A collection of my favorite books and films that inspire, and offer new ways seeing the world.
The Durrells by Roger Goldby, Steve Barron & others 2016–2019 Comedy Drama / Biography A warm series based on the real-life Durrell family, who leave England and start a new life on the Greek island of Corfu. It is inspired by Gerald Durrell’s autobiographical books about his unusual childhood and his lifelong fascination with animals.
The Theory of Everything by James Marsh 2014 Biographical Drama / Romance The story of physicist Stephen Hawking, following his scientific career, relationship with Jane Hawking, and life after his diagnosis with motor neurone disease. Eddie Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking.
Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier 2025 Drama / Family Two sisters reconnect with their estranged father, a film director who wants to make a comeback and involve his daughter in his new film. The film won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and reunited Joachim Trier with Renate Reinsve.
Big Eyes by Tim Burton 2014 Biographical Drama The true story of artist Margaret Keane, whose famous paintings of children with enormous eyes were claimed by her husband as his own work. It is an unusually grounded Tim Burton film, based on the real-life story of one of the biggest art controversies of the 1960s.
The Worst Person in the World by Joachim Trier 2021 Romantic Drama / Comedy A young woman named Julie navigates love, work and major life choices while trying to understand who she wants to become. The film is structured in 12 chapters, with a prologue and epilogue, giving it the feeling of a novel.
Breaking Bad by Vince Gilligan 2008–2013 Crime Drama / Thriller A chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer begins producing methamphetamine to secure his family’s financial future, gradually transforming into a powerful criminal. The series is famous for its carefully planned character transformation of Walter White and is widely regarded as one of television’s most acclaimed dramas.
Julie & Julia by Nora Ephron 2009 Biographical Comedy Drama / Romance Two connected stories follow chef Julia Child as she discovers French cooking and Julie Powell as she attempts to cook every recipe in Child’s famous cookbook. It was Nora Ephron’s final film as a director, and Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for playing Julia Child.
Dead Poets Society by Peter Weir 1989 Drama / Coming-of-Age An unconventional English teacher inspires students at a strict boarding school to think independently, embrace poetry and make more of their lives. The film made the phrase “Carpe Diem” — seize the day one of its most memorable themes and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Interstellar by Christopher Nolan 2014 Science Fiction / Drama A former pilot leaves Earth with a team of astronauts to search for a new home for humanity as the planet becomes increasingly uninhabitable. The film worked with physicist Kip Thorne to ground many of its ideas about black holes, gravity and relativity in real science.
Inception by Christopher Nolan 2010 Science Fiction / Thriller A skilled thief enters people’s dreams to steal information and is given a seemingly impossible task: planting an idea inside someone’s mind. The film took Christopher Nolan around a decade to develop, and its ambiguous spinning-top ending became one of modern cinema’s most discussed endings.
The Playlist by Per-Olav Sørensen 2022 Drama Miniseries / Technology / Music The story of how Spotify was created and how a group of Swedish entrepreneurs set out to transform the music industry through streaming. Each of its six episodes tells the story from a different person’s perspective, showing different versions of the same events.
Severance by Ben Stiller & Aoife McArdle 2022–present Science Fiction / Psychological Thriller Employees at a mysterious company undergo a procedure that completely separates their memories of work from their personal lives. The series is especially known for its distinctive office design, retro technology and unsettling visual style.
Abstract: The Art of Design by Various Directors 2017–2019 Documentary Series / Design / Creativity A documentary series exploring how leading designers think, create and shape the objects, spaces and visuals around us. Each episode focuses on a different creative field, including architecture, graphic design, illustration, photography, interior design and typography.