“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (2013)
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is the kind of film that makes you turn off your laptop, put down your phone, and think. The story of a modest magazine employee who spends his days editing other people’s photos and immersing himself in fantasies suddenly becomes incredibly captivating and resembles all the dreams he’s been simmering at his desk for years. When it comes to finding the missing frame for the cover, Walter is forced to do the unthinkable—leave his comfort zone and start living for real. Mitty stops caring about what his boss or colleagues think of him, and one day breaks out of the office and sets off on a long journey to get the coveted photograph. This plot is perfect for those romantics who’ve ever hoped to escape the routine and stop being mere spectators of their own lives.
“Close the Gestalt” (2022 – …)
Angel Kostya and taxi driver Olga have inherited a difficult burden: their awakened abilities allow them to see lost souls who cannot find peace due to an unclosed Gestalt in the world of the living. And it is up to the heroes to send them to heaven. Often, the holding back factors aren’t career achievements or a lack of success, but simple words and actions that, for some reason, they lacked the time or courage. One of the “clients” turns out to be a wealthy father who failed to give his spoiled son important advice, and the other is Dantes, who killed Pushkin. And each of those who finally finds peace continues to regret only wasting time on trifles and meaningless achievements. Very soon, viewers will learn to appreciate simple joys – a therapeutic comedy is released on Kinopoisk on September 29th.
“Spices and Passions” (2014)
This film tells the story of a family of Indian chefs who, after a personal tragedy, try to start life anew in the French province. Their restaurant, with fiery spices and vibrant aromas, is emerging directly across from Madame Malory’s Michelin-starred haute cuisine forge. What begins as a fierce culinary war gradually unfolds into a remarkable story of respect, mutual enrichment, and a passion for the art of taste. The film proves that food is a universal language that can erase cultural boundaries, soften even the hardest hearts, and remind us that true understanding is often born at the table. Moreover, the film teaches us not only to appreciate the moment but also those around us, even if your differences seem radical. After all, good company is the key to simple happiness, which makes you forget about the eternal race for success.
“At First” (2013)
Sometimes the desired success is still achieved, but often a moment comes when, after another check off the to-do list, the future becomes even more blurry. Director John Carney generally loves to shoot inspiring stories about music (after all, he is a composer himself), but “At First” especially charmed the audience and was even nominated for an Oscar. The plot centers on producer Dan, experiencing the collapse of his career, and a little-known singer, abandoned by her lover. By chance, they meet in a New York bar and give their creative impulses a chance: without money, professional musicians, or deadlines, they decide to record an album, without regard for numbers or industry rules. After all, sometimes great achievements require just that – freedom and complete indifference to statistics and material results.
“The Kindest Journey” (2017-2019)
Not so much a series as an inspiring reality show about a real person who gave up everything for travel and new experiences. Leon Logothetis is a former broker for whom stunning success proved unstoppable: building a career and facing life’s challenges plunged him into a protracted depression, from which he found an ingenious solution. Each episode follows Leon’s adventures as he sets off on a round-the-world voyage with no money, relying solely on the kindness of those around him. Besides stories of selfless assistance, the episodes also delight with stunning landscapes and Logothetis’s infectious positivity as he cruises the globe on a bright yellow moped. You might want to leave it all behind after watching it – we can’t guarantee the consequences!
Schitt’s Creek (2015 – 2020)
The best cinematic lesson on how to not reach for the stars and be content with simple joys. The comedy begins with the story of the rich and completely intolerable Rose family, who lose their fortune overnight and are forced to move to a hole called Schitt’s Creek, where they once jokingly bought a house. The snobby aristocrats, finding themselves in a world of cheap motels, country fun, and a lack of luxurious amenities, are initially horrified. Gradually, the plot unfolds into a journey of transformation, as the characters discover new values and try to see the world from a different perspective. And when even spoiled millionaires shed their pickiness and learn to enjoy friendship, genuine love, and a sense of community, it seems that true happiness truly lies in the most achievable little things.
Perfect Days (2023)
An Oscar-nominated film from director Wim Wenders that captures the magic of life in bustling Tokyo. According to the film, Hirayama works as a cleaner of public restrooms in the Japanese capital. Such a career is hardly enviable, but the protagonist finds charm even in it. In fact, even the same days don’t depress Hirayama: from morning until night, he tends to his flowers, tidies up the restrooms, enjoys classic rock on cassette tapes, and captures important moments on his Olympus film camera. Every evening, it’s the same bathhouse, the same restaurant with warm food, where he’s already been welcomed as a regular. But it seems this is where the aging orderly finds true happiness. The picture is accurately described by a quote from Cineuropa magazine: “‘Perfect Days’ makes you slow down and appreciate the fact that we are alive.”
