First Love (Final Screening!)

Are you ready for prolific Japanese auteur Takashi Miike‘s latest, FIRST LOVE? This film is Miike (the mastermind behind AUDITION, ICHI THE KILLER, BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL, and about 100 other titles) at his most fun and anarchic, a noir-tinged yakuza film blending genres in the story of a young boxer and a call girl, … Read more

Female Trouble

A cult classic from director John Waters, FEMALE TROUBLE follows the trials and tribulations of Dawn Davenport (played to perfection by Waters’ muse and frequent collaborator, Divine). Her life is ruined when her parents refuse to get her a pair of ‘Cha-Cha heels’ for Christmas. Who could imagine that this simple act of parental power … Read more

Female Trouble

“I hate you, I hate this house, and I hate Christmas!” In celebration of filmmaker and legendary raconteur John Waters‘ recent live performances at the Rio Theatre, we thought it was only fitting to filth up our seasonal programming with the second film in the “Pope of Trash’s” so-called “Trash Trilogy,” 1974’s FEMALE TROUBLE, his … Read more

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Russ Meyer‘s “turbo-charged” exploitative skin-flick and “ode to the violence in women” FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! is one of the all-time classic late night movie titles – a deliciously subversive mix of sex, action, and cheese – which makes it purrrrfect for a Friday Late Night Movie viewing at the Rio Theatre on Friday, August … Read more

Fargo

The Rio Theatre’s Friday Late Night Movie series continues on January 10 with a winter-y classic from directors Joel and Ethan Cohen, FARGO. Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt… but he’s got a plan. He’s going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to … Read more

Face/Off

Prepare yourselves accordingly, Vancouver. On Saturday, September 4, the Rio Theatre will be offering up a special long-weekend screening of John Woo‘s endlessly stylish, elegantly violent, trash fantasy cult-classic cat-and-mouse two-hander FACE/OFF. Not only does it feature a legendarily scene-stealing (and chewing) performance from staff favourite Nicolas Cage, it’s a movie made even more amazing because … Read more

Emily the Criminal

Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef. Faced with a series of dead-end job … Read more

Eddington (Canceled)

To end the 2025 cinematic season, in addition to Golden Globe nominated films we are also screening a handpicked ‘movie of the year’ from cult legend filmmaker and reoccurring patron of the Rio stage, John Waters, with his selection: EDDINGTON Indie arthouse darling Ari Aster (MIDSOMMAR, HEREDITARY, BEAU IS AFRAID) latest effort EDDINGTON is a … Read more

Eastern Promises (FREE! Canadian Film Day Screening)

Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is both ruthless and mysterious, has ties to one of the most dangerous crime families in London. He crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife who has come across potentially damaging evidence against the family, which forces him to set in motion a plan of deceit, death and retribution. “An … Read more

Drive

“If I drive for you, you get your money. You tell me where we start, where we’re going, where we’re going afterwards. I give you five minutes when we get there. Anything happens in that five minutes and I’m yours. No matter what. Anything a minute on either side of that and you’re on your … Read more