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If you're looking for a weekend watch session that covers all the feels—excitement, bittersweetness, and some creepy shivers, I dug up a few documentaries on Prime Video I think you'll like.
For January 16 to 18, the lineup includes a tense and political true hockey saga, a tribute to the most lovable of all comedy icons, and an unsettling crime docuseries that ventures inside the minds of murderers.
3 The Russian FiveI think this might be one of the coolest sports documentaries I've ever seen. Based on Keith Gave's book The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage, this gripping and unique documentary from 2019 surprised me with its mix of Russian spy thrills and a great comeback story on the ice with one of the NHL's most iconic teams, the Detroit Red Wings.
The Russian Five takes us back to the late '80s and early '90s, with the struggling Red Wings, desperate to end their decades-long Stanley Cup drought, going to great (and clandestine) lengths to mine some talent from behind Russia's Iron Curtain. The focus of the film, of course, is five Russians who would change the team forever— Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Slava Fetisov, Slava Kozlov, and Vladimir Konstantinov—whose unique "keep-away" style, powers, and skill would lead the Red Wings to their first championship in 42 years.
Including insider interviews with everyone from front-office dealmakers like Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch and Jimmy Devellano, who facilitated the defection and drafting of the players, to Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, and the Russian Five themselves, The Russian Five uses archival footage, as well as some slick noir-style animation for the Cold War defection portions of the film. It's a fun, sneaky look at a fascinating story in NHL history with great twists and turns.
The Russian Five
Release Date April 11, 2018
Runtime 109 minutes
Director Joshua Riehl
2 John Candy: I Like MeJohn Candy is a Canadian national treasure and was one of the most beloved comedic actors of his generation, playing such legendary roles as outgoing traveling salesman Del Griffith in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, flawed-but-sweet Buck Russell in Uncle Buck, and (my favorite) Lonestar's adorable furry sidekick, Barf, in Spaceballs—"I’m a Mog. Half man, half dog. I’m my own best friend!"
Candy's life ended too soon in 1994, but not before leaving a lasting impression on fans and those who worked with him over his twenty-plus-year career, which is chronicled in this hilarious and heartwarming tribute, John Candy: I Like Me, which was directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds.
I grew up watching Candy on SCTV and fondly recall watching his films with my dad, who loved the big teddy bear's mix of silly comedy and endearing dramatic ability. I'm also from Toronto, so I Like Me's use of old archive footage to trace Candy's career back to his roots at Toronto's Second City and where he grew up really stuck a nerve. The doc also features interviews from a who's who of big-name stars who can barely hold back the tears when talking about Candy, including Bill Murray, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Dan Aykroyd, who share stories of a brilliant career and life.
1 Murder In MindIf you're a fan of the Netflix dramatic series Mindhunter, you might be interested in this eye-opening and disturbing true-crime docuseries on Prime Video that also takes a sobering deep dive into what pushes seemingly normal people to kill. Beware, though, your hair will stand on end as criminal psychologists Dr. Julia Shaw and Kerry Daynes guide viewers through ten 45-minute episodes, each focused on a single murderer or case.
Murder In Mind, as its tagline suggests, "seeks to explain—not excuse—the psychology behind what makes people kill." With each case, Shaw and Daynes examine and track warning signs like trauma and pivotal life moments that often steer would-be killers down a path of violence. Episode one, Kill for Thrill, is chilling right out of the gate, telling the story of 19-year-old Colorado teen Brian Cohee, who killed and dismembered a 69-year-old homeless man to satisfy a lifelong curiosity of what it would be like. Using a mix of police body cam footage from encounters with the seemingly-unaffected Cohee, to arrest interrogation footage, and insights from experts, it offers a jarring realism that dramatizations can't compete with.
That's just the tip of the iceberg with Murder In Mind, which continues to cover stories that are grim and shocking, including a story of a paranoid TikTok influencer who spies on and then shoots his wife, a deranged Incel who vents his frustration on a crowded beach, and a deranged housewife who fakes a home invasion to cover-up her husband's murder.
I don't usually seek out true-crime docs, especially those about grisly murders, but what drew me to Murder In Mind is its more clinical, fact-based, and analytical approach that steers clear of dramatizations and hyperbole, letting the shock of the real provide all the drama.
Prime Video can sometimes be a moving target when it comes to finding good documentaries to watch, but hopefully this week's trio of Cold War and hockey, touching tribute, and chilling true-crime will hit on something you like.
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