American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans
As a diehard Formula 1 fan, I’ve never been into watching NASCAR cars just (mostly) turn left. I know, I know, there’s more to it than that, but when I came across this bonkers feature sports documentary about the team that transformed a NASCAR into a vehicle that could survive the grueling and legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race, I was in.
American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans tells the true story of “Garage 56” and their breakneck 18-month mission to build and modify a stock Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to compete with the high-performing and finely engineered machines of the legendary European race.
Spearheaded by NASCAR CEO Jim France and the top-tier Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR team, the 97-minute documentary talks to all the key players and goes behind the scenes to show how they built, tested, and troubleshooted the car to achieve their dream.
Oh, then there’s the drivers. The 24-hour endurance race requires three drivers, and Garage 56 features some of the best to do it — seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, and 2010 Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, who all share their experience in the film.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a motorsports fan or not; American Thunder is a brilliant and exciting underdog story of how the team somehow fit this square peg into a round hole to run their car over 285 laps straight.
Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net
I saw Cirque du Soleil’s incredible flagship show O in Las Vegas many years ago, and I can honestly say that it is without a doubt the most incredible stage show I have ever seen.
It’s a surreal aquatic spectacle that takes place above, on, and in an enormous 25-foot-deep, 1.5-million-gallon pool in the Bellagio. The show features acrobats, swimmers, high-divers, aerialists, and more, as they fluidly move in and around the set.
Yep, it’s a true spectacle — and it almost went away forever.
Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net tells the true comeback story of the legendary show after it was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting the careers and livelihoods of hundreds of employees at risk.
Sure, the 95-minute documentary is a bit of a promo for the show (who can blame them?), but it offers unprecedented access behind the scenes, with candid and emotional interviews with some of its performers, both in their homes and on set, as they cope with the uncertainty of the show and their futures.
The rehearsal and stage footage alone are worth the watch — I’d always wondered about the incredible feats of engineering involved in the production, as well as the technical precision required for it to be safe and run smoothly.
Without a Net more than delivers, as the crew and team work swiftly towards bringing the show back at the tail end of the pandemic. It truly is a unique look at the blood, sweat, and tears (and lots of water) that go into a world-class production.
Final Thoughts
If you’re on the lookout for something enlightening this weekend, these documentary picks are all easy to watch, offering laughs, some high-speed thrills, and a true spectacle in the making.
Hopefully, one of these Prime Video docs will scratch whatever weekend itch you have.
https://www.howtogeek.com/prime-video-documentaries-weekend-binge-january-9/
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