reviewvancouver:Vancouver International Film Festival 2024

Pillion

UK, 2025, dir. Harry Lighton, 107 minutes

Dates and Venue October 10 at the Rio & October 12 at Fifth Avenue Cinema

Harry Lighton’s off-the-wall film is a mildly erotic look into an absurd dominant-submissive relationship between Ray, a brawny, taciturn biker and Colin, diametrically opposite, both physically and characteristically. Colin is a parking warden during the day and a member of a barbershop quartet in the evenings – and still lives in his parent’s home.

It’s a bold subject for a directing first-timer, and in certain areas – it shows. Some scenes, such as Ray giving precedence to his dog over colin are amusing, whereas, the intimate graphic scenes may be consensual, but nonetheless unsettling (for some).

Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling play Ray and Colin respectively. The two men in this lopsided relationship , who at least appear to have their needs met. Melling in particular, commits to the role. Skarsgård’s job is essentially to look good – which he does very well.

Köln 75

Germany/Belgium/Poland, 2025, dir. Ido Fluk, 116 minutes

Dates and Venue October 11 & October 12 at the Vancouver Playhouse

In German with English subtitles and English

Before actually setting out to see Ido Fluk’s engaging film set in (then) West Germany, one might want to know a little about Keith Jarrett and why his concerts were such a big deal. Jarrett, who is still alive at eighty, is a brilliant free form improvisationalist, who draws on jazz fusion, gospel and blues and classical music. His album, recorded live during the Köln Concert in 1975 is the best-selling piano recording in history.

The concert almost never happened. Jarrett was suffering physically and in need of a rest from performing gigs all over Europe. However, due to the effort and enthusiasm of a rookie concert promoter, Vera Brandes, and despite the musician’s early reluctance, Jarrett stepped up to play what was arguably the best performance of his career.

German actress Mala Emde is extremely watchable as wunderkind Vera Brandes in a powerhouse performance, who spends extensive screen time chasing through the streets of Köln (Cologne) in heels. John Magaro is sublime as virtuoso pianist Keith Jarrett. He gives his role a certain intensity and an underplayed charm in stark contrast to Mala Emde’s exuberant Vera.

We really only see glimpses of Vera’s contemptuous relationship with her father (Ulrich Tukur) – too bad – there’s probably another good story there.

A Private Life (Vie Privée)

France, 2025, dir. Rebecca Zlotowski, 103 minutes

Dates and Venues October 4 at Alliance Francaise, October 7 at Vancouver Playhouse & October 12 at Granville Island Stage

In French with English subtitles

Rebecca Zlotowski’s new film, Vie Privée comes across as a tribute to the Woody Allen style of film-making; in as much that his (best) films often portray neurotic and complex characters who struggle with personal anxiety. This trait allows the viewer to observe the subject with humour. Jodie Foster portrays an American psychoanalyst living and working in Paris whose own mental health might be questionable. While Ms. Foster is on screen for almost the entire duration of the film, this is not one of her best. Although, she functions in the role speaking remarkably good French.

Zlotowski’s dark comedy (some filmgoers may question this description after seeing it) begins with Dr. Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) losing two long term patients: one through dissatisfaction, the other through death. Dr. Steiner is much more confused about the latter, since she appeared to have had a close personal interest in this particular patient – a mysterious blonde by the name of Paula Cohen-Solal who we see in flashbacks, notably played by the beautiful Belgian actress Virginie Efira.

The good doctor also has a complicated relationship with her ex-husband Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil) who assists her exploits in tracking down the cause of Paula’s demise. The film meanders to a rather anticlimactic, though not necessarily a predictable conclusion without the hoped for plot twist.

Sentimental Value

Norway/France/Denmark/Germany/Sweden/UK, 2025, dir. Joachim Trier, 135 minutes

Dates and Venue October 3 & October 8 at the Vancouver Playhouse

In English and Norwegian with English subtitles

Joachim Trier’s film is a complex family drama about an intergenerational, dysfunctional family. More than that though, it’s a story of forgiveness and redemption. A celebrated film director, whose best work is behind him, Gustav Borg, impeccably played by veteran Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, returns to the family fold after many years of absence. Daughters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) understandably greet his return with some cynicism.

When Elle Fanning’s character, American actress Rachel Kemp appears, the dialogue switches from Finnish to English. Gustav offers her the lead role in his new film, after Nora gives it a hard pass. Rachel soon realizes that she is a surrogate for Nora, and asks to be released. Renate Reinsve delivers a commendable performance as Nora – a film actress in the role of a stage actress. Watch out for Child actor Oyvind Hesjedal Loven, who acquits himself well in his film debut as Gustav’s grandson.

John Candy: I Like Me

USA, 2025, dir. Colin Hanks, 113 minutes

Dates and Venue October 4 at the Vancouver Playhouse & October 6 at Granville Island Stage

Canadian actor and comedian John Candy died of a heart attack on March 4, 1994 on location in Durango, Mexico midway through filming Wagons East. He was only 43. That was more than thirty years ago. But like the man himself, John Candy’s legend looms large. Colin Hanks (son of actor Tom Hanks) together with executive producer Ryan Reynolds, have assembled a benevolent documentary that puts together the subject’s career highlights that most movie-goers already knew and details of his family life that very few knew.

Candy grew up in Toronto and was a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City sketch comedy team. He was also a big football fan and along with former Ice Hockey player, Wayne Gretsky, Candy was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Hanks Jr. includes interviews with his wife Rose, son Christopher and daughter Jennifer, as well as fellow artists such as Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin who enjoyed working with the big man. The film begins with a tongue-in-cheek tribute from Bill Murray and ends with an emotional eulogy from Catherine O’Hara at John Candy's funeral, at St. Martin's of Tours Church in LA. If you're a Canadian, you won't want to miss this!

It Was Just an Accident

Iran/France/Luxembourg, 2025, dir. Jafar Panahi, 105 minutes

Dates and Venues October 2 & October 9 at the Vancouver Playhouse

In Farsi with English subtitles

A simple single vehicle accident on a dark road on the outskirts of a large Iranian city leads to a catastrophic conclusion, that effects not only the driver and the vehicle’s other occupants, but also a disparate group of denizens that had survived a brutal regime. Jafar Panahi’s film is set in roughly the present time and is a co-production between Iran, France, and Luxembourg that explores political repression in Iran. Vahid Mobasseri very much commits to the role of the truth-searching protagonist Vahid (his real name matches his character for this film). Mariam Afshari delivers a nuanced performance as a common-sense photographer who has successfully rebuilt her life. Panahi’s story-telling is slow and deliberate.

Christy

USA, 2025, dir. David Michôd, 135 minutes

Dates and Venues October10 at the Vancouver Playhouse and October 12 at The Rio

Notwithstanding Clint Eastwood’s 2004 film Million Dollar Baby, movies that focus on the sport of female boxing are almost unique. David Michôd’s film is a cinematic biography that chronicles Christine “Christy “ Salters’ abusive relationship with husband and trainer Jim Martin and her career, fighting professionally as Christy Martin and under the nom de guerre Coal Miner's Daughter. The film covers approximately a twenty year period from Martin’s time as a university freshman on a basketball scholarship. Sydney Sweeney turns in a tour-de-force performance as a tough-as-nails, trailblazing protagonist. Ben Foster is unapologetic as Christy’s malevolent husband, while Ethan Embry is understated as Christy’s sympathetic father Johnny. Watch out for 2020 Tokyo Olympian and former Army Staff Sergeant Naomi Graham in the role of Laila Ali in a mismatched fight with Christy Martin near the end of the film.