The Secret Life of Walter Mitty [DVD] [2013]

I've never found Ben Stiller funny, and the concept of Walter Mitty having daydreams wasn't a premise which interested me in the least, so I avoided watching this film when it was released. But a friend wanted to watch it on DVD, and I went along with her - I'm glad I did, because it was super! Here's what I liked about it: - It's beautiful to look at. The photography has a lot of visually striking scenes in New York (including wide angle shots with straight lines), and beautiful views of landscapes in Iceland. The soundtrack also fits nicely. - Ben Stiller was really good. I've never enjoyed his previous films, but in this film I felt empathy for his character, and found some of his looks of bewilderment funny. The rest of the cast was also very good. - It's unusually creative - starting with the opening credits which are painted on to buildings. - It's a kind, upbeat film, and has a rather moving ending. Nothing negative to say.

This is a film I missed on the big screen and really wish I hadn't. The film gave me the impression Walter would be diving into all sorts of posters etc and living our lots of different adventures, this isnt really the case (maybe I was day dreaming like Walter) but im so glad, what you get instead is a really beautiful film that stays with you long after its finished. The film centres on our main character who leads a somewhat mundane existence which is only broken by frequent lapses into a Daydream where he sees himself doing what he'd really want to but doesn't (like us all i guess). Walter works at Life magazine which is shortly to close when he is sent some photo negatives by adventurer Sean O'Connell played by the ever excellent Sean Penn. When it becomes clear the main negative needed is missing , Walter goes on a mission to track down Sean O'Connell and retrieve this, what follows is wonderfully entertaining, with Walter finding himself outside of his comfort zone doing what he could previously only imagine (perhaps this iswhy his daydreaming gets less and less). There is great support from Kristen Wiig playing love interest Cheryl Melhoff and bad guy Ted Hendricks played by Adam Scott (Will Ferrells brother from Step Brothers) who you just love to hate and with possibly one of the best film beards ever. In short a really enjoyable film the sort that stays with you and requires repeating viewing, it has a feel of say the Truman Show where you just dont tire of watching and you know you will still be watching it in 10 years time. The downside , just the Benjamin Button Sequence , how I wish they'd cut it out , would of almost been perfect then.

A new film version of the James Thurber short story about a man who escapes his humdrum daily life by getting into exciting day dreams. Like all films of short stories, it bears no resemblance to the original other than taking the main idea and going it's own way with it. Thus it bears no resemblance to the original film version starring Danny Kaye other than having the same basic plot as that did also. Ben Stiller stars and directs. Walter works for life magazine, has a crush on a co-worker [Kristen Wiig] and can't complete an online dating profile properly because he doesn't have much - if anything - he can put on it. Anything that he's done in reality and not his imagination, that is. When the magazine faces closure, and the last ever issue is due, a famous photographer [Sean Penn] sends in a photo for the cover. But the negative isn't where it should be. And the quest for it sends Walter on a real life adventure more spectacular than anything he could ever have imagined... This is a project that was in development for a long time, and went through many potential leads and directors. All of the previous choices, you might expect, would have turned it into an out and out comedy. But Ben Stiller manages something different and far more subtle. There's occasional character comedy here, all of which arises as it should from character interaction rather than the need for a joke every few minutes. The film starts slowly, but with a purpose. Just to ease you into the reality of Walter's ordinary life, before pushing him off on adventure. But what catches the eye is the direction. The film jumps from fantasy to reality so seamlessly, with visuals that mesh together perfectly. And the music adds to all this. It's a famous and very subtle score that does enhance the mood. The aim of which is to inspire and make you relate to the main character. Which it succeeds in doing, because when he finally makes one very brave leap, the moment is cinema magic. With stunning location photography throughout, this is a treat for the eye. And the writing is clever, managing to let the plot develop nicely with some surprises along the way. Sometimes in life you get inspired. Something makes you want to break the routine and do something new and different. This film is one of those that will make you feel like that. Not least because it's subtle about the points it's trying to make, so you get them completely. Superbly directed, very well acted, and an inspiring experience. Watch it. It might just make you change your life. If you dare. The dvd box says that it only has language and subtitle options in English, but the set up menu on the disc actually gives the following: Languages: English. Russian. Ukrainian. Subtitles: English Danish Finnish Norwegian Russian Swedish Estonia Latvian Lithuanian Ukrainian. The disc doesn't start with any trailers, and goes straight to the main menu when loaded. Extras are: The look of life. The music of Walter Mitty. Two featurettes, both running no more than five minutes [approx.]. about the look of the life magazine set and the score of the film. Both are very interesting but a bit too short to have as much impact as they could. However Skateboarding through Iceland, a two minute long compilation of film of a key sequence being filmed, is a quite interesting look at how it was done. There's also a short section of reference photographs that the film used for some of the key scenes, which can be navigated through via the menu keys on the dvd remote.

Ben Stiller directs the 1939 short story, already known to audiences through Danny Kaye’s 1947 movie of the same name. On the surface as the film starts cool and aloof as the character appears to be, but it’s worth sticking with it to see the change as the film progresses. Ben Stiller directs himself as the titular daydreamer, who is a lonely, apparently buttoned up, individual in the Negative Asset department at Life magazine. As the magazine is downsized, he is tasked with producing the image to form the magazine cover, provided by the magazine’s ultra-reclusive photographer, who has (he claims) produced an image that is the ‘quintessence of Life”. However, the negative for which he is responsible has gone missing, and he must overcome his awkwardness to interact with the co-worker for whom he has a crush, as he searches for the elusive ‘Frame 25’.. If the first half is marked by day-dream heavy sequences which I found occasionally jarring, despite the cleverness of the photography, the second half is where the film really gains momentum, as the daydreams give way to Mitty’s reality as he finds ever new limits to his comfort zone. As we move from the office world filled with its somewhat too-cartoonish characters, we move to the bleak yet starkly beautiful scenery of Greenland and Iceland as the movie opens up both literally and figuratively. If the film has a weakness it is that it hinges so much on Stiller’s performance. He gets away with it, but the role does not speak to his strengths, and the chemistry with Kirsten Wiig’s character is not evident. This is more than made up for by the gentle and thoughtful way the movie unwraps its theme with Mitty’s revealing of his inner potential, combined with some truly exceptional photography. First time director’s can often fall into tricksy photography to mark their calling card, but here the tricks and ideas seem actually more like Stiller is having fun, rather than trying to just squeeze them in. It really works, and ultimately, what really makes this work is not the set piece moments, but a gentle understated approach to the sequences between the set pieces. Go with it, persevere through the daydream sequences which can be overegged.. and I think you’ll find this movie a surprise on many levels, quite beautiful, and ultimately far more satisfying than you probably expected. It’s more reflective, than comedic – and the better for it, if you know what you’re getting into.

If you want to see a superbly shot film that will uplift and inspire you then this is the film for you. This film gives Ben Stiller a new appearance within films and shows he is no longer the guy to laugh at! Im shocked at the lack of hype surrounding this film as I honestly think it is one of the best films to have graced the cinema in a very long time. I pre-ordered this as soon as i left the cinema and come saturday (its due delivery date) i will become a recluse for the day before being so inspired to go and live my own fantasy. YES!

I don’t really care for the modern movie genre any moan so why the hell throw good mony after criptic clauses… I don’t know you to wait till frame 25.. of 35 frame roll of film is found before you get any idea of what is happening but when you do… it’s a shame… a sometimes crying shame to realize how foolish our world is…

I expected this to be funny and perhaps a little goofy. What it is is a breathtaking work of art. This is Ben Stiller at his best. The movie is just wonderful. It's funny, thought provoking, touching at times and startling at others. It's entertaining throughout. The pace may seem slow at times to those used to action packed films, but I personally don't care for nonstop technically enhanced action scenes for no apparent reason. Well worth a watch.

You must see this film. It will fill you with new enthusiasm for life. It will encourage you to pursue your dreams and to live as fully as possible. A real tonic for young people who might otherwise spend their lives just imagining life in the dark looking at a screen. Just get out there and grab the real thing. Great fun and beautifully filmed with a light touch. Well done Ben. keep them coming please..

Grande film, bella interpretazione bella fotografa. Un film che riconcilia con la normalità dell'umanità.

I like this movie. I'm not a big heart-warming movie guy but this one is excellent. The cinematography, characters, story and acting are all top notch.

Bien realizada la película y entretenida

Me encantó la película cuando la vi de estreno en el cine y los paisajes de Islandia ne llegaron al corazón. Así que primero me compré la película en Blue-Ray y algún tiempo después me fui de turismo esa maravillosa isla.

La storia è ispirata al medesimo soggetto del film "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (titolo italiano "Sogni proibiti") con Danny Kay e Virginia Mayo (1947) ma la trama è attualizzata ai giorni nostri, meno "comica" (per quanto divertente) e più rivolta alla riflessione sull'autenticità dei rapporti umani e il rapporto fra la tecnologia e il vero senso dell'esperienza umana. Il film è anche un bellissimo e grande "trattato di fotografia" e piacerà molto a chi apprezza questo particolare aspetto dei prodotti dinematografici. Un film davvero bello e godibile, ne consiglio sicuramente l'accquisto e la visione. Spedizione veloce, nella consueta eccellenza dei servizi Amazon