IFC Midnight’s Rent-a-Pal has surprising warm (but then delivers on the weird). You also should absolutely be watching The Boys on Amazon Prime Video and The Vow on HBO.
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Set in 1990, a lonely bachelor named David (Brian Landis Folkins) searches for an escape from the day-to-day drudgery of caring for his aging mother (Kathleen Brady). While seeking a partner through a video dating service, he discovers a strange VHS tape called Rent-A-Pal. Hosted by the charming and charismatic Andy (Wil Wheaton), the tape offers him much-needed company, compassion, and friendship. But, Andy’s friendship comes at a cost, and David desperately struggles to afford the price of admission.
More about The Boys
THE BOYS is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It’s the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about “The Seven,” and their formidable Vought backing.
More about The Vow
This documentary series from Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer (The Square, Control Room, The Vow) follows members who joined the self-improvement group NXIVM – whose leader was convicted of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and other crimes – to reveal the emotional toll of unfolding events on these individuals.
Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Keith Raniere, The Vow, Part Two offers a rare view into Raniere’s innermost circle, including NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman. It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters, and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys engage in a trial in the national spotlight.