Here are our picks for what you should watch this week.
An Honest Liar
Sometimes, people aren’t quite who they seem. Maybe in the case of a performer, that’s to be expected. James Randi — magician, escape artist, and educator — was used to hiding things from the audience, but he made a name for himself exposing others. Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom take to telling the story of the Amazing Randi in their documentary An Honest Liar. Like with any good trick, you won’t always see where this one is going until the end.
Randi’s life is laid out for examination in the film, depicting his days as a performer. But the real meat of the story is in Randi’s pursuit of truth when it comes to others. He made his legacy by exposing others who were conning the public with faith-healing and physic readings. Then, the film turns to Randi’s relationship with his boyfriend, who, after 25 years together, may not be who he appears to be. Alice Cooper, Bill Nye, Adam Savage, Penn and Teller, and others lend their voices to the doc to help tell the incredible story.
Faults
Faults is a slow burn of a film. If it doesn’t catch you right away, just wait. It’s tag line is “Secrets, cults, and mind control,” and it joyfully lives up to all those promises. Following the story of a family whose daughter Claire is drawn into a cultish organization called Faults, they recruit a down-on-his-luck mind-control expert Dr. Ansel Roth to help bring her back. After kidnapping Claire, the debugging process begins, and proves to have its fair share of difficulties.
Wayne’s World 2
There’s no point in pretending Wayne’s World 2 is everything that Wayne’s World was. That said, it’s one of the rare successful comedic sequels you’ll come across, and it’s always fun to spend a little more time with the lovable oafs who star in it. After successfully saving their TV show, Wayne and Garth are on to bigger things in the sequel, as they attempt to set up Waynestock, a massive concert that comes to Wayne in a dream. It’s every bit as absurd as it sounds, and that’s what makes it great.
48 Hrs.
Obviously 48 Hrs. isn’t the newest entry on this list, but it’s a classic worth revisiting, especially if you want to think about the career paths of the two stars. The film debut of Eddie Murphy, this was the movie that solidified him as one of comedy’s biggest stars. He’s paired with Nick Nolte, as the two play a cop and conman brought together to catch a cop-killing criminal. The origin of the buddy cop genre, this one still holds up as one of the best.
Dave Attell: Road Work
Dave Attell is one of the hardest working performers in comedy. He’s been touring for years, taking his particular brand of dirty comedy across the country. Being on the road that much can shape a performer, and Attell uses the aptly titled Road Work to show off that fact. Cut together with footage from shows around the country, Road Work gives a glimpse into the touring life of a comedian, while also providing tons of laughs.
That’s it for this week, but check back every Saturday for more flicks to stream!
