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I love that movie. I lucked out getting the bluray years ago. I still make people watch it who I believe will enjoy its unique and beautiful storytelling
My wife and I took our honeymoon in Iceland and we found that road. We aren't skaters, so we just drove down. It's in a particularly quiet and remote part of the island, but even in our rental car it was a surprisingly thrilling descent -- more so than you might think from the movie. Icelandic roads are gorgeously smooth and pristine, but they're also unforgivingly narrow, so you need to stay sharp at all times.
When my now husband and I first met 10 years go at 19 we went to see this movie for our first date. It really set the stage for our relationship and I still think about it often. When I need to be reminded about what is important in life I will listen to “Quintessence” from the soundtrack and think back to when we were broke and aimless and only had each other. The future was scary and we didn’t know if we would be together for very long. Now we live in our house we built together with our own four hands and I turn 30 next week. Life is so much better than I thought it would be back then, all because of him. The first movie we watched on our thrifted couch in our empty living room the night we moved in was “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”.
25 years ago my now wife and I went to see a movie for our first date. It was Captain Corelli's Mandolin. During the rough times like losing my job, her losing her job, retraining for new careers, the 2008 financial crisis, covid, losing my mom, we still joke how nothing could be worse than that movie we watched on our first date.
My grandparents told us all at their 50th ani that it's not all fun and games and sometimes you have to fight for the marriage even yourself. Like all good things it takes work to get there. When things get hard it all becomes even more important, the words you speak during the good/sweet times. I don't think it's like this for everyone but I just know that it can be. As they say "life is a struggle".
This is essentially me and my wife's life except we didn't build the house ourselves. Wild to see a parallel story off of a weak box office movie that was sadly dismissed as a meh.
In the end credits, which are insanely long and contain things such as "lead shark technician" and "assistant shark technicians", there is a message: "This movie has helped to support around 15,000 jobs and involved thousands of hours of hard work to make." At that point it did make me cry. I really do appreciate Ben Stiller a lot, he’s an incredible director who knows who to ask for photography and takes the time to develop and produce these crazy-assed stories. You can see from every film he makes all the care that is put in the craft and the people involved with it. You can feel it back from Zoolander up until Severance. "Beautiful things don’t attract attention on themselves", that’s quite how I feel about his work in general. His films always manage to earn the affection of the public through a lot of work, and somehow always feel modest and fresh even with multimillion budget.
That message is thrown in a lot of movies. I presume to make you feel guilty about pirating it. I'm not sure how many actually watch the credits to the end, though.
Ben Stiller is an interesting film creative... he is most well known for the comedies (often "cheap" productions) that he stars in, but then turns around and makes underrated movies like Walter Mitty.
This movie, is what made me fall in love with movies in a completely new way. Suddenly I stopped just consuming movie after movie, show after show, and started to really appreciate people who take their time and energy to make something as powerful as a "simple" movie... It changed me and it has a very special place in my heart and in a way, it is one of my most favorite movies of all time.
Yes, there are movies, and they are fun. But then there are movies, imbued with meaning, and then, we are stirred in our spirits as it resonates by the meaning in those special films that can do something so special as to stir our spirits.
Once,in a lucid dream,I've asked someone:How does it feel to be a character in my dream? Perhaps you a character in my dream,was the reply. Uncomfortably long pause later he said:Keep a dairy and an dream journal,until they aren't necessary no more...
Yes, I was also quite disappointed that the critics were so low, I also think its a really great movie that screams out to love life. Loved the landscapes (been there myself, looks exactly like in the movie, better of course) loved the music. I am not at all a Ben Stiller fan, did not like his other movies much...so me loving that movie was a suprise for me.
There was one aspect of the movie that made me very sad though. During that scene when he played soccer with those guys. I thought, well if I was there...as a woman, they would not have included me, I would maybe not even be allowed to play, I would probably even be in danger from them. For us women, going full out to live and relish life like that is always dampened, unfortunately by men. And yes, as a woman, I would love to travel to other countries, meet people and have adventures.
@@endlessstudent3512you can do it! I'm a woman and have had numerous solo holidays to other countries. For me it's always been about doing lots of research and planning first. I always secure well-reviewed accommodation first, and have an understanding of the transport, landmarks etc first, and know what my options are before I go. I try to avoid having too many unknowns when I arrive, so I'm less vulnerable. You work out what is most important to you to feel safe and confident, and do that first. 👍
I had heard about this movie, but didn't catch it in the theater. I was working out of state a lot and was flying twice a week for my job. I decided to catch this movie on a flight home. It was a particularly hard week, I felt like I was missing my family, I wasn't loving my job at the time and everything seemed out of my control. I flicked this on, and was transported. Walter, in a lot of ways, was living what I was feeling every day, I connected with it, deeply. By the end of the show, I had forgotten I was even on a plane watching a little 6" screen. With tears streaming down my cheeks as the credits rolled, I was suddenly aware of where I was. The guy next to me had been watching me, watch the movie and leaned over at its conclusion and said "I felt the EXACT SAME WAY when I first watched that movie" then he smiled at me I like was now part of some club. Now, I have shared it with my friends and family and watch it at least once a year, just to remind me what the purpose of life really is. Thank you for making this video Danny! This movie deserves it.
This movie quite literally changed my life. After watching it I got the courage to apply for a job in a country where I could not speak the language nor read the alphabet (it is Cyrillic and no it is not Russia). From my small town, I had never even travelled outside my state, to a whole different continent. It was a big adventure and I loved my time living in that country 😊
Conversely, after seeing this movie it made me realize how unhappy I was with my job/living situation. That week I ended up putting in my notice to leave. And then a few weeks later I moved back home where I had a lot more support. I do not regret it.
When I was 13 I saw this movie with some friends, and I walked out the theater amazed. I was a kid with undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Not only was it beautiful, it spoke to me on a very deep and emotional level. Years later, I would occasionally bring it up in conversation and look it up online. Either way, the conversations would tend to veer in the direction of people just shrugging their shoulders saying "it looked neat," but nothing ever deeper than that. Recently, I was sitting at a friend's fire pit and her brother asked me what my favorite movie was. A fairly loaded question, but after a moment and years of saying The Dark Knight or Iron Man or other movies I thought I was supposed to answer, I simply stated The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. This video was incredibly validating to both me now, and the 13 year old who came out of that theater having felt like he could do anything. Cheers!
The entire "ghost cat" conversation in the film hit me. I was 16 at the time and had hit a crossroads in my life, and I could feel the pull of taking photos of everything and everyone at all times, living my life for the camera, and then Sean Penn's line of "Sometimes I don't take it, it's just for me" hit me. I remember the first time I had a moment just for me, I wanted to take a photo, but I didn't. I've never forgotten that view, I could draw it from memory I loved it so much.
that line is why i don't bother with photos or videos at concerts and only take photos sparingly when i'm on vacation. it's better to live in the moment then waste it trying to relive it later.
@@RSpracticalshooting I find you can key in to take a couple meaningful/interesting photographs at the beginning, and then put your phone away for the rest. You're not trying to document the whole thing but it's nice to have something that captures the memory.
@@Jaerb4 i'll usually take a photo with me and whoever i'm there with but rarely feel the need to take pictures of the actual shows anymore. most of the time you can't tell what the hell is even in the picture to begin with and videos are almost always a garbled mess. i did take a lot of photos in my recent trip to Alaska but most of it was because my brother couldn't go with me and asked me to.
@@Jaerb4That's it. Take a couple of photos of the abode and surrounds to satisfy some friends and family but then you start hitting the beers and you probably shouldn't be taking photos of the rest of what happens anyway 😂
After watching this film, I took a leap and moved across the country. Watching this film made me realize that the only person in my way was me. I moved from NY to Montana, fell in love, worked in the most beautiful places in the country, got a degree, and now, I'm a Park Ranger for Glacier National Park. Movies like this are so rare and when they appear before us, they tap into who we are and ask, "what are you waiting for?" Thank you so very much for this video essay. This film deserves to be in everyone's cabinet and remind them that the life they want is out there, they just have to open the door.
Im so glad you realizing your dream, ruins it for others. Locals cant even afford housing anymore in the towns their families have been in for generations because of move ins.
@nomadikmind3979 I understand the struggle of the housing crisis in Montana but I'm not a millionaire. I'm just an average dude looking to live where life doesn't suck. Just because I was born in NY means I have to stay there? I hate to tell you this, but montana is not the only state experiencing the housing crisis.
I was always sceptical of Ben Stiller until I saw this movie. That's when I realized that he was an amazing actor, just because he could depict this flawed, worried, sensible person who just tried......to do something different with his life. He took a chance this one time and it changed everything. This is actually one of my favorite movies from a spiritual standpoint because it gives hope that even if you're stuck in a seemingly unmovable position, your choices can move you places you couldn't even imagine. The most grabbing parts is when Walter stops and notices things, thinking it through, just like we do. Sometimes you suddenly notice something that grabs you, and it hits you deep and hard, leading to a realization you knew you were looking for but couldn't form a solid understanding or standpoint about. The realization is the relatable movement, because once you've seen the movie you know that you hold the same power as Walter did. You are the deciding factor in your life.
This movie unironically changed my life. I dream so much. Always in the day, daily in the night. This movie made me want to chase reality. My goal became to visit Iceland. When I finally did, it was like a dream. I'll never forget it.
I was also inspired to explore Iceland after seeing this film. In the summer of 2015, I backpacked the Laugarvegurinn, visited some of the natural wonders of the island (waterfalls, beaches, hot springs, ice lagoons), and spent a few days in Reykjavik. It was a trip of a lifetime!
Last year I finally got to visit Iceland as my first ever big international trip and I also went specifically because of this film and it was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped it would be.
"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." - Lawrence of Arabia
I love how in this film Walter and Shawn Penn's character idolize each other for the exact opposite reasons. Walter wishes he could be Shawn Penn's character, and Shawn Penn idolizes the small moments. They both want what the other has. Its just an interesting detail that this action star and explorer just wants to have some coffee and talk with people every once in a while.
I don't think Sean idolize Walter that much. It is more like he has learnt to value all the small details and he knows half his work has been a success thanks to Walter being his distant partner all this time. That's why that photo is so important to his character, maybe not that much for everyone else all this years but to him photographing Walter's dedication to both of their work was beautiful to him. Walter has been the perfect partner and friend through their shared work and only Sean's character was being recognized and idolized by everybody else.
@@Mart-B Lol, I had no idea that Sean is the irish spelling! Although I guess it makes sense, since it doesn't make sense... anyway, love u Ireland XOXO
@@breadboard4538 Ireland loves you too. The actual Irish spelling includes a line over the 'a', called a fada, but I dunno how to include it here. Without the fada, sean is an Irish word meaning "old", rather than the name.
@@Mart-B Interestingly some Gaelic variants has a fada above e (Séan) which means Good Omen. Also Sean, Jean, John, Jon, Johannes, Hans, Jan, Ian, Ivan, Jane, Joan, Juan all come from biblical Johanan (Yahveh's grace) and diminished into Jack, Jacques, James, Jamie, Jim, Jake, Jacob, Cuba and many, many others.
Back in 2013 I had just graduated high school and had NO idea what I was going to do with my life. I had spent most of my teen years day dreaming about hopping on a plane after graduation to set off on a life-shaping adventure, yet when the time came… I stayed in my hometown, too scared to take the leap. Then I saw this movie and, after adding it to my favorite movie list, immediately started planning. The next year I moved across the globe alone and spent 4 years earning a degree, making friends, falling in love, and making the most of every moment. Now I’m back in my hometown, working a job I absolutely love and spending my days with my beloved partner I met while living abroad all those years ago. Taking the leap may seem scary, but keeping your dreams inside your head and never letting yourself meet your true potential is even scarier! Give yourself a chance to experience life and all it has to offer!!
Seeing people still talking about Walter Mitty brings me so much joy. This movie genuinely changed my life, and I show it off with pride to anyone I care about. The film is so in love with the magic of human connection. I resonate with Walter because I've always had trouble with connection, like I've had that moment at the beginning where he needs to find the courage to hit like on someone on a dating app. Contrasting with his growth at the end, and his resume now filled with adventure, is what I've begun to strive for before I die. I absolutely adore this movie and I hope Stiller wasn't too hurt by the moronic critics when it came out, and now understands how much of an iconic, timeless piece of important filmmaking he created. I'm glad that now people are giving it a chance and seeing its true beauty and worthwhile lesson.
I remember it as one of the most pure cinematic experiences I'd had in a long time. No BIG BLOCKBUSTER ENERGY, no drive for a sequel or... any of that. It wasn't trying to redefine or BE anything. It was just incredible storytelling. It was taking us on a journey within a person - a journey we all are designed to take, but sometimes are afraid to risk for. It was a work where you weren't sure what to expect going in (I - like many - hadn't heard of the original), but it took you on such a profound process and evolution and didn't rush or apologize for any of it along the way. I hadn't thought about the movie in a long time, and I'm very grateful to have been reminded of it.
Easily one of the most under appreciated films I’ve ever seen, one that holds a special place in my heart. Thank you for bringing more attention to it, Danny 🫡
I saw that film just days after a sad breakup. Alone in a room full of people I didn't know. When the lights came up, no one left. Everybody stayed in silence for a minute and then conversations with people who had never met erupted. It took two security personnel to ask us to leave
This movie’s sense of wanderlust is so powerfully instilled in anyone who’s open enough to engage with it. That sense of awe and scale you get when you travel to far away places you’ve maybe only ever dreamed of going to before is so palpable when you’re watching it. I love it to bits.
No matter how many times I've seen it, I get such a thrill at the scene (and music) when he leaves the office and gets on the plane to Greenland. The expression on his face coming in to land is, to me, that quiet awe - no words or overdone acting - just quiet wonder. And the cinematography from then on is all just so beautiful!
This movie has always been special to me. Over ten years ago my family was going to see frozen in theaters with my kid cousin. As they walked into the theater my dad tapped me on the shoulder and said lets go see this instead. After the movie my dad told me that his mom had the exact same job as Walter Mitty has in the movie, a photo developer at Life magazine(when it was still around). At a bookstore I found a big anthology collection of the photos of LIFE magazine, after she passed in 2018 I found myself looking through those old photos everything from nature to politics to weird art pieces and wondering if they'd ever been the ones that crossed my grandmothers desk. If she'd been one of the first ones to ever see these pieces of history. I am glad to see this movie getting some love, everytime I remember it I can't help but feel that connection to that part of my family. Thanks for the video, I got chills in that into!
I wonder if your dad had any idea what taking you to see this and telling you about this would do for you? If you're not already I'd make sure to talk to him about the past now and not later. You don't always get a later.
Man...I remember leaving the theater crying my eyes out, and my girlfriend (at the time) told me "take your time, that was intense" and she started crying too and then we hugged each other. It was a life changing movie. The music, the colors, the 'message', the performances, are so well done it's ridiculous.
The fact I wasn't even planning on watching this movie that day and only bought the ticket out of curiosity then to came out feeling like a different human being, makes it feel like it was destined It had changed my perspective on life and is forever be one, if not the top, of my favorite movies of all time
I went to see this with a buddy while we were in the Marine Coprs. We had some leave, and we trying to fill it with everything we didn't get to do while on deployment. Both of us left the theater in tears simply in awe at the beauty of this film. I never knew it was poorly reviewed... don't know anyone who doesn't love it.
Not only did this movie completely change my taste in music, but because I was only just finishing middle school at the time, it really broke me out of my shell at a time when I was about to enter into highschool. That's doesn't even go into how it got me into photography so thank you for covering one of my favorite movies of all time, you did an excellent job catching what critics did not.
This film was lost in the fog of sharing a release week with wolf of Wall Street and it was a dam shame. I saw twice in theaters and was telling everyone I knew to take a break from the wolf madness and catch this gem of film that will make you love life. So glad you covered this film here. Cheers.
I am a Japanese fan who loves this movie. I remember being very shocked when I heard the news that the film was very well received in Japan but not in the U.S. at the time of its release. I am very happy to see it being reviewed again. Arigato CinemaStix san.
@JZStudiosonline I'd wager it's more the opposite: Japan has a crippling culture of overworking. The depressed salaryman shuffling through life trope has been around in Japan since the 70's. I think the message of breaking free and finding meaning and hapiness in life both through and *past* your daydreams resonates with Japanese people so much because they don't get that in their lives.
I saw this movie for the first time, on a plane going to Iceland for a conference. It changed my world, and have never looked back. Just found your channel and by chance saw your review on Walter Mitty....I want to thank you for giving me another chance to reflect on why i loved that movie. Be Well!
“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” is the quote that I live by. This film means so much to me.
@@frandicapua I edited my comment because the other “quote” isn’t really a quote and I no longer live by it anyways. Always hold onto hope for a better tomorrow. Hope still means so much to me but I have found certainty in my life.
Saw this movie the night before my daughter was born on feb 13th 2014 in kisumu Kenya. Felt lucky to have an American movie showing. Not always avaiable in the one theater there. Turned out to be one of my favorites. Have not watched with Kae yet. Thanks for the reminder. Mitty is a great movie
This movie and Big Fish are both movies that will always make me cry. One reminds you to appreciate the world in your head, the other reminds you that there's a whole world out there and all the excitement doesn't have to stay a dream. They remind you to appreciate the fiction of life, and the reality just outside your door when so many of us cant see anything but whats in front of us anymore
My wife couldn’t get into Big Fish. She Didn’t understand why I liked it so much. Even snapped at me out of frustration for feeling forced to watch something… and then she saw the ending. After a quiet moment, she turned to me and said now I see why like this movie so much.
Unfortunately, Big Fish is the copycat movie. The script for Secondhand Lion had been hopping from studio to studio for 30 years. When it finally looked like it was going to be made, Big Fish was scripted.
I saw this film when it came out in cinema. I loved it. I hardly remember any of it now and no one ever talked or mentioned it; it felt almost like a secret film, or one I had made up. I need to re-watch this again, thank you for reminding me of this
i remember coming out of the movie theatre with my whole family and we were all besotted by this film. it really perfectly captured that feeling of going somewhere new for the first time, trying something outside your comfort zone, and being rewarded with this amazing feeling when it all works out and you get this sense of wonder and accomplishment. like, yeah.....i did that!
But I don't think it's underrated. It's just not super popular and I'm grateful for it. Had it been a bigger hit, you know we would be here bitching about how Pt. II absolutely ruined it.
This movie, to me, is about awakening. It's about connecting to each moment free from judgement and just experiencing it then not clinging to it as it passes and the next moments arrive. It's not about chasing happiness, but enjoying each moment just as it is and not labelling them as good or bad. It's about letting go of fear of what might happen and allowing life to unfold.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is one of my top 10 favs of the 2010s and has been unjustly underrated imo. Thank you for highlighting this extraordinary film.
Gorgeous tribute to a massively underrated film. I've returned to this one yearly since its release. Seldom do you come across a theme so expertly executed while encapsulating such charm and beauty. Hats off to Ben Stiller, who was largely responsible for the movie turning out the way it did... and getting made at all.
It’s movies like this and Stranger Than Fiction (2006) that deeply touched me and shaped my view of life and humanity, and no one “important” ever seems to give them the credit they deserve.
I really love all the videos that I'm finding recently talking about how this movie is good, how it changed their lives, how it left them feeling warm and fuzzy inside when the movie was over. I really like this movie.
I spent five years dreaming about climbing the Matterhorn, looking at pictures, route details, gear lists, endless videos about the climb, and hours and hours of nights visualizing the climb as I went to sleep. This summer I finally saved up enough money and had enough experience to go to Switzerland to attempt it. This movie perfectly captures the feelings I experienced when I finally stood on the top and when I sat on my plane back home. 10/10
This movie has, and always will be, my favorite. It's so pure, and reminds me of the different phases of how my life progressed. From daydreaming of wild adventures in my childhood. To traveling the world on my own as a young adult and seeking out those adventures. And finally, mellowing out as I've gotten older and started a family, and seeing the beauty in everything... This came out in my 20's and I rewatch it every year or so, and every time I do, it makes more and more sense...
A phenomenal overview of a film. The real critics these days are people like Danny. Each video is a wonderful occasion. Every time I watch one of his videos, I see more in cinema. Many thanks for the awesome work.
One of the most consequential movies of my life. I was on the brink of suicide, having moved to London to find work with my photography - only to get sucked into a routine of “normal work”, and slowly stopping even looking at the world around me. I remember dragging myself through the Tube station in Oxford Street, late 2015, going back home from work… and then a busker started playing “Space Oddity” on a guitar. I had just watched the movie a couple of days prior and had been ruminating about the way forward - had to take it as another sign I had to reframe my life a bit. Should rewatch it, really, feels like I might need it.
every now and then I rewatch "stay alive" clip on youtube and every time it fills me with so much motivation that I feel like swimming over seas and breaking mountains😌
Ignore the paid sh!lls. They forget that a main purpose of a movie is to entertain. Occasionally a great movie will make you think and reflect. The bad ones always preach at you.
Watched this movie in 2014 less then a year later I quit my job and spent several months traveling across the US. If i ever see Ben Stiller I will shake his hand and tell him this movie changed my life.
Oh man. I still remember the first time I saw this movie and it hit that pivotal moment, punctuated with the opening riff of one of my favourites songs, and it just filled me with such immense euphoria! I was cheering with tears pouring down my face... That scene still gets me every time. What an absolute masterpiece.
When I watched this for the first time, I was convinced it was gonna be seen as a modern day masterpiece. I was honestly so shocked to see the reviews. Critics get it wrong a lot of the time tbh
I'm a genie and I just granted your wish. The next Academy Awards will have a "Best Casting" category. And remember, I did this. All the entertainment articles from like 5 months ago announcing the same thing are merely a biproduct of my powers. Reality stabilization and whatnot. Genie stuff, very technical. You wouldn't understand. Anyway, you're welcome.
I've talked to so many people who love this movie, people who have no interest in cinema, or who only like arthouse movies, people from different backgrounds with different tastes. It's so incredibly human and relatable to everyone. It's artistic but also accessible because it uses film and music to bring a universal human emotion to life in ways that are both instantly recognizable and completely novel. It's a modern masterpiece.
This movie was so inspiring to me that right after I saw it I actually decided to travel to Europe on my own. For the first time in my life I left my country at 23 and there was never any movie that ever did that for me.
Man, I don't even remember how many times I've recommended this movie to my peers. This one is truly underrated and so relatable. Its one of my all time favorites. It's like Swiss Army Man 2016 or Midnight in Paris 2011, those are some of the most beautiful films I've watched and remember to this day.
thank you for covering this gem! this is one of my all time favorite movies. i remember watching it in college, so hungry for adventure. then i paused my master's degree to go on a 2 year adventure in SE Asia where i distinctly remember watching the sunrise on a once-ever-two-week ferry ride to a remote island, eating cup noodles with my local friends. and it was a distinct moment where i thought "wow, this is one of those moments in life i'll never forget. going to a place where literally less than .01% of people in the world will ever see." and it's true, i do always remember that moment. but what stayed with me from this movie is that i did come home from my grand adventure. i got married. i have a very normal/mundane life with two beautiful children. and i've never been more happy or more fulfilled
Thank you for making this. It's such an underrated film. At the end, right after he grabs her hand, walks past the Magazine Stand and then steps down off the curb, it's like they're stepping out of the film and into their new reality. Gets me every single watch--and I watch it often. Also, José González gave this film a heart beat, similar to what Jónsi did for We Bought A Zoo. (another underrated film).
Balderdash. The quintessential point of this exquisite film, without distraction, distinction, or delay (and disappointingly making no appearance in this otherwise stellar commentary) is summed up with one word: Cinnabon
Fairly certain neither one took an actual bite while filming that scene. To me, it's so obvious they are fake eating. Maybe I've just seen the movie too many times...
I think movies like this can be interprited so differently because people interprit *life* itself so differently, too. If someone has a fundamentally different interpritation to you then they're going to perceive all the beats in the movie differently too, espetially the 'small stuff' all the little moments, the introspection, and especially how that meshes with the grandiose stuff. When a movie becomes introspective about life itself then a lot of what you get out of it depends on what you put *into* it yourself and how well that works together with the vision/veiwpoint of the movie
Man I love your videos so much. The pacing, the voice, the slow nearly poetic way it just reaches the ending without you even realizing it. I hope you keep making these for a long time. Wish you all the best!
When i wanted to watch a movie i would look up the reviews. If they were favourable, id watch it and if not id move on. This movie changed that process for me. One of my favourite movies and i almost didn't watch it because it had a low rating. I wonder how many great films iv missed because i believed the reviews.
31 years of age now. I remember seeing this movie on the big screen 3 times over. I have no idea what drove me to go see it in the first place, but I remember how it made me feel. I remember working an identical job and feeling like there was so much I wanted to do and go see in the real world. To go out and "feel" but could only ever imagine. It was like watching my life being played back to me. Still do this day, this film means so much to me and now coming back to this after so many years, I can still feel that urge in me that I felt after the first time I ever watched it. To most people, I understand why they wouldn't get this movie. Why someone would be confused. But it's kind of one of those things that, well "if you get it, you get it" Thanks for reminding me of such a deep memory
What i like the most about this movie is how real the character of Walter feels, there's years of backstory about him and his family that make him feel so grounded.
I paused this video at 1:58, and I am not going to return until I have seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Edit: This is Major Tom to ground control… I watched it. It’s an awesome, uplifting experience. Gorgeous cinematography, great performances, an inspiring and beautiful message, and great direction define this film. The helicopter scene is incredible. That being said, I think the dialogue can be a on the nose, and I find the character work to be a bit thin. Walter’s arc is still good, it’s just that the people around him, while somewhat fleshed out, aren’t super deep. Additionally, I don’t think the movie addresses the class implications of its theme. Not everyone has the means to travel the world like Walter. However, interpreting the film as advocating everyone travel the world to find adventure is overly literal, and I believe it simply wants people to follow their dreams. Still, not everyone can follow their dreams, even if they’re as inexpensive as eating toast with jam (this is a Chainsaw Man reference). I do have enough faith in the film to believe that if it were to discuss its class implications, it would bemoan the fact that many people are trapped by poverty in miserable lives. I give it an 8/10. I must reiterate that the helicopter scene is awesome. It’s inspiring and beautiful; such a great character moment that really encapsulates the heartwarming possibility that you can realize your dreams if you choose to do so. Edit: Having finished the video, I think my understanding of the film is incomplete, partially due to my tiredness while viewing it.
I absolutely love this movie. There is so much meaning behind it. For some reason, my favorite scene is by the end when Walter is having coffee and a cinnabun with Tod. It is not usual you can trust on the kindness of a stranger, but when it happens it is really beautiful.
I really like this movie (incredible soundtrack as well!), but for me that scene is one that takes me out of the beauty of that moment because of the seemingly pointless, in-your-face product placement. I'd be interested to hear whether Danny sees the rampant commercialisation (eHarmony, Papa John's, LIFE, Cinnabon all have major plot moments linked to them - even Cheryl's son's skateboard is a FLIP one) as part of the emotional journey. Is there a storytelling aspect behind making these products so much a part of the narrative? The LIFE magazine angle feels justifiable and led to me trying to make some similar connections during my watch of the movie, but apart from the FLIP skateboard being swapped for a longboard with the Icelandic word for 'life (“Lífið”) written on it and a seemingly throwaway early gag about working for Papa John's just after losing your own father I can't really find a justification. I feel there is a lot of meaning to be found in this film (I love the red pill / blue pill rental car choice with Walter heading down the rabbit hole as a minor moment). However, I felt the scene with Todd (from eHarmony) was cheapened with the Cinnabon insertion that just felt like a cheap cash grab. If anyone has a working theory that can justify the product placement in a film that seems so careful with what it wants to say then I'd love to hear it.
@@dhintonbeales Personally, I don't think having them eating a random pastry would make the moment any more significant. I did actually overlook the actual cinnabon, because they are ridiculously overpriced and sickening sweet. I don't care at all about brands, so product placement don't really bother me. On the other hand, if those brands payed so I could see Iceland I thank them.
@@Fiola-6 Fair enough. I'm not particularly into brands myself either, and I've never had or even seen a Cinnabon, so it was a random pastry to me. In fact, living in Europe, I think this film would have been the first time I ever heard the word. Having rewatched the scene on UA-cam (which isn't the best way to do it as this comes at a section where the movie has put the watcher in a certain emotional state that I wasn't in) it might have felt jarring to me at the time as Todd literally asks Walter how the Cinnabon tastes. Now it seems to me that Walter saying "It's great" is actually politeness as he's just picking at it. This different reading suggests the highly processed Cinnabon offers nothing to Walter but he still manintains his decency at his core and wouldn't be rude about it to Todd. I didn't intend my first response to detract from anyone's love of this scene or the movie. I wanted to highlight a part I felt I didn't understand. Thanks for going to bat for this amazing film @Fiola-6.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is probably my favorite film, and it had a profound impact on me growing up. Thanks for covering this movie! Easily one of the best soundtracks ever recorded!
It is one of my most favorite movie. It is so sweet, so relatable, so wonderful, with so many great pictures. When ever I feel, I can't make it, so I can give up, I watch this movie, and it lifts me up and gives me hope. I truly love that movie.
Your voice, editing, and pacing! Just everything about this video somehow got through my mushy short form youtube mindset and properly delivered to me, and almost a million others, an important and valuable insight into a clearly VERY misunderstood movie. Just.... wow. Thank you so much.
I watched this movie as a young kid when my parents took me to the cinema. Idk how long it has been since it came out, but I still think about it. I have never fully considered it my favourite movie ever, I have never even rewatched it. It is however perhaps the only movie that I think about every 4 months. When it comes to the fantastical scenes of "superhero" action, I don't remember a single one. Instead, I remember the main character asking the photographer if he is gonna take the photo, and the response that he gets. I remember wondering if him on jumping on the helicopter was real or another daydream. As was said in the video dismissing or degrading those extravagant scenes misses the entire point. As I have grown older the message I took away from it is to keep being a kid and having those daydreams, and occasionally living them. Cause that is what this movie is in my mind, a cautionary tale.
The comments section has convinced me to watch this film... it is surprising to see so many people so deeply affected by a movie... thanks for the insight...!
A friend suggested this movie to me and that day I believe I started living life,loving life, doing what I always wanted, being brave, doing things I was afraid of.
Danny, I don't know how you manage to consistently make me feel so deeply, often about media I had long since forgotten about. You truly have a talent for discovering, and then disseminating such thought-provoking, truly moving concepts and ideas, and in such a way that it feels like coming home, or putting on a well fitting shoe, not obtrusive or obvious, but comfortable in a way that welcomes you, like an old friend.
I ADORE this film. It's one I regularly come back to when I need to feel a passion for life again. The scene transitions, the editing, the way they integrate title cards into the scene, it's just SO incredible.
This film was my family’s Christmas Day movie the year it came out. I was 15. It is a favorite of mine to this day and one of the reasons I’ve sought out travel, adventure, and connection with those kindred souls that seem to have this films’s message running through their veins like I do.
This film was what got me into being a Film Major in College. It was and will forever be my number one inspiration as a film, not because it's especially smart or stunning as a story, but because of the care and integrity the film maintains as a vessel for it's theme. Every frame is planned out; every music choice, all the character interactions and the way the humor fits into the narrative. Even the diversity in which we see the world through Walters eyes, versus reality, allows us to feel as if we are engaging with the story. The rigid and stuck-up static grey world that Walter believes is reality, which slowly morphs into a fluid and moving/breathing world as he gets more comfortable with himself. It points to the fact that we are searching for that Ghost Cat ourselves, only to find that the line, "Beautiful things don't ask for attention," is suddenly all the more apparent. All the more relatable. The moment we take to admire the beauty of the world and its flaws, we stop chasing the expectations that cause us to only see beauty as something to exploit or explain. I end with this... it's my favorite film because of it's profound-ness... and not because I like to hate on critics... haha
Finally, someone singing praises about this movie! It's a favorite of my family's -multiple generations, tastes & interests, we all love it. Thanks for the insightful look at a great film & for sharing it with everyone. (I've got to say the music is also a wonderful piece of the puzzle.)
This just made me remember what a profound impact this movie had on me back when I'd seen it, I was just entering adulthood and really scared of what lied ahead. A vivid daydreamer myself the message was so impactful. What Sean's character tells Walter about his philosophy about taking pictures still stays with me. I'm truly amazed how film could have had such an impact on me. Art reaches the crevices that nothing else reaches these days, a big thank you to you too for bringing it back to my attention and receiving all the praise it deserves in the other comments.
Great movie! As you talked about the negative review that said it seemed like it was two movies fighting for primacy, I was yelling at the screen, "the juxtaposition is the point!" I'm glad you shared my take on the film. Keep it up!
This movie sits in that small list of movies I will always enjoy no matter how many times I watch it. The photography in it is on a level we don't usually get from movies, usually we get tight cropped shots of the actors and rarely the wide pan shots of the environment around them making the actor/character the smallest part of the scene. The part where he was longboarding down the mountain you can see the character really open up and realize that he is taking part in an adventure he could only dream about mere days ago. From there it simply continues and grows, but as always the reality of the adventure never really strikes until he looks back at the things he has done and realizes he is no longer the person he once was, he is filled with confidence and experience, you can see him make use of it during the last interaction with the man in charge of shutting down the offices when he hands him the "quintessence of life" negative. Also I want to say that whoever did the titling at the beginning of the movie really earned their paycheck. The way they incorporated the titles into the surrounding environment is some of the best title work I have seen in a movie.
I didn't give this one a chance when it was released, partly because its namesake short story by James Thurber was part of my school curriculum in India while growing up, and partly because when it released I was in college exploring other stuff and it sort of flew under the radar. Over the years, it became clear that the movie had a growing number of fans, despite the initial tepidity from these 'critics', but now you've finally convinced me to give it a chance.
Loved this film so much. It took me a bit of time to get its brilliance and understand the feeling of adventure and happiness it creates. After reflection it's definitely one of my favourite.
Didn’t hit me full on immediately either. Not to say there weren’t instant moments of wow throughout my first watch. Like basically any time a José González song played. Something I didn’t even have a chance to mention here.
I can't say I'm a huge Ben Stiller fan, however, Walter Mitty is HANDS DOWN his BEST film, and my FAVORITE Ben Stiller film. This film is VERY SPECIAL, and holds a reserved spot all to itself in my heart. From the scenery, to the storytelling, to the abrupt daydreaming (which so resonates with me), to the soundtrack and score, it all meshes so well and beautifully.
Stop. this is my favorite comfort movie. This movie took me on a journey and makes me feel warm inside. The ending makes me feel appreciated for being the average joe, but at the same time pushes me to live my life and see the colors around me. This movie made me fall in love with living. I wish i could meet ben stiller, hold him by the shoulders and tell him he did a damn good job. Thank you for talking about this movie and bringing attention to it.
This movie has one of the most satisfying, pitch-perfect endings to a movie that I've ever felt. This movie made me go ".........wow....what an experience" when the credits start rolling. This movie deserves far more recognition than it's given.
The cinematography of this movie is so breathtaking! There are so many times you could pause this movie and you have a piece of art on your screen. I wish I could have seen this on the big screen. It makes me want to buy/rent a theater just to show it. That would be awesome. I have been a photographer since I was a child. With film cameras. While diving in Little Cayman I would purposely not bring my camera every 3rd dive. That dive was just for me. That scene in the movie really made me cry as I know it was written by another photographer.
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Great movie - and like the theme of the movie, is something you are best suited to discover for yourself
I've been trying to buy that on bluray for a while but it's too expensive. I think it might be the most visually beautiful movie I've ever seen.
I love that movie. I lucked out getting the bluray years ago. I still make people watch it who I believe will enjoy its unique and beautiful storytelling
Thanks for the heads up. I’ve seen it once and have searched and searched for it on Amazon and streaming services.
Been trying to get a BD of The fall for years. Costs small fortune nowadays.
that scene with him skating down the mountains is one of the best moments ever
And the Junip song playing… it gets me every time.
yes, I wish I could do it. It looks like absolute freedom
My wife and I took our honeymoon in Iceland and we found that road. We aren't skaters, so we just drove down. It's in a particularly quiet and remote part of the island, but even in our rental car it was a surprisingly thrilling descent -- more so than you might think from the movie. Icelandic roads are gorgeously smooth and pristine, but they're also unforgivingly narrow, so you need to stay sharp at all times.
I think of it every time I drive down a mountain road
100% agreed. Watchin it tonight.
When my now husband and I first met 10 years go at 19 we went to see this movie for our first date. It really set the stage for our relationship and I still think about it often. When I need to be reminded about what is important in life I will listen to “Quintessence” from the soundtrack and think back to when we were broke and aimless and only had each other. The future was scary and we didn’t know if we would be together for very long. Now we live in our house we built together with our own four hands and I turn 30 next week. Life is so much better than I thought it would be back then, all because of him.
The first movie we watched on our thrifted couch in our empty living room the night we moved in was “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”.
This is so sweet. It made my heart ache a little. Thanks for sharing
25 years ago my now wife and I went to see a movie for our first date. It was Captain Corelli's Mandolin. During the rough times like losing my job, her losing her job, retraining for new careers, the 2008 financial crisis, covid, losing my mom, we still joke how nothing could be worse than that movie we watched on our first date.
My grandparents told us all at their 50th ani that it's not all fun and games and sometimes you have to fight for the marriage even yourself. Like all good things it takes work to get there. When things get hard it all becomes even more important, the words you speak during the good/sweet times. I don't think it's like this for everyone but I just know that it can be. As they say "life is a struggle".
This is essentially me and my wife's life except we didn't build the house ourselves. Wild to see a parallel story off of a weak box office movie that was sadly dismissed as a meh.
This is so beautiful I hope you both continue to see each other the way you did when you first met. ❤
In the end credits, which are insanely long and contain things such as "lead shark technician" and "assistant shark technicians", there is a message: "This movie has helped to support around 15,000 jobs and involved thousands of hours of hard work to make." At that point it did make me cry.
I really do appreciate Ben Stiller a lot, he’s an incredible director who knows who to ask for photography and takes the time to develop and produce these crazy-assed stories. You can see from every film he makes all the care that is put in the craft and the people involved with it. You can feel it back from Zoolander up until Severance. "Beautiful things don’t attract attention on themselves", that’s quite how I feel about his work in general. His films always manage to earn the affection of the public through a lot of work, and somehow always feel modest and fresh even with multimillion budget.
It's not a shark, it's a por-pose 😉
Didn’t know this movie was directed by Stiller! He’s done an amazing job with Severance too
That message is thrown in a lot of movies. I presume to make you feel guilty about pirating it. I'm not sure how many actually watch the credits to the end, though.
Thanks for sharing this
Ben Stiller is an interesting film creative... he is most well known for the comedies (often "cheap" productions) that he stars in, but then turns around and makes underrated movies like Walter Mitty.
This movie, is what made me fall in love with movies in a completely new way. Suddenly I stopped just consuming movie after movie, show after show, and started to really appreciate people who take their time and energy to make something as powerful as a "simple" movie... It changed me and it has a very special place in my heart and in a way, it is one of my most favorite movies of all time.
It was the same thing with me!
Yes, there are movies, and they are fun. But then there are movies, imbued with meaning, and then, we are stirred in our spirits as it resonates by the meaning in those special films that can do something so special as to stir our spirits.
Movies like this, with thought and care, and meaning, matter to me more than just something that thrills with no substance.
They don't make movies with care anymore.
@@jerrebrasfield4231 Plain wrong. Did you watch The Wild Robot? Or Look Back? Or any of the year's best?
Finally, some recognition this film deserves
Once,in a lucid dream,I've asked someone:How does it feel to be a character in my dream?
Perhaps you a character in my dream,was the reply.
Uncomfortably long pause later he said:Keep a dairy and an dream journal,until they aren't necessary no more...
yesss!
Yes, I was also quite disappointed that the critics were so low, I also think its a really great movie that screams out to love life. Loved the landscapes (been there myself, looks exactly like in the movie, better of course) loved the music. I am not at all a Ben Stiller fan, did not like his other movies much...so me loving that movie was a suprise for me.
There was one aspect of the movie that made me very sad though. During that scene when he played soccer with those guys. I thought, well if I was there...as a woman, they would not have included me, I would maybe not even be allowed to play, I would probably even be in danger from them. For us women, going full out to live and relish life like that is always dampened, unfortunately by men. And yes, as a woman, I would love to travel to other countries, meet people and have adventures.
@@endlessstudent3512you can do it! I'm a woman and have had numerous solo holidays to other countries. For me it's always been about doing lots of research and planning first. I always secure well-reviewed accommodation first, and have an understanding of the transport, landmarks etc first, and know what my options are before I go. I try to avoid having too many unknowns when I arrive, so I'm less vulnerable. You work out what is most important to you to feel safe and confident, and do that first. 👍
I had heard about this movie, but didn't catch it in the theater. I was working out of state a lot and was flying twice a week for my job. I decided to catch this movie on a flight home. It was a particularly hard week, I felt like I was missing my family, I wasn't loving my job at the time and everything seemed out of my control. I flicked this on, and was transported. Walter, in a lot of ways, was living what I was feeling every day, I connected with it, deeply. By the end of the show, I had forgotten I was even on a plane watching a little 6" screen. With tears streaming down my cheeks as the credits rolled, I was suddenly aware of where I was. The guy next to me had been watching me, watch the movie and leaned over at its conclusion and said "I felt the EXACT SAME WAY when I first watched that movie" then he smiled at me I like was now part of some club. Now, I have shared it with my friends and family and watch it at least once a year, just to remind me what the purpose of life really is. Thank you for making this video Danny! This movie deserves it.
Aww that’s so lovely. Welcome to the club :):)
That's amazing, thank you for sharing your story :)
This movie quite literally changed my life. After watching it I got the courage to apply for a job in a country where I could not speak the language nor read the alphabet (it is Cyrillic and no it is not Russia). From my small town, I had never even travelled outside my state, to a whole different continent. It was a big adventure and I loved my time living in that country 😊
Conversely, after seeing this movie it made me realize how unhappy I was with my job/living situation. That week I ended up putting in my notice to leave. And then a few weeks later I moved back home where I had a lot more support. I do not regret it.
Thank you for sharing
What greater credit can a movie receive? Life-changing has to be amongst the best praises.
They didn’t hire me but still…
It sounds dumb, but I did the same thing after watching Yes Man with Jim Carrey
When I was 13 I saw this movie with some friends, and I walked out the theater amazed. I was a kid with undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Not only was it beautiful, it spoke to me on a very deep and emotional level. Years later, I would occasionally bring it up in conversation and look it up online. Either way, the conversations would tend to veer in the direction of people just shrugging their shoulders saying "it looked neat," but nothing ever deeper than that.
Recently, I was sitting at a friend's fire pit and her brother asked me what my favorite movie was. A fairly loaded question, but after a moment and years of saying The Dark Knight or Iron Man or other movies I thought I was supposed to answer, I simply stated The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
This video was incredibly validating to both me now, and the 13 year old who came out of that theater having felt like he could do anything. Cheers!
The entire "ghost cat" conversation in the film hit me. I was 16 at the time and had hit a crossroads in my life, and I could feel the pull of taking photos of everything and everyone at all times, living my life for the camera, and then Sean Penn's line of "Sometimes I don't take it, it's just for me" hit me.
I remember the first time I had a moment just for me, I wanted to take a photo, but I didn't. I've never forgotten that view, I could draw it from memory I loved it so much.
that line is why i don't bother with photos or videos at concerts and only take photos sparingly when i'm on vacation. it's better to live in the moment then waste it trying to relive it later.
@@RSpracticalshooting I find you can key in to take a couple meaningful/interesting photographs at the beginning, and then put your phone away for the rest. You're not trying to document the whole thing but it's nice to have something that captures the memory.
@@Jaerb4 i'll usually take a photo with me and whoever i'm there with but rarely feel the need to take pictures of the actual shows anymore. most of the time you can't tell what the hell is even in the picture to begin with and videos are almost always a garbled mess.
i did take a lot of photos in my recent trip to Alaska but most of it was because my brother couldn't go with me and asked me to.
Same! It encouraged me to stay in the moment
@@Jaerb4That's it. Take a couple of photos of the abode and surrounds to satisfy some friends and family but then you start hitting the beers and you probably shouldn't be taking photos of the rest of what happens anyway 😂
After watching this film, I took a leap and moved across the country. Watching this film made me realize that the only person in my way was me. I moved from NY to Montana, fell in love, worked in the most beautiful places in the country, got a degree, and now, I'm a Park Ranger for Glacier National Park. Movies like this are so rare and when they appear before us, they tap into who we are and ask, "what are you waiting for?" Thank you so very much for this video essay. This film deserves to be in everyone's cabinet and remind them that the life they want is out there, they just have to open the door.
Im so glad you realizing your dream, ruins it for others. Locals cant even afford housing anymore in the towns their families have been in for generations because of move ins.
@@nomadikmind3979 Internal migration has been a normal part of litterally every nation throughout history. It is neither crime nor sin to move.
Amazing, thank you for sharing your story!
@nomadikmind3979 I understand the struggle of the housing crisis in Montana but I'm not a millionaire. I'm just an average dude looking to live where life doesn't suck. Just because I was born in NY means I have to stay there? I hate to tell you this, but montana is not the only state experiencing the housing crisis.
Ben Stiller is a fucking monster as a director. The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, Tropic Thunder, Severance. Just pefection!
The Cable Guy, Reality Bites...
The performances in Escape at Dannemora still haunt me- not enough people I know saw that masterpiece
Reality bites. Absolutely love that movie.
I had to look it up, and just learnt he directed Zoolander. How did I not know that before?
Amazing
@@dielaughing73he IS zoolander
I was always sceptical of Ben Stiller until I saw this movie. That's when I realized that he was an amazing actor, just because he could depict this flawed, worried, sensible person who just tried......to do something different with his life. He took a chance this one time and it changed everything.
This is actually one of my favorite movies from a spiritual standpoint because it gives hope that even if you're stuck in a seemingly unmovable position, your choices can move you places you couldn't even imagine.
The most grabbing parts is when Walter stops and notices things, thinking it through, just like we do. Sometimes you suddenly notice something that grabs you, and it hits you deep and hard, leading to a realization you knew you were looking for but couldn't form a solid understanding or standpoint about. The realization is the relatable movement, because once you've seen the movie you know that you hold the same power as Walter did. You are the deciding factor in your life.
Ben Stiller directed it too! He’s more than he comes across as in his comedy movies.
This movie unironically changed my life. I dream so much. Always in the day, daily in the night. This movie made me want to chase reality. My goal became to visit Iceland. When I finally did, it was like a dream. I'll never forget it.
I was also inspired to explore Iceland after seeing this film. In the summer of 2015, I backpacked the Laugarvegurinn, visited some of the natural wonders of the island (waterfalls, beaches, hot springs, ice lagoons), and spent a few days in Reykjavik. It was a trip of a lifetime!
Last year I finally got to visit Iceland as my first ever big international trip and I also went specifically because of this film and it was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped it would be.
Iceland and norway are my dream destination or Alaska... Maybe I will find the courage and money one day
"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." - Lawrence of Arabia
I could copy and paste this comment and it would be my authentic feelings for this movie as well
crying about a movie in one thing but bawling from the movie analysis is another. something that really speaks to me like nothing else. thank you
I love how in this film Walter and Shawn Penn's character idolize each other for the exact opposite reasons. Walter wishes he could be Shawn Penn's character, and Shawn Penn idolizes the small moments. They both want what the other has. Its just an interesting detail that this action star and explorer just wants to have some coffee and talk with people every once in a while.
As an Irishman I'm contractually obliged to point out that Penn's first name is spelled the Irish way, Sean
I don't think Sean idolize Walter that much. It is more like he has learnt to value all the small details and he knows half his work has been a success thanks to Walter being his distant partner all this time. That's why that photo is so important to his character, maybe not that much for everyone else all this years but to him photographing Walter's dedication to both of their work was beautiful to him. Walter has been the perfect partner and friend through their shared work and only Sean's character was being recognized and idolized by everybody else.
@@Mart-B Lol, I had no idea that Sean is the irish spelling! Although I guess it makes sense, since it doesn't make sense... anyway, love u Ireland XOXO
@@breadboard4538 Ireland loves you too. The actual Irish spelling includes a line over the 'a', called a fada, but I dunno how to include it here. Without the fada, sean is an Irish word meaning "old", rather than the name.
@@Mart-B Interestingly some Gaelic variants has a fada above e (Séan) which means Good Omen. Also Sean, Jean, John, Jon, Johannes, Hans, Jan, Ian, Ivan, Jane, Joan, Juan all come from biblical Johanan (Yahveh's grace) and diminished into Jack, Jacques, James, Jamie, Jim, Jake, Jacob, Cuba and many, many others.
Back in 2013 I had just graduated high school and had NO idea what I was going to do with my life. I had spent most of my teen years day dreaming about hopping on a plane after graduation to set off on a life-shaping adventure, yet when the time came… I stayed in my hometown, too scared to take the leap. Then I saw this movie and, after adding it to my favorite movie list, immediately started planning. The next year I moved across the globe alone and spent 4 years earning a degree, making friends, falling in love, and making the most of every moment. Now I’m back in my hometown, working a job I absolutely love and spending my days with my beloved partner I met while living abroad all those years ago. Taking the leap may seem scary, but keeping your dreams inside your head and never letting yourself meet your true potential is even scarier! Give yourself a chance to experience life and all it has to offer!!
Seeing people still talking about Walter Mitty brings me so much joy. This movie genuinely changed my life, and I show it off with pride to anyone I care about. The film is so in love with the magic of human connection. I resonate with Walter because I've always had trouble with connection, like I've had that moment at the beginning where he needs to find the courage to hit like on someone on a dating app. Contrasting with his growth at the end, and his resume now filled with adventure, is what I've begun to strive for before I die.
I absolutely adore this movie and I hope Stiller wasn't too hurt by the moronic critics when it came out, and now understands how much of an iconic, timeless piece of important filmmaking he created. I'm glad that now people are giving it a chance and seeing its true beauty and worthwhile lesson.
I remember it as one of the most pure cinematic experiences I'd had in a long time. No BIG BLOCKBUSTER ENERGY, no drive for a sequel or... any of that. It wasn't trying to redefine or BE anything. It was just incredible storytelling. It was taking us on a journey within a person - a journey we all are designed to take, but sometimes are afraid to risk for. It was a work where you weren't sure what to expect going in (I - like many - hadn't heard of the original), but it took you on such a profound process and evolution and didn't rush or apologize for any of it along the way. I hadn't thought about the movie in a long time, and I'm very grateful to have been reminded of it.
Easily one of the most under appreciated films I’ve ever seen, one that holds a special place in my heart. Thank you for bringing more attention to it, Danny 🫡
I saw that film just days after a sad breakup. Alone in a room full of people I didn't know. When the lights came up, no one left. Everybody stayed in silence for a minute and then conversations with people who had never met erupted. It took two security personnel to ask us to leave
This movie’s sense of wanderlust is so powerfully instilled in anyone who’s open enough to engage with it. That sense of awe and scale you get when you travel to far away places you’ve maybe only ever dreamed of going to before is so palpable when you’re watching it. I love it to bits.
No matter how many times I've seen it, I get such a thrill at the scene (and music) when he leaves the office and gets on the plane to Greenland.
The expression on his face coming in to land is, to me, that quiet awe - no words or overdone acting - just quiet wonder. And the cinematography from then on is all just so beautiful!
Thanks! You are one of the few who get this movie, and you show so much respect for the film in your piece, I am very grateful.
This movie has always been special to me. Over ten years ago my family was going to see frozen in theaters with my kid cousin. As they walked into the theater my dad tapped me on the shoulder and said lets go see this instead. After the movie my dad told me that his mom had the exact same job as Walter Mitty has in the movie, a photo developer at Life magazine(when it was still around). At a bookstore I found a big anthology collection of the photos of LIFE magazine, after she passed in 2018 I found myself looking through those old photos everything from nature to politics to weird art pieces and wondering if they'd ever been the ones that crossed my grandmothers desk. If she'd been one of the first ones to ever see these pieces of history. I am glad to see this movie getting some love, everytime I remember it I can't help but feel that connection to that part of my family. Thanks for the video, I got chills in that into!
Holy shit that's amazing!
I wonder if your dad had any idea what taking you to see this and telling you about this would do for you? If you're not already I'd make sure to talk to him about the past now and not later. You don't always get a later.
I don't think I've ever cried at a video essay before. Beautifully done, man.
Man...I remember leaving the theater crying my eyes out, and my girlfriend (at the time) told me "take your time, that was intense" and she started crying too and then we hugged each other. It was a life changing movie. The music, the colors, the 'message', the performances, are so well done it's ridiculous.
That is amazing and yet I feel weepy you two didn’t make it
Ick
@@MrJacksspleenIck indeed
Thank you for sharing this
That’s awesome, and she seems like a wonderful woman.
The fact I wasn't even planning on watching this movie that day and only bought the ticket out of curiosity then to came out feeling like a different human being, makes it feel like it was destined
It had changed my perspective on life and is forever be one, if not the top, of my favorite movies of all time
I went to see this with a buddy while we were in the Marine Coprs. We had some leave, and we trying to fill it with everything we didn't get to do while on deployment. Both of us left the theater in tears simply in awe at the beauty of this film. I never knew it was poorly reviewed... don't know anyone who doesn't love it.
You've convinced me it's worth watching just for the cinematography alone. The composition of every scene you've excerpted is so breathtaking.
Not only did this movie completely change my taste in music, but because I was only just finishing middle school at the time, it really broke me out of my shell at a time when I was about to enter into highschool. That's doesn't even go into how it got me into photography so thank you for covering one of my favorite movies of all time, you did an excellent job catching what critics did not.
Year of graduation?
@@TheKingWhoWins high school or college cuz I'll be finishing my senior year in civil engineering this upcoming summer?
HS
I ADORE the music! It's one of the main genres I have in my playlist!
This film was lost in the fog of sharing a release week with wolf of Wall Street and it was a dam shame. I saw twice in theaters and was telling everyone I knew to take a break from the wolf madness and catch this gem of film that will make you love life. So glad you covered this film here. Cheers.
I am a Japanese fan who loves this movie. I remember being very shocked when I heard the news that the film was very well received in Japan but not in the U.S. at the time of its release. I am very happy to see it being reviewed again. Arigato CinemaStix san.
Probably because Japanese know the importance of connection and fun due to the ridiculous stress of work.
@JZStudiosonline I'd wager it's more the opposite: Japan has a crippling culture of overworking. The depressed salaryman shuffling through life trope has been around in Japan since the 70's. I think the message of breaking free and finding meaning and hapiness in life both through and *past* your daydreams resonates with Japanese people so much because they don't get that in their lives.
@@hopelesslydull7588 thats what I said. They value the fun.
It's very Zen
@@hopelesslydull7588 You literally just reworded what they said and called it the opposite.
I saw this movie for the first time, on a plane going to Iceland for a conference. It changed my world, and have never looked back. Just found your channel and by chance saw your review on Walter Mitty....I want to thank you for giving me another chance to reflect on why i loved that movie. Be Well!
“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” is the quote that I live by. This film means so much to me.
It's beautiful. Can I ask what the other one is?
@@frandicapua I edited my comment because the other “quote” isn’t really a quote and I no longer live by it anyways. Always hold onto hope for a better tomorrow. Hope still means so much to me but I have found certainty in my life.
Saw this movie the night before my daughter was born on feb 13th 2014 in kisumu Kenya. Felt lucky to have an American movie showing. Not always avaiable in the one theater there. Turned out to be one of my favorites. Have not watched with Kae yet. Thanks for the reminder. Mitty is a great movie
This movie and Big Fish are both movies that will always make me cry. One reminds you to appreciate the world in your head, the other reminds you that there's a whole world out there and all the excitement doesn't have to stay a dream. They remind you to appreciate the fiction of life, and the reality just outside your door when so many of us cant see anything but whats in front of us anymore
I also could not stop thinking about Big Fish during.
My wife couldn’t get into Big Fish. She Didn’t understand why I liked it so much. Even snapped at me out of frustration for feeling forced to watch something… and then she saw the ending. After a quiet moment, she turned to me and said now I see why like this movie so much.
Big Fish is my favorite Tim Burton movie by far. Possibly because it's him at his least Tim Burtonish
Unfortunately, Big Fish is the copycat movie.
The script for Secondhand Lion had been hopping from studio to studio for 30 years. When it finally looked like it was going to be made, Big Fish was scripted.
@@CinemaStix have you covered Big Fish at all?
I saw this film when it came out in cinema. I loved it. I hardly remember any of it now and no one ever talked or mentioned it; it felt almost like a secret film, or one I had made up. I need to re-watch this again, thank you for reminding me of this
As the great Owen Wilson once said, " Wow ".
That classic, Wow, wow.
I think more than once 😊
Waow
@@ajvonline Was gonna say 😄
Like this if you think a video essay on Owen Wilson is needed 😅
i remember coming out of the movie theatre with my whole family and we were all besotted by this film. it really perfectly captured that feeling of going somewhere new for the first time, trying something outside your comfort zone, and being rewarded with this amazing feeling when it all works out and you get this sense of wonder and accomplishment. like, yeah.....i did that!
And that ladies and gentlemen is what an underrated film is.
But I don't think it's underrated. It's just not super popular and I'm grateful for it. Had it been a bigger hit, you know we would be here bitching about how Pt. II absolutely ruined it.
@@jeanmont I assume someone with the mind to make this kind of movie would have the sense to not sellout for a needless sequel
@@jeanmont it was rated very poorly by critics when a lot of people feel it shouldn't have been, the very definition of underrated.
@@RSpracticalshooting I agree, it has ~50% on metacritic and rottentomatoes, I don't see how it could be anything but underrated.
@@jeanmontIt was panned by critics. It might be the most underrated film of all time.
This movie, to me, is about awakening. It's about connecting to each moment free from judgement and just experiencing it then not clinging to it as it passes and the next moments arrive. It's not about chasing happiness, but enjoying each moment just as it is and not labelling them as good or bad. It's about letting go of fear of what might happen and allowing life to unfold.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is one of my top 10 favs of the 2010s and has been unjustly underrated imo. Thank you for highlighting this extraordinary film.
Gorgeous tribute to a massively underrated film. I've returned to this one yearly since its release. Seldom do you come across a theme so expertly executed while encapsulating such charm and beauty. Hats off to Ben Stiller, who was largely responsible for the movie turning out the way it did... and getting made at all.
It’s movies like this and Stranger Than Fiction (2006) that deeply touched me and shaped my view of life and humanity, and no one “important” ever seems to give them the credit they deserve.
I still consider Stranger Than Fiction movie as Will Ferrell's best performance to date.
Yes, both were brilliant.
@@Fragmatic88 To my knowledge, it is.
Loved Stranger than Fiction. One of my favorites.
I really love all the videos that I'm finding recently talking about how this movie is good, how it changed their lives, how it left them feeling warm and fuzzy inside when the movie was over.
I really like this movie.
I spent five years dreaming about climbing the Matterhorn, looking at pictures, route details, gear lists, endless videos about the climb, and hours and hours of nights visualizing the climb as I went to sleep. This summer I finally saved up enough money and had enough experience to go to Switzerland to attempt it. This movie perfectly captures the feelings I experienced when I finally stood on the top and when I sat on my plane back home. 10/10
This movie has, and always will be, my favorite.
It's so pure, and reminds me of the different phases of how my life progressed.
From daydreaming of wild adventures in my childhood. To traveling the world on my own as a young adult and seeking out those adventures. And finally, mellowing out as I've gotten older and started a family, and seeing the beauty in everything...
This came out in my 20's and I rewatch it every year or so, and every time I do, it makes more and more sense...
A phenomenal overview of a film. The real critics these days are people like Danny. Each video is a wonderful occasion. Every time I watch one of his videos, I see more in cinema. Many thanks for the awesome work.
One of the most consequential movies of my life. I was on the brink of suicide, having moved to London to find work with my photography - only to get sucked into a routine of “normal work”, and slowly stopping even looking at the world around me. I remember dragging myself through the Tube station in Oxford Street, late 2015, going back home from work… and then a busker started playing “Space Oddity” on a guitar. I had just watched the movie a couple of days prior and had been ruminating about the way forward - had to take it as another sign I had to reframe my life a bit. Should rewatch it, really, feels like I might need it.
every now and then I rewatch "stay alive" clip on youtube and every time it fills me with so much motivation that I feel like swimming over seas and breaking mountains😌
This
Amen. Best of all, my 13 year old loves the movie even more than I do.
Critics: ew, the poors finding purpose in life? 0 stars
Ignore the paid sh!lls. They forget that a main purpose of a movie is to entertain. Occasionally a great movie will make you think and reflect. The bad ones always preach at you.
Dude making me cry this early on Saturday morning.
:)
dude for real....
Watched this movie in 2014 less then a year later I quit my job and spent several months traveling across the US. If i ever see Ben Stiller I will shake his hand and tell him this movie changed my life.
I start tearing up hard EVERY TIME when Arcade Fire comes on during the beginning of his journey
Oh man. I still remember the first time I saw this movie and it hit that pivotal moment, punctuated with the opening riff of one of my favourites songs, and it just filled me with such immense euphoria! I was cheering with tears pouring down my face...
That scene still gets me every time.
What an absolute masterpiece.
Oh man, SAME.
When I watched this for the first time, I was convinced it was gonna be seen as a modern day masterpiece. I was honestly so shocked to see the reviews. Critics get it wrong a lot of the time tbh
The only film I’ve ever thought, “there should be an Oscar for casting” . Every. Single. Character.
This thought crossed my mind when he gets to Greenland and rents a car. The car rental agent. Perfect. Per. fect.
I'm a genie and I just granted your wish. The next Academy Awards will have a "Best Casting" category. And remember, I did this. All the entertainment articles from like 5 months ago announcing the same thing are merely a biproduct of my powers. Reality stabilization and whatnot. Genie stuff, very technical. You wouldn't understand. Anyway, you're welcome.
@@CERTAIND00M-djin.. my second wish is to move making the new award category, back to the 2014 Oscars.
Dont be greedy. Real genies only grant a single wish.
@@connorrhun so true. Djin are NOT NICE.
I've talked to so many people who love this movie, people who have no interest in cinema, or who only like arthouse movies, people from different backgrounds with different tastes. It's so incredibly human and relatable to everyone. It's artistic but also accessible because it uses film and music to bring a universal human emotion to life in ways that are both instantly recognizable and completely novel.
It's a modern masterpiece.
This movie was so inspiring to me that right after I saw it I actually decided to travel to Europe on my own. For the first time in my life I left my country at 23 and there was never any movie that ever did that for me.
That is awesome and I think that was exactly what this movie wanted to achieve.
Man, I don't even remember how many times I've recommended this movie to my peers. This one is truly underrated and so relatable. Its one of my all time favorites. It's like Swiss Army Man 2016 or Midnight in Paris 2011, those are some of the most beautiful films I've watched and remember to this day.
thank you for covering this gem! this is one of my all time favorite movies. i remember watching it in college, so hungry for adventure. then i paused my master's degree to go on a 2 year adventure in SE Asia where i distinctly remember watching the sunrise on a once-ever-two-week ferry ride to a remote island, eating cup noodles with my local friends. and it was a distinct moment where i thought "wow, this is one of those moments in life i'll never forget. going to a place where literally less than .01% of people in the world will ever see." and it's true, i do always remember that moment. but what stayed with me from this movie is that i did come home from my grand adventure. i got married. i have a very normal/mundane life with two beautiful children. and i've never been more happy or more fulfilled
Thank you for making this. It's such an underrated film. At the end, right after he grabs her hand, walks past the Magazine Stand and then steps down off the curb, it's like they're stepping out of the film and into their new reality. Gets me every single watch--and I watch it often.
Also, José González gave this film a heart beat, similar to what Jónsi did for We Bought A Zoo. (another underrated film).
Balderdash. The quintessential point of this exquisite film, without distraction, distinction, or delay (and disappointingly making no appearance in this otherwise stellar commentary) is summed up with one word:
Cinnabon
Truer word never spoken :)
Fairly certain neither one took an actual bite while filming that scene. To me, it's so obvious they are fake eating. Maybe I've just seen the movie too many times...
@@Brushfire22 Maybe it’s the “Mandibella” Effect?? 😉
@@rex-racerI’m dead 💀
That's frosted heroin right there!
I think movies like this can be interprited so differently because people interprit *life* itself so differently, too. If someone has a fundamentally different interpritation to you then they're going to perceive all the beats in the movie differently too, espetially the 'small stuff' all the little moments, the introspection, and especially how that meshes with the grandiose stuff. When a movie becomes introspective about life itself then a lot of what you get out of it depends on what you put *into* it yourself and how well that works together with the vision/veiwpoint of the movie
I love this film. I won't spoil it but what Penn does and says the moment he is about to take the picture always stuck with me.
As a photographer myself, when I am on an important event of people that I love I just remember that scene.
its pure gold, a bit of wisdom I adhere to every time i'm out snapping pics. its so true!
Man I love your videos so much. The pacing, the voice, the slow nearly poetic way it just reaches the ending without you even realizing it. I hope you keep making these for a long time. Wish you all the best!
When i wanted to watch a movie i would look up the reviews. If they were favourable, id watch it and if not id move on. This movie changed that process for me. One of my favourite movies and i almost didn't watch it because it had a low rating. I wonder how many great films iv missed because i believed the reviews.
I typically go more by user reviews. There's tons of movies with low critic reviews but high user reviews.
@@JZStudiosonlineAfter people started down voting movies whenever they're "woke" you can't really trust audience scores anymore either.
What's worse is to not see a film because the critics frame it in a way that says more about their biases.
@@AndySola Woke movies are factually typically shit anyway.
Eh it's got 7.3 on IMDb that's pretty good
31 years of age now. I remember seeing this movie on the big screen 3 times over. I have no idea what drove me to go see it in the first place, but I remember how it made me feel. I remember working an identical job and feeling like there was so much I wanted to do and go see in the real world. To go out and "feel" but could only ever imagine. It was like watching my life being played back to me. Still do this day, this film means so much to me and now coming back to this after so many years, I can still feel that urge in me that I felt after the first time I ever watched it. To most people, I understand why they wouldn't get this movie. Why someone would be confused. But it's kind of one of those things that, well "if you get it, you get it" Thanks for reminding me of such a deep memory
What i like the most about this movie is how real the character of Walter feels, there's years of backstory about him and his family that make him feel so grounded.
That is a really smart observation-character backstories do get shortchanged a lot in movies. I've never seen this and I want to.
I paused this video at 1:58, and I am not going to return until I have seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Edit: This is Major Tom to ground control… I watched it. It’s an awesome, uplifting experience. Gorgeous cinematography, great performances, an inspiring and beautiful message, and great direction define this film. The helicopter scene is incredible.
That being said, I think the dialogue can be a on the nose, and I find the character work to be a bit thin. Walter’s arc is still good, it’s just that the people around him, while somewhat fleshed out, aren’t super deep. Additionally, I don’t think the movie addresses the class implications of its theme. Not everyone has the means to travel the world like Walter. However, interpreting the film as advocating everyone travel the world to find adventure is overly literal, and I believe it simply wants people to follow their dreams. Still, not everyone can follow their dreams, even if they’re as inexpensive as eating toast with jam (this is a Chainsaw Man reference). I do have enough faith in the film to believe that if it were to discuss its class implications, it would bemoan the fact that many people are trapped by poverty in miserable lives. I give it an 8/10.
I must reiterate that the helicopter scene is awesome. It’s inspiring and beautiful; such a great character moment that really encapsulates the heartwarming possibility that you can realize your dreams if you choose to do so.
Edit: Having finished the video, I think my understanding of the film is incomplete, partially due to my tiredness while viewing it.
Same. Watching it RIGHT now.
@@Tonysr Cool beans! I hope you enjoyed it.
Literally stopped at the exact same moment and made the same decision. Crazy!
I absolutely love this movie. There is so much meaning behind it.
For some reason, my favorite scene is by the end when Walter is having coffee and a cinnabun with Tod. It is not usual you can trust on the kindness of a stranger, but when it happens it is really beautiful.
I really like this movie (incredible soundtrack as well!), but for me that scene is one that takes me out of the beauty of that moment because of the seemingly pointless, in-your-face product placement. I'd be interested to hear whether Danny sees the rampant commercialisation (eHarmony, Papa John's, LIFE, Cinnabon all have major plot moments linked to them - even Cheryl's son's skateboard is a FLIP one) as part of the emotional journey.
Is there a storytelling aspect behind making these products so much a part of the narrative? The LIFE magazine angle feels justifiable and led to me trying to make some similar connections during my watch of the movie, but apart from the FLIP skateboard being swapped for a longboard with the Icelandic word for 'life (“Lífið”) written on it and a seemingly throwaway early gag about working for Papa John's just after losing your own father I can't really find a justification.
I feel there is a lot of meaning to be found in this film (I love the red pill / blue pill rental car choice with Walter heading down the rabbit hole as a minor moment). However, I felt the scene with Todd (from eHarmony) was cheapened with the Cinnabon insertion that just felt like a cheap cash grab.
If anyone has a working theory that can justify the product placement in a film that seems so careful with what it wants to say then I'd love to hear it.
@@dhintonbeales Personally, I don't think having them eating a random pastry would make the moment any more significant. I did actually overlook the actual cinnabon, because they are ridiculously overpriced and sickening sweet. I don't care at all about brands, so product placement don't really bother me. On the other hand, if those brands payed so I could see Iceland I thank them.
@@Fiola-6 Fair enough. I'm not particularly into brands myself either, and I've never had or even seen a Cinnabon, so it was a random pastry to me. In fact, living in Europe, I think this film would have been the first time I ever heard the word.
Having rewatched the scene on UA-cam (which isn't the best way to do it as this comes at a section where the movie has put the watcher in a certain emotional state that I wasn't in) it might have felt jarring to me at the time as Todd literally asks Walter how the Cinnabon tastes.
Now it seems to me that Walter saying "It's great" is actually politeness as he's just picking at it. This different reading suggests the highly processed Cinnabon offers nothing to Walter but he still manintains his decency at his core and wouldn't be rude about it to Todd.
I didn't intend my first response to detract from anyone's love of this scene or the movie. I wanted to highlight a part I felt I didn't understand. Thanks for going to bat for this amazing film @Fiola-6.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is probably my favorite film, and it had a profound impact on me growing up. Thanks for covering this movie! Easily one of the best soundtracks ever recorded!
I still listen to the "stay alive" by Jose Gonzalez, played during the skating scene.
So lovely and perfect for the story.
It is one of my most favorite movie. It is so sweet, so relatable, so wonderful, with so many great pictures. When ever I feel, I can't make it, so I can give up, I watch this movie, and it lifts me up and gives me hope. I truly love that movie.
Your voice, editing, and pacing! Just everything about this video somehow got through my mushy short form youtube mindset and properly delivered to me, and almost a million others, an important and valuable insight into a clearly VERY misunderstood movie. Just.... wow. Thank you so much.
I wish there was a genre for movies like these. Specifically just the ones that are capable of changing viewers' lives
It’s usually just called “classics” lol
This movie inspired me to study abroad in Iceland, which led me to a career in renewable energy. I can’t imagine where I’d be without it.
Doing something more worthwhile probably.
I watched this movie as a young kid when my parents took me to the cinema. Idk how long it has been since it came out, but I still think about it. I have never fully considered it my favourite movie ever, I have never even rewatched it. It is however perhaps the only movie that I think about every 4 months.
When it comes to the fantastical scenes of "superhero" action, I don't remember a single one. Instead, I remember the main character asking the photographer if he is gonna take the photo, and the response that he gets. I remember wondering if him on jumping on the helicopter was real or another daydream.
As was said in the video dismissing or degrading those extravagant scenes misses the entire point. As I have grown older the message I took away from it is to keep being a kid and having those daydreams, and occasionally living them.
Cause that is what this movie is in my mind, a cautionary tale.
The comments section has convinced me to watch this film... it is surprising to see so many people so deeply affected by a movie... thanks for the insight...!
Ben Stiller dude, seriously what a legend.
underrated comment.
A friend suggested this movie to me and that day I believe I started living life,loving life, doing what I always wanted, being brave, doing things I was afraid of.
Danny, I don't know how you manage to consistently make me feel so deeply, often about media I had long since forgotten about. You truly have a talent for discovering, and then disseminating such thought-provoking, truly moving concepts and ideas, and in such a way that it feels like coming home, or putting on a well fitting shoe, not obtrusive or obvious, but comfortable in a way that welcomes you, like an old friend.
I ADORE this film. It's one I regularly come back to when I need to feel a passion for life again. The scene transitions, the editing, the way they integrate title cards into the scene, it's just SO incredible.
This film was my family’s Christmas Day movie the year it came out. I was 15. It is a favorite of mine to this day and one of the reasons I’ve sought out travel, adventure, and connection with those kindred souls that seem to have this films’s message running through their veins like I do.
Walter Mitty is my all-time favorite movie. It was life changing for me, but it's also a work of art.
One of my favorite movies of all time. Legit changed my life. Also the soundtrack is perfect.
This film was what got me into being a Film Major in College. It was and will forever be my number one inspiration as a film, not because it's especially smart or stunning as a story, but because of the care and integrity the film maintains as a vessel for it's theme. Every frame is planned out; every music choice, all the character interactions and the way the humor fits into the narrative. Even the diversity in which we see the world through Walters eyes, versus reality, allows us to feel as if we are engaging with the story. The rigid and stuck-up static grey world that Walter believes is reality, which slowly morphs into a fluid and moving/breathing world as he gets more comfortable with himself. It points to the fact that we are searching for that Ghost Cat ourselves, only to find that the line, "Beautiful things don't ask for attention," is suddenly all the more apparent. All the more relatable. The moment we take to admire the beauty of the world and its flaws, we stop chasing the expectations that cause us to only see beauty as something to exploit or explain. I end with this... it's my favorite film because of it's profound-ness... and not because I like to hate on critics... haha
Finally, someone singing praises about this movie! It's a favorite of my family's -multiple generations, tastes & interests, we all love it. Thanks for the insightful look at a great film & for sharing it with everyone. (I've got to say the music is also a wonderful piece of the puzzle.)
This just made me remember what a profound impact this movie had on me back when I'd seen it, I was just entering adulthood and really scared of what lied ahead. A vivid daydreamer myself the message was so impactful. What Sean's character tells Walter about his philosophy about taking pictures still stays with me. I'm truly amazed how film could have had such an impact on me. Art reaches the crevices that nothing else reaches these days, a big thank you to you too for bringing it back to my attention and receiving all the praise it deserves in the other comments.
This movie will want to make you book tickets to go Iceland for a holiday, it makes that country look stunning!
Thank you for sharing, fantastic videos.
Great movie! As you talked about the negative review that said it seemed like it was two movies fighting for primacy, I was yelling at the screen, "the juxtaposition is the point!" I'm glad you shared my take on the film. Keep it up!
This movie sits in that small list of movies I will always enjoy no matter how many times I watch it. The photography in it is on a level we don't usually get from movies, usually we get tight cropped shots of the actors and rarely the wide pan shots of the environment around them making the actor/character the smallest part of the scene. The part where he was longboarding down the mountain you can see the character really open up and realize that he is taking part in an adventure he could only dream about mere days ago. From there it simply continues and grows, but as always the reality of the adventure never really strikes until he looks back at the things he has done and realizes he is no longer the person he once was, he is filled with confidence and experience, you can see him make use of it during the last interaction with the man in charge of shutting down the offices when he hands him the "quintessence of life" negative.
Also I want to say that whoever did the titling at the beginning of the movie really earned their paycheck. The way they incorporated the titles into the surrounding environment is some of the best title work I have seen in a movie.
I didn't give this one a chance when it was released, partly because its namesake short story by James Thurber was part of my school curriculum in India while growing up, and partly because when it released I was in college exploring other stuff and it sort of flew under the radar.
Over the years, it became clear that the movie had a growing number of fans, despite the initial tepidity from these 'critics', but now you've finally convinced me to give it a chance.
I've always felt like I was the only one who got this movie. So happy to see your review. Spot on!
Loved this film so much. It took me a bit of time to get its brilliance and understand the feeling of adventure and happiness it creates. After reflection it's definitely one of my favourite.
Didn’t hit me full on immediately either. Not to say there weren’t instant moments of wow throughout my first watch. Like basically any time a José González song played. Something I didn’t even have a chance to mention here.
@@CinemaStix Seriously great review, you always provide great perspectives on films that I really appreciate. Thanks!
Thank YOU. I couldn’t do any of it without the support of people tuning in.
I can't say I'm a huge Ben Stiller fan, however, Walter Mitty is HANDS DOWN his BEST film, and my FAVORITE Ben Stiller film. This film is VERY SPECIAL, and holds a reserved spot all to itself in my heart. From the scenery, to the storytelling, to the abrupt daydreaming (which so resonates with me), to the soundtrack and score, it all meshes so well and beautifully.
Stop. this is my favorite comfort movie. This movie took me on a journey and makes me feel warm inside. The ending makes me feel appreciated for being the average joe, but at the same time pushes me to live my life and see the colors around me. This movie made me fall in love with living. I wish i could meet ben stiller, hold him by the shoulders and tell him he did a damn good job. Thank you for talking about this movie and bringing attention to it.
This movie has one of the most satisfying, pitch-perfect endings to a movie that I've ever felt. This movie made me go ".........wow....what an experience" when the credits start rolling. This movie deserves far more recognition than it's given.
Tragically underappreciated movie. One of my favorite to suggest because so few have seen it but haven't had anyone yet not love it.
The cinematography of this movie is so breathtaking! There are so many times you could pause this movie and you have a piece of art on your screen.
I wish I could have seen this on the big screen. It makes me want to buy/rent a theater just to show it. That would be awesome. I have been a photographer since I was a child. With film cameras. While diving in Little Cayman I would purposely not bring my camera every 3rd dive. That dive was just for me. That scene in the movie really made me cry as I know it was written by another photographer.