The world can be sad, scary place, and life can be painful — but that's not all there is, and sometimes we need a little help remembering that. Luckily, we've got just the thing.

Each of the following documentaries, though they vary wildly in subject matter and style, shares the same life-affirming quality. In their own ways, and without being overly sentimental, they remind us what a gift our existence really is — and that our experiences here on earth, even the not-so-great ones, are what make this whole life thing worthwhile.

'The Pez Outlaw' (2022)

"The Pez Outlaw" follows the brilliant, almost too-wacky-to-be-true story of Steve Glew, who spent the '90s smuggling rare, contraband Pez dispensers into the US, and soon became both the company and rival collectors' public enemy number one.

Part-interview, part-dramatized re-enactment, the film is a thoroughly fun watch — and what starts out as the retelling of a heist that's equal parts daring and ridiculous ends up being a story about the unconditional, enduring love between Glew and his wife Kathy.

'The Saint Of Second Chances' (2023)

All Mike Veeck ever wanted was to prove himself to his dad, Hall of Fame baseball owner Bill Veeck. When a harebrained promotional stunt by Mike goes very wrong, blowing up his dad's career, he sets out on a decades-long road to redemption.

In the years leading up to and after his dad's death, Mike's determination to make things right eventually sees him become a great friend, an even better dad and a baseball hustler his father would undoubtedly be proud of. This documentary — featuring Charlie Day as a young Mike — is as much about family as it is about baseball, and shows how beautifully life can turn out when you take a second chance with both hands.

'Pepsi, Where's My Jet?'

Everyone loves a David and Goliath story, and this one, between a young guy and massive multinational corporation, is a particularly fun one. "Pepsi, Where's My Jet?" tells the story of John Leonard, who won a Pepsi competition that had, in a TV ad, listed a Harrier jet as one of the prizes. The problem? Pepsi never expected anyone to earn the seven million Pepsi Points required, and never seriously intended to give anyone a jet.

What ensued was the infamous Leonard v. Pepsico legal battle. Because this is the real world, and not a fairytale, Pepsi eventually won the case — but the documentary is an enjoyable watch nonetheless, and a testament to the indefatigable spirit of plucky 20-something-year-olds.

'Dick Johnson Is Dead' (2020)

Filmmaker Kirsten Johnson can't bear the thought of her dad, Dick, dying — so, to prepare her for the inevitable, the two of them make a film in which Dick meets his end in a range of comically gruesome and outlandish ways.

Deeply touching, funny and surprisingly reassuring, "Dick Johnson is Dead" is a heartfelt exploration of love, family and the way Alzheimer's can mean the loss of a person even before they've died. The film offers a refreshing approach to death: losing a parent hurts, and we may never fully heal from it — but it can't be avoided, so it's better to embrace than fear it.

'The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F—k' (2023)

Based on his self-help book of the same name, Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F—k" is a brutally honest but uplifting look at what it means to be alive, and what it takes to be truly happy.

Peppered with experiences from Manson's own less-than-perfect life, this film doesn't try to distract us from our suffering; rather, it encourages us to embrace our pain, accept it and let it change us for the better. Even if our lives were perfect, we'd likely still not be satisfied, he argues — but making do with our lot, accepting some things will suck, learning from our struggles and approaching everyone around us with empathy, that's where the beauty lies. That's what'll make life worth living.

[Image credit: YouTube]