A few years back, the inventor Tim Jenison’s insatiable curiosity hit upon a new obsession. A David Hockney book about the ancient technologies of art got him wondering: How could the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer create such photorealistic works? Did he have help from mirrors? If so, could a regular Joe (or Tim), without any training, make a beautiful painting? Such begins this deep dive into optics and art. The legendary Penn Jillette (who produces) and Teller (who directs) turn thousands of hours of Tim’s own footage of his quixotic journey into a fully-formed adventure that ends with irrepressible oohs and aahs. Tim’s Vermeer simultaneously serves as a riveting personal journey, an inspiring exploration of creativity, and a provocative “what is art” argument. It’s also the most fun you’ll have watching a documentary this year. (JS)