By Angela Espinoza

lor the past thirty years, Vancouver
B= built its International Film

Festival from the ground up. Run
by a dedicated crew of paid managers
and volunteers, VIFF has become one of
the largest film festivals in Canada. With
roughly 400 films in this year’s lineup, it’s
safe to say that whether you’re a cinephile,
an average moviegoer, or a tourist trying to
catch one last limited screening, VIFF can
only continue to grow.

Having spent the last two years forcing
my foot through the film theory door, VIFF
kickstarts the fall season for me. However,
the world of cinema is not an easy one to
jump into; I’ve officially missed twenty-
eight of these in a row, after all. Still, on my
second festival I’ve decided to be an official
volunteer. Everything’s coming up roses,
and then I realize I’m a noob trying not to
forget the name of that three-hour Belgian
art house romance in front of a VIFF
veteran who’s been volunteering longer than
I’ve been alive.

It’s not even a week into the festival,
and I’m terrified I’ve left my grubby little
handprint on a film guide’s glossy cover,
or that I'll set off a Final Destination-like
chain of events just by knocking over a
lineup pole. Then there are the things I
actually have done, like accidently taking

10

up a limited volunteer seat on a scan-in
ticket for a movie I never intended to see...
and then awkwardly walking away. Or
having my jarring siren-like cell phone
alarm go off in the middle of a Q&A with
a director of one of the films (Guilt to

be exact)... and then apologizing before
awkwardly running away.

I’m telling you all this is for two
reasons. The first is that if you’re a “film
person,” or want to be a “film person,” then
you’re already a pretentious little bugger.
It’s okay though, we all are; I just don’t
want you to forget that you’re going to slip
up, and you’re going to have to admit it one
of these days. The second is that if you’re
just an average person who may be nervous
about entering your first VIFF, don't be.
Geniuses like yours truly are the guys that
are, to some extent, the face of the show.

So to you reader, I say cheers, and
encourage you to attend at least one film
from this year’s VIFF. The festival is
ongoing until Friday October 14, with
additional screenings of the most popular
films to be announced. Many contests are
happening daily for free tickets, and ticket
prices range from $10 (matinee), $12
(regular), $15 (special screening) and $175
(gala screening)—so take your pick and
enjoy!

Roadie
(USA, 2011, 96 mins, Dir. Michael Cuesta)

Middle-aged rock and roll enthusiast
Jimmy Testagross (Ron Eldard) has been
living the dream as a Blue Oyster Cult
roadie for the past twenty years. Knowing
only tour buses and greasy spoon diners,
Jimmy gets the wake-up call of his life
when he’s informed that he’s been fired.
With nowhere else to go, Jimmy is forced
to return to his his mom’s house in his old
Queens neighborhood. Not even a day back
in Queens and already things are bleak.
His mother is old and desperately needs
someone to care of her, his high school
bully Randy (Bobby Cannavale) never grew
up, and Jimmy’s beautiful ex-girlfriend
Nikki (Jill Hennessy) is now a struggling
musician — who’s married to Randy. Can
Jimmy get his life and the lives of those
around him back on track?

To be brutally honest, I don’t have
an answer to that question; I walked out.
Roadie places its loveable, bumbling
protagonist in far too messy of a situation
for the film’s runtime. The first half of the
film is straight exposition, and (from what
I’ve repeatedly heard) it’s not until the
third act that the ball starts rolling. Many
have been praising Eldard’s performance,
and while what I saw of Jimmy was fun,
the cast’s acting felt rather sporadic—
something I place on Cuesta’s hands.

Image from: Guilt

 

However, just because I’m impatient
doesn’t mean you should be-— if the plot
sounds intriguing to you, give Roadie a shot
(they gave it three screenings, after all).

- Angela Espinoza

Additional Screenings: Wednesday, Oct.
12 @ 2:30 p.m. (Empire Granville 7);
Thursday, Oct. 13 @ 9:15 p.m. (Empire
Granville 7)

Like Crazy
(USA, 2011, 89 mins, Dir. Drake Doremus)

OHUCICt

Beautiful British exchange student
Anna (Felicity Jones) falls for her American
classmate Jacob (Alton Yelchin), only to get
caught up in love, overstay her visa and be
banned from entering the U.S. ever again.
The story leads the audience through the
passion and heartbreak of their relationship
as they try to keep their love burning while
living separate lives on different continents.
Splendidly touching in moments and
heartbreaking in others, these characters
bring you into their story and share the
deepest parts of their lives, leaving you with
no choice but to love, laugh, live and hurt
with them throughout their experiences.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as
giving U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize: