Rejected (2000)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Don Hertzfeldt has managed to make some of the most innovative and hilarious animated shorts by using the most primitive style of doodling and stick-figures, which, in my opinion, only helps accentuate the charm of his work. Hertzfeldt is a commendable artist with a plethora of ideas, frequently finding a way to make his random ideas flourish through the limitless realm of animation, and Rejected shows the kind of activity that I'm sure floods his head on a daily basis. The connective tissue of the short, as its a collection of miniature shorts within nine minutes, is that Hertzfeldt was hired to create some animated spots and advertisements for The Family Channel but, in the mix of himself going absolutely crazy with sketching and writing, almost losing control, all his proposed segments were rejected. Rejected shows all the spots/advertisements, with the last couple minutes of the short showing Hertzfeldt's complete spiral into insanity as all the animated figures are thrown into chaos by crumpling paper and the entire destruction of their world.Rejected is a zealous little gem, colorful and vibrant despite being so minimalist, and its traditionally-animated style proves that one can still captivate even when they resort to the bare basics. Hertzfeldt's craft is the kind that, even when stripped back many layers and nowhere near as expensive and detailed as larger, more mainstream projects.Directed by: Don Hertzfeldt.

This film, from the person who brought you films like "Billy's Balloon" and "Ah, L'Amour", comes "Rejected". It's a twisted, malicious film, that captures audiences who want a taste of the hilariously dark side of animations. Originally intended for mature audiences, it is enjoyed by audiences of ages 8 or older. I should know, because I was one of those viewers at a young age. Since I didn't know what was wrong, I had quoted some quotes from the film at elementary school, which was a bad choice to make, especially at a young age. Anyway, it was a great film to watch then, and it's even more fun to watch now; it's still as good to watch as it was then."Rejected" will have you laughing your pants off, for years and generations to come; it is a cross between the darkness of an animator, and the absurdness humanity can bequeath. Here, in this very film, is malice, hilarity, and randomness. It's the kind of film that is a sort of rape to the eyes, and the mind of the animator. But it's hilarious to watch, even though it looks really dark and disturbing. Overall, it's the perfect film to watch if you want to get rid of your troubles.

Don Hertzfeldt has created a cult classic with his 9 minute short animated film, Rejected. Rejected has no plot, it has no characters, all it has is a bunch of drawings rejected by fictional The Family Learning Channel and a fictional company, both who allegedly have hired him to do advertisements for their companies. The first 6 minutes of the film shows us some of Don's work with the absurdity and craziness present in each short commercial. The last three minutes are the amazingly done climax which is really quite a work of art but I won't ruin that part.The reason that the film is so funny to almost anyone who watches it is because of the randomness the cartoon's act in. Saying and doing non-sensible things to each other while they are suppose to be advertising for the fictional Family Learning Channel. Another amazing feat of this film is that it is not animation. It is done by Hertzfeldt entirely who drew hundreds of sketches of the cartoons and flipped them in front of the camera to make them move. I'm not sure of the processes name but that's what he did. It is I don't see a problem with watching this short film. You won't get anything but a laugh out of it but everyone needs a laugh once and awhile and Hertzfeldt will deliver that laugh.4.5/5 Stars

i loved this short from the first time i saw it in the theater back home in Hawaii. they were showing it before some Australian flick at the Hawaii International Film Festival. I went to see it with my boyfriend at the time, and we seemed to be 2 of the 3 people laughing in the theater. i was laughing so hard i almost fell off my seat, but controlled myself enough to stay upright and watch the whole thing. i'm not quite sure what was wrong with the rest of the crowd (i guess they wanted to see the Aussie movie). and maybe the humor is just a little too "different" for them. but, i'm glad the rest of the world appreciates REJECTED as much as i do. i watch the DVD at home and laugh out loud every time.