【Saturday Cinema】The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: The Most Influential Fantasy Story of All Time
Last updated 2026-09-24 — The new film by renowned comedy genius Ben Stiller is set to hit theaters on Christmas Eve. This time, he reinterprets James Thurber’s short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" from a contemporary perspective...
The new film by renowned comedy genius Ben Stiller is set to hit theaters on Christmas Eve. This time, he reinterprets James Thurber’s short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"—a masterpiece that depicts the irresistible power of fantasy and is hailed as one of the most influential fantasy stories of all time. Stiller took that classic 1939 two-and-a-half-page story and transformed it into a 21st-century comedic epic, telling the tale of a man who discovers that his real-life misfortunes are causing his wild daydreams to come true.
Ben Stiller, praised for his sharp and endearing unique comedic style, brings us "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." (Image provided by 20th Century Fox)
This film faithfully echoes the timeless fable by American humorist James Thurber, which tells the story of a mild-mannered man forced to transform the frustrations of his real life into astonishing fantasies. However, Stiller’s version of Walter Mitty is a true modern man. Like many of us, he struggles to adapt to an increasingly disconnected, electronic world of rapid change, finding his way of life outdated. His only escape is through a series of grandiose daydreams, in which he is a fearless hero living for a better, fairer world. Yet this has always been his private, unshared world... until one day, while trying to retrieve a lost negative from a renowned photographer (played by Sean Penn), he unexpectedly opens a dialogue with another world.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Release Date: 2013-12-24
Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller ("Night at the Museum"), Sean Penn ("Milk"), Kristen Wiig ("Bridesmaids")
Dates in Paris
Adieu Paris
 |
Frozen
FROZEN
 |
|
|
Release Date: 2013-12-24
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes
Director: Not provided
Cast: Jessica Schwarz ("Perfume"), Hanns Zischler ("The Monster of Lake Lochness"), Gérard Jugnot ("The Chorus"), Jean-Yves Berteloot ("The Da Vinci Code"), Sandrine Bonnaire ("The Lightkeeper's Wife")
Unexpected encounters are life’s most ingenious opportunities
Two parallel lines crossing the sky suddenly share the deepest connection
A successful German novelist falls in love with a Parisian architect. During a phone call, she suddenly learns her boyfriend has been in a serious accident. Rushing to the airport, she realizes she forgot her credit card and can’t pay for the flight to Paris. After begging for help and being refused, she storms the check-in counter. A German businessman named Frank, standing behind her and worried about missing a merger deal, pays for her ticket. The two board the same flight to Paris.
Frank, an investment banker handling international mergers, goes about his business after arrival, but both soon face unexpected twists. The woman writer arrives at the hospital only to find a French woman claiming to be her boyfriend’s wife, Françoise, who reluctantly allows her to see him. Meanwhile, Frank’s Swiss investment group merger also hits trouble, threatening a banking crisis, leading him to leave Paris in dismay.
|
Release Date: 2013-12-27
Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes
Directors: Jennifer Lee ("Wreck-It Ralph"), Chris Buck ("Tarzan")
Cast: (Voice) Kristen Bell ("Burlesque"), Idina Menzel ("Enchanted")
The kingdom of Arendelle is home to two very different princesses—Elsa and Anna. Elsa is cool and reserved, graceful and proper, while Anna is lively, impulsive, and adventurous. But Elsa, seemingly cold, actually possesses magical ice powers and has always stayed away from people, especially Anna, fearing she might hurt her beloved sister. One day, Elsa must take on the responsibility of ruling the kingdom, but a quarrel between the sisters causes Elsa’s suppressed emotions to erupt, driving her away. In a moment of anger, her magic accidentally freezes the entire kingdom. To break the spell, Anna must brave the snowstorm to find her sister, meeting mountain climber Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and the hilarious snowman Olaf along the way. Together, the four embark on a great journey to face the icy mountains and countless dangers to save their kingdom from ruin...
"Frozen" is Disney’s latest 3D animated adventure-comedy following "Tangled" and "Wreck-It Ralph," directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, the team behind those hits. It perfectly blends classic charm with innovative storytelling. "Frozen" once again breaks tradition, delivering an animated comedy combining adventure and humor.
|
Secretary General Long Live
VIVA LA LIBERTA
 |
The Conspirators
American Hustle
 |
|
|
Release Date: 2013-12-27
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Director: Roberto Andò – “Mistero di Lovecraft - Road to L., A”
Cast: Toni Servillo, Valerio Mastandrea, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
★ Nominated for 7 awards including Best Director at the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
★ Nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Italian Golden Globe Awards
★ Selected as a Competition Film at the 2013 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The higher-ups decide to take a risk and send the Secretary-General’s twin brother in his place...
The opposition party’s Secretary-General, Eric, is facing a crisis: the election is near, but the polls are not looking good. One day, after an intense argument within the party, Eric disappears without a word. To avoid impacting the campaign, the leadership decides to suppress the news and scramble for a solution. It’s then that the Secretary-General’s wife suddenly remembers — Eric has a twin brother who looks exactly like him...
Eric’s brother, Giovanni, is a philosopher with a literary flair, but he has just undergone treatment for bipolar disorder. Unlike Eric, he is optimistic, cheerful, and witty. The leadership decides to take a gamble and have him impersonate the Secretary-General for the party...
|
Release Date: 2013-12-31
Runtime: Not provided
Director: David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”), Bradley Cooper (“Silver Linings Playbook”), Christian Bale (“The Dark Knight”), Jeremy Renner (“The Avengers”), Amy Adams (“Man of Steel”)
★ A star-studded cast shines in a powerful bid for the 2014 Oscars
★ Won Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards
★ Selected as one of TIME Magazine’s Top 10 Films of the Year
★ From acclaimed director David O. Russell, following his award-winning films “Silver Linings Playbook” and “The Fighter”
★ Produced by Charles Roven (producer of the “Dark Knight” trilogy) and Megan Ellison (producer of “Zero Dark Thirty”)
★ Nominated in all seven major Golden Globe categories: Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Best Actor & Actress in both Leading and Supporting roles
The story of “American Hustle” unfolds in a seductive world inspired by the controversial real-life FBI sting operations of the 1970s. It follows brilliant con artist Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his mistress Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), who, under pressure from rogue FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), team up with law enforcement to gather evidence of political corruption. Richie coerces them into infiltrating the inner circle of New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) in hopes of exposing a web of bribery. But Irving’s unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) proves to be a wildcard — a potential time bomb that could blow the entire operation sky-high. Like David O. Russell’s previous films “The Fighter” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle” breaks genre boundaries to tell a story about love, redemption, and survival.
|
Nebraska
Nebraska
 |
100 Times to Cry
Crying 100 Times
|
|
|
Release Date: 2014-01-03
Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Director: Alexander Payne – “Nebraska”
Cast: Bruce Dern (“Nebraska”), Will Forte (“MacGruber”), June Squibb (“Nebraska”), Bob Odenkirk (“Breaking Bad”), Stacy Keach (“American History X”)
★ Bruce Dern wins Best Actor at this year’s Cannes Film Festival
★ Heartfelt road trip drama from two-time Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne (“Sideways,” “Nebraska”)
★ Premiered at Cannes to rave reviews: “Variety” – “Alexander Payne sings an intelligent ode to Midwest small-town life and a stubborn old man’s Don Quixote-like dream!”; “Hollywood Reporter” – “A bittersweet road journey where father-son bonding reinvigorates a town parched in emotion and money.”
A thousand-mile road trip for a shot at a million-dollar prize — little did they know it would also become a journey of the heart for a father and son.
A 70-year-old Woody Grant (played by Bruce Dern) receives a notice that he has won a $1 million lottery prize. With his days numbered and a lifelong struggle with alcoholism, he takes to the highway, attempting to walk 1,500 kilometers from Montana to Nebraska to claim the money. After being found by the police and brought back, the elderly man, who has achieved little in life, is looked down upon by his wife Kate (played by June Squibb), while his son David (played by Will Forte) plays along with Woody’s delusion and informs relatives and townsfolk about their new “millionaire” status—but things soon spiral out of control. David has no choice but to accompany his father on a heartfelt journey to re-examine their relationship.
|
Release Date: 2014-01-03
Duration: 1 hour 56 minutes
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki (*Good Morning Everyone!*)
Cast: Tadayoshi Okura (*Kansai8 Squadron*), Mirei Kiritani (*Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney*)
★ Ranked #1 on the Annual Best Romance Novel Chart, adapted from a touching bestseller that sold 850,000 copies
★ A love story more moving than *Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World*!
He has lost his memory. She is his past love.
A destined reunion. A promise of eternal love.
Through endless tears, what kind of world will they see?
Four years ago, Fujii (played by Tadayoshi Okura) suffered retrograde amnesia from a car accident, losing the memory of the year leading up to the crash—and completely forgetting his then-girlfriend, Kammy (played by Mirei Kiritani). One day, the two reunite at a mutual friend’s wedding. Fujii, seeing Kammy as if for the first time, is drawn to her and begins pursuing her again. Over the past four years, Kammy had waited for Fujii but never revealed their past romance. Now, they begin dating once more. Before long, they decide to live together for a year before marriage, embarking on an ordinary yet happy life. Just when they believe their happiness will last forever, a cruel truth comes knocking on their door...
|
Share
This article is published by HowToTrip. Sharing and reposting are welcome — please credit the source.
Article URL: https://www.howtotrip.net/views-38904
Related Articles
- Shaoxing's "Grandpa Gourd" hangs the gourds back up: "If there are too many people, we'll interact less — just take a quick look from afar"
- Chinese authorities announce "reciprocal adjustment" to Japan visa fees — single-entry visa jumps from 2,250 to 16,750 yen!
- The "health stones" carried by a traveler were found to have radiation levels exceeding safety limits by a thousand times, potentially endangering fellow passengers on the same flight. Customs issues warning!
- Shenzhen Airport Issues Late-Night Notice: Unidentified Aerial Object Detected, Causing Widespread Flight Delays!
- “They only said it cost money after I opened the box and washed it!” 200g of grapes sold for 60 yuan on a high-speed train—12306 responds!
- Can't buy an airline ticket? Denied exit? Blocked from boarding? A large number of Chinese tourists have mysteriously become "discredited individuals"
- Adverse weather and economic fluctuations impact Colombia's coffee market
- Beach bathing area responds to 2 yuan/30 seconds fee for freshwater foot rinsing: Clearly priced!
- Taking off with an improperly closed cabin door? Wing malfunction? Multiple flights made emergency returns mid-journey!
- Experience the gifts of nature！ A countdown of the world’s ten most stunning coastlines