Think about something in which you truly believe. It could be quaint, or it could be defining – but is it the truth? Do you believe this thing because someone has tricked you into it, or is it genuine? In An Honest Liar, escape artist, magician, and debunker James Randi investigates the world of professional deception. Following in the footsteps of Houdini, The Amazing Randi spent a career freeing himself from straightjackets and others from the fantastical claims of faith healers, psychics, and other charlatans through his own brand of trickery. Replicating or revealing their tricks, however, is shown to be insufficient, as belief in telekinetic abilities or divine communication persists after Randi has shown Oz behind the curtain. But, Randi holds secrets in his own life, and their revelation causes great tension and a profound humanizing effect on this titanic man.
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Tag: Documentary
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Ayrton Senna navigated the racetracks of Formula One as Beethoven navigated the symphony. Born in São Paulo in 1960, Senna and his career racing Formula One is the subject of the Asif Kapadia documentary Senna. The film uses archival footage of Senna’s interviews, racing coverage (including on-car cameras), and voice-over interviews from his friends and family to document his ascent through the sport, culminating in multiple World Championships. The strength of Senna lay in its ability to transport the viewer into Ayrton’s head as we ride along with him at over 200 miles per hour. We feel his frustrations, experience his triumphs, and even see through his eyes during tense races. What emerges is a story exploring themes of the weight of immense ability and the inspiration that such ability can provide, all amid the backdrop of heart-stopping, tense racing action and political intrigue.
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I made sure to write this trailer reaction a good three hours after I first saw the trailer to Batkid Begins this morning, otherwise it would have basically been three paragraphs of teary-eyed blubbering. The story was vaguely familiar to me from various news articles, but I didn’t really know too much about it. Presented here, in all its onion-chopping glory, is the Batkid Begins trailer. It tells the story of Miles Scott, a 5-year old leukemia patient, and his Make-A-Wish Foundation wish to become Batman for a day. Produced and directed by Dana Nachman, Batkid tells the story of what transpired behind the scenes of the fulfillment of this wish, and documents how the story propagated around the world, inspired many, and eventually culminated in the entire city of San Francisco banding together to grant Miles’ wish.
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Plot and Theme 