Nosferatu the Vampyre

Werner Herzog’s only horror film is as rich with artistry and tragedy as his most grounded, human work. It is 1850 in the beautiful, perfectly-kept town of Wismar. Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz, DOWNFALL; WINGS OF DESIRE) is leaving on a long journey over the Carpathian Mountains to finalize real estate arrangements with a wealthy nobleman. … Read more

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

“She’s alive!” The Rio Theatre‘s seasonal deep dive into Halloween-y favourites continues on Saturday, October 25 with one of the all-time great monster movies, James Whale‘s iconic THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This 1935 sequel to Whale’s 1931 film FRANKENSTEIN (also screening October 25 as part of a Double Creature Feature) retained the legendary Boris Karloff as the … Read more

The Mummy (1932)

A team of British archaeologists led by Sir Joseph Whemple (Arthur Byron) discover the mummified remains of the ancient Egyptian prince Imhotep (Boris Karloff), along with the legendary scroll of Thoth. When one of the archaeologists recites the scroll aloud, Imhotep returns to life, but escapes. Several years later, Imhotep has taken on the guise … Read more

VIFF 2021: Saloum

Kicking off at a velocity that would leave most Mission: Impossible entries in its dust, Jean Luc Herbulot’s breathless genre gem vaults us into a darkly poetic, wholly cinematic realm. Having orchestrated a coup in Guinea-Bissau, extracted a foreign drug lord, and absconded with a gold bounty, the Bangui Hyenas—Chaka (Yann Gael), Rafa (Roger Sallah), … Read more

VIFF 2021: The Scary of Sixty-First

When college friends Noelle (Madeline Quinn) and Addie (Betsey Brown) secure an affordable apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, it’s not only too good to be true but worse than they could’ve ever imagined. They’ve barely unpacked when an exceedingly strange investigator (director Dasha Nekrasova) darkens their doorstep and shares the suite’s sinister lineage: it … Read more

VIFF 2021: Kicking Blood

Robbie (Luke Bilyk) and Anna (Alanna Bale) cross paths courtesy of a “meet macabre:” he’s a despondent alcoholic in desperate need of a drink, while she’s a high-on-hemoglobin immortal who’s looking for her latest fix. Unexpectedly enchanted with his take-it-or-leave-it approach to life, a disarmed Anna stows Robbie away in her sanctuary so that he … Read more

VIFF 2021: The Beta Test

In the post-Weinstein era, the fragile Hollywood ecosystem of predatory talent agencies and investors is a house of cards teetering on collapse. Jordan Hines (Jim Cummings), an ambitious but struggling agent trying to preserve his way of life, receives an anonymous invitation to a no-strings sexual encounter. Obsessed with uncovering the people behind the letter, … Read more

Don’t Say Its Name (BC Premiere! Featuring Director Q&A)

This small, snow-covered Indigenous community is about to see an upturn. Mining company WEC has just made an agreement for drilling on this tribal land, and it’s looking like everyone will benefit – except the land itself. Local activist Kharis Redwater is one of those protesting the deal when her voice is silenced in a … Read more

Vancouver Bad Ass Film Festival 2021: Funhouse

Canadian premiere of Vancouver writer/director Jason William Lee‘a new epic star studded action-packed horror feature FUNHOUSE (2020, 106 minutes) starring Skarsgard, Guerrero, Benefield, Retamal, and many more with appearances by most of the Vancouver genre film community. Followed by moderated Q&A with the director and attending key cast and crew. FUNHOUSE: How many likes for … Read more

A Quiet Place Part II

Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path. With Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, John Krasinski. “A nerve-wracking continuation of … Read more