bill himself. The absolute best about this short film is obviously Hertzfeldt's narration. His voice fits his style so perfectly and I really love the contrast between the almost poetic descriptions with the very raw animation style. And also in terms of emotion, this short film is a winner. The quote about "dust and moonlight" is particularly memorable just like the doctor's note to Bill's mother. But there is more. Lots of death, tragedy which is all somehow depressing and entertaining at the same time, so that you cannot really listen away. The only thing I did not really like here was the inclusion of live action scene. Other than that, good job from Hertzfeldt and I recommend this short movie.

Words cannot describe how moved I was when I first saw this film. I was lucky enough to catch it at the Tallahassee Film Festival in April. I was blown away. I had to leave the theater afterward because a) I had gather myself, b) I had to leave for work and c) anything I saw after it would just seem shitty and anti-climactic.It's existential in the best way; strange, awkward and funny much like "This American Life" or some works I've seen in McSweeny's or Believer. and finally human and nuanced despite the unadorned drawings of what are essentially black-on-white stick figure drawings. Like an apolitical Dan Perjovschi, Hertsfeldt can express worlds of meaning in the lightest wrist flick of his black marker.I can't recommend this movie enough. Without trying to be melodramatic, I think it may have changed my outlook on things, on life.

Those who have been affected by "Everything Will Be OK"'s deft balancing of the absurd, surreal, heartbreaking and quietly devastating will be blown away by "I am so proud of you," which is easily Hertzfeldt's best work. Plot-wise, we learn more about Bill's family history and strange relatives, and a co-worker's comments about genetics, time and predestination throw Bill's universe -- or at least the film's non-lineal portrayal of it -- into major flux. There is a strong sense of pathos running throughout, and at times the humor is so dark that it may or may not have been intended to be read as such--but that might be an irrelevant distinction. Watching Hertzfeldt develop into a true artist has been one of the greatest cinematic pleasures of the last decade, and "I am so proud of you" continues that trend. If you are fortunate enough to have the chance to see the sole copy of it that is currently circulating the country along with Hertzfeldt, don't pass it up. Hopefully we'll get part three of the trilogy soon...

I was lucky enough to have attended the magical school of UCSB about a week ago when Don Hertzfeldt, an alumni, premiered "I Am So Proud of You" to anyone willing to fork over five dollars. It was an experience I will never forget. All i had previously seen of his work were the shorts "Rejected" and "Billy's Balloon," so I thought I knew what to expect. "I am So Proud of You" is a phenomenal piece of storytelling, animation, and bittersweet humor. I won't say anything in regards to the storyline except that it begins by tracing Bill's family history, which is disturbingly hilarious. This film is very similar to "Everything Will be OK" in form, style, structure, and the overall theme of impending death. This is a fantastic film that should not be missed by anyone who has access to it and calls themselves a fan of anything that can be viewed in a movie theater.