MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.

"...unabashedly, absurdly theatrical, with boldly unnatural dialogue and performances, ostentatious imagery, and one extended cross-cutting sequence that’s as potent as any Coppola has produced." (Filmspotting)

Sunday, November 24
Doors 3:50 pm | Movie 4:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MEGALOPOLIS (Francis Ford Coppola / 2024 / 138 mins / 14A) A conflict between Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare.

Your ride has arrived.

When Anne and Patrick hail a black cab after a night out their driver (Nick Frost, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, ATTACK THE BLOCK) is chatty, jovial even, but they are in no mood to talk. In fact, the couple is barely on speaking termjovial even, but they are in no mood to talk. In fact, the couple is barely on speaking terms. That is, until they realize the driver has no intention of taking them home. Locked in the cab with no means of escape, the driver transports the couple to a stretch of deserted and supposedly haunted road. But what is his purpose? Is he mad or just plain evil? And why has he selected Anne and Patrick as his victims? With Synnøve Karlsen, Luke Norris.

"An atmospheric ride driven by Nick Frost’s creepy performance." (Bloody Disgusting)

"The movie becomes a gorgeous visual treat, even as the visuals prove effectively chilling." (Screen Rant)

Thursday, November 21
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

BLACK CAB (Bruce Goodison, 2024 / 87 mins / NR) A couple who find their jovial cab driver diverts them to a remote, haunted road, revealing disturbing motives and his true intentions.

Fifty years after Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE shocked the world and forever changed the face of global cinema and popular culture, CHAIN REACTIONS charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists – Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller- Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama – through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma. By crafting a dynamic dialogue between contemporary footage and never-before-seen outtakes and delving into personal impressions triggered by distinct audiovisual formats (16mm, 35mm, VHS, digital), CHAIN REACTIONS goes to the heart of how a scruffy, no-budget independent film wormed its way into our collective nightmares and permanently altered the zeitgeist.

Director Alexandre O. Phillippe in attendance for Q&A!

Official Selection – Sitges 2024 Official Selection – Rama Skrik 2024
Official Selection – Fantastic Fest 2024
Official Selection – Reykjavik International Film Festival 2024
Official Selection – Telluride Film Festival
Official Selection – Beyondfest 2024
Official Selection – Strasbourg 2024

“Alexandre O. Philippe's 'Chain Reactions' is an extraordinary documentary about an extraordinary film." (Deadline)

“Exploration of our inexplicable attraction to horror is the true theme of the brilliantly titled 'Chain Reactions.'" (IndieWire)

Friday, November 22
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Make it a double feature with Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE at 9:30 pm here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33711-double-feature-chain-reactions-the-texas-chainsaw-massacre

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

Join us for a double bill featuring both the documentary CHAIN REACTIONS (with filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe Q&A) followed by Tobe Hooper's original 1974 slasher masterpiece, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.

Friday, November 22
CHAIN REACTIONS
7:00 pm

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
9:30 pm

*As this is a double bill, the start times are subject to change.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

CHAIN REACTIONS (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2024 / 103 mins / NR) charts the profound impact and lasting influence of Tobe Hooper’s 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' on five great artists – Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama – through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (Tobe Hooper, 1974 / 83 mins / 18A) When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather's grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family's old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.

Happy Birthday, Leatherface!

Join us for a 50th Anniversary screening of one of our all-time favourite late-night, scary cinematic offerings: Tobe Hooper's iconic 1974 slasher masterpiece, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (gore-geously remastered in 2014!).

Just as Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO was based on the life of deeply disturbed farmer Ed Gein, so is this little story of depravity and dementia. When a sister and her brother take a group of friends to visit the farmhouse of their deceased grandfather, they discover that just next door lives a whole family of repugnant psycho killers. Most noteworthy is "Leatherface" (Gunnar Hansen), the chainsaw-wielding fellow who has something of a penchant for human flesh. Though the film did not enjoy immediate success at the box office, it has since gathered a hefty cult following, and is considered by many to be groundbreaking work in the genre of horror.

More than just a mere slasher or exploitation film, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE works almost entirely because of the absolute commitment from its principle cast; there are very few instances of a character in a film (horror or otherwise) whose silent, wordless presence is capable of delivering the tremendous balance of sheer terror and pathos that Gunnar Hansen convey as Leatherface, whose performance as the chainsaw-wielding cannibal who terrorizes a young woman (another of the film's phenomenal performances from scream queen Marilyn Burns) and her friends is as tense and frightening today as it was in 1974.

"Thanks to a smart script and documentary-style camerawork, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE achieves start-to-finish suspense, making it a classic in low-budget exploitation cinema." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Friday, November 22
Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Why not make it a Double Bill with CHAIN REACTIONS at 7:00 pm, a documentary film that follows how the impact of TTCM influenced the lives and art of Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller- Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama.

Director Alexandre O. Phillippe in attendance for live Q&A!
Advance DOUBLE BILL tickets here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33711-double-feature-chain-reactions-the-texas-chainsaw-massacre

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (Tobe Hooper, 1974 / 83 mins / 18A) When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather's grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family's old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.

12-year-old Mildred's life is turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes Mildred camping in the notoriously rugged New Zealand wilderness, and the pair embark on the ultimate test of family bonding -- a quest to find the mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther. With Nell Fisher, Morgana O'Reilly, Michael Smiley.

"Ant Timpson’s heartwarming Bookworm is an effulgent love letter to ’80s kid cinema laced with a distinctly quirky, Kiwi dryness." (Slant Magazine)

"This is great, emotive, and deeply funny stuff." (Fiction Magazine)

"With near-perfect pacing and a gob-smacking density of punchlines, “Bookworm” is the sort of movie that will make you excited to repeatedly whisper, “Remember THAT?” — when you catch your breath from laughing (maybe even crying?), and the credits finally roll on a winding adventure that’s very Timpson and yet one of a kind... Adorable, complex, and deliriously entertaining." (IndieWire)

Saturday, November 23
Doors 12:30 | Movie 1:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

BOOKWORM (Ant Timpson, 2024 / 103 mins / PG) 11-year-old Mildred's world is turned upside down when her estranged father, the washed-up magician Shawn Wise, comes to look after her and agrees to take her camping to find a mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther.

The Rio Theatre's Rio Grind Film Fest continues on Saturday, November 23 with a screening of the Canadian science-fiction thriller ALL THE LOST ONES, directed by Mackenzie Donaldson. The film is a post-apocalyptic thriller centred on the aftermath of a North American civil war brought on by the effects of rampant climate change. With Devon Sawa, Vinessa Antoine, Jonathan Cherry, Sheila McCArthy, Lochlan Munro, Steven Ogg.

Saturday, November 23
Doors 3:00 pm | Movie 3:20 *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

ALL THE LOST ONES (Mackenzie Donaldson, 2024 / 105 mins / NR) A future civil war is sparked by government-imposed measures due to climate change. Nia, her sister Penny, and her boyfriend Ethan are hiding out when a militia leader and his followers arrive on their doorstep.

The Rio Grind Film Festival continues on Saturday, November 23 with writer-director Lowell Dean's (WOLFCOP) wrestling horror comedy, DARK MATCH. Set in the 1980's the follows a small-time wrestling company accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.

DARK MATCH features real-life wrestling icon Chris Jericho (TERRIFIER 2 and 3), Ayisha Issa, Steven Ogg (THE WALKING DEAD), Sara Canning, Michael Eklund (THE CALL) and Jonathan Cherry, with cinematography by Karim Hussain (POSSESSOR, WE ARE STILL HERE).

"It's a stroke of casting genius for an indie Canadian film to bring on board one of our country's finest wrestling exports." (Exclaim! Magazine)

"A bloody fun ride, Dark Match packs an entertaining punch!" (That Shelf)

Saturday, November 23
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

DARK MATCH (Lowell Dean, 2024 / 95 mins / NR) A small-time wrestling company accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.

Catch all of the Rio Theatre's Rio Grind Fest screening events for one sweet price with this handy-dandy pass, which gets you in to every one of our screening events November 21-24.

2024 Line-Up Of Events:
*Start times subject to change

November 21 | 6:00 pm | Rio Grind Film Festival: Shorts! | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33690-rio-grind-film-festival-2024-shorts

November 21 | 9:30 pm | Black Cab | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33699-black-cab

November 22 | 7:00 pm | DOUBLE BILL: Chain Reactions (with live Q&A from Director, Alexandre O. Phillippe) | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33692-chain-reactions-director-in-attendance-for-q-a

November 22 | 9:30 pm | DOUBLE BILL: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (50th Anniversary) | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33705-the-texas-chain-saw-massacre-50th-anniversary-screening

November 23 | 1:00 pm | Bookworm | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33239-bookworm

November 23 | 3:20 pm | All The Lost Ones | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33712-all-the-lost-ones

November 23 | 6:00 pm | Dark Match | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33706-dark-match

November 23 | 8:15 pm | MadS | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33691-mads

November 23 | 10:20 pm | Bruce La Bruce's, The Visitor | Tickets & Event info here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33698-the-visitor

With the exception of the film 'Bookworm', all Rio Grind screenings are rated 18A.

Eighteen year old Romain has just graduated and makes a stop at his dealer’s place to try a new pill. As he heads off to a party, he sees an injured woman on the side of the road and decides to help her, but when she gets in his car, she suddenly smashes her own head against the dashboard, bleeding out until she dies. Is this a bad trip? Or is it something else?One thing is for sure, it’s only the beginning of the night.

"'MadS' is a viciously enthralling thriller you don't want to miss." (Mashable)

"We’ve seen so many tales about the end of the world. We’ve never seen one quite like this." (RogerEbert.com)

Saturday, November 23
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

MADS (DavidMoreau, 2024 / 86 mins / NR / French w/EST) A teenager who stops off to see his dealer to test a new drug before heading off for a night of partying. On the way home, he picks up an injured woman and the night takes a surreal turn.

London, today. A refugee washes up naked in a suitcase on the bank of the Thames. The enigmatic, sexually fluid stranger introduces himself to a bourgeois, upper class family. He is invited to stay on as an employee. The Visitor soon seduces each member of the family in a series of explicit sexual encounters. He will turn their world upside down as they are able to redefine themselves in new, radical ways.

A re-imagining of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s TEOREMA (1968), THE VISITOR follows a refugee who washes up in a small suitcase on the banks of the River Thames in London. Arriving at the house of an upper-class family, he seduces each and every family member, depicted in explicit sex scenes. Canadian queer icon and provocateur Bruce La Bruce's latest features burlesque star Bishop Black in the titular role.

Official Selection 74th Berlin International Film Festival
Official Selection Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
Official Selection Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema
Official Selection Queer Lisboa

"Brilliantly depraved... It’s hard to imagine anyone better suited to sticking two middle fingers up at contemporary Britain than LaBruce, and it’s even harder to imagine anyone else doing so with such disruptive, subversive glee." (IndieWire)

"Bruce La Bruce reimagines Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1968 masterpiece to tackle sexual liberation and the immigrant life with the very explicit The Visitor, a pornographic picture that is as carnal as it is politically charged." (InSession Film)

Saturday, November 23
Doors 10:00 pm | Movie 10:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Catch all of the Rio Grind Film Fest’s programmed events with a $50 Festival Pass here:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/33713-rio-grind-film-fest-festival-pass

THE VISITOR (Bruce LaBruce, 2024 / 105 mins / NR) A refugee is among multiple identical men appearing around London. Masked as a homeless man, he visits the home of an upper class family and befriended by their maid. He intimately interacts with each catalysing their spiritual awakenings.

Master anime creator Satoshi Kon's 2006 work of psychological science-fiction PAPRIKA follows Dr. Atsuko Chiba, who works as a scientist by day and, under the code name "Paprika," is a so-called "dream detective at night." Atsuko and her colleagues are working on a device called the DC Mini, which is intended to help psychiatric patients, but in the wrong hands it could destroy people's minds. When a prototype is stolen, Atsuko/Paprika springs into action to recover it before damage is done.

"Following its own brand of logic, PAPRIKA is an eye-opening mind trip that is difficult to follow but never fails to dazzle." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"As a showcase of the limitless power of the imagination, PAPRIKA never fails to delight the eye and engage the mind. We are never sure exactly whom we should be cheering for, or even if we're rooting for real characters or their avatars." (Toronto Star)

Sunday, November 24
Doors 1:30 pm | Movie 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

PAPRIKA "Papurika" (Satoshi Kon, 2006 / 18A / 90 mins / In Japanese with English subtitles) When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it: Paprika.

MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.

"...unabashedly, absurdly theatrical, with boldly unnatural dialogue and performances, ostentatious imagery, and one extended cross-cutting sequence that’s as potent as any Coppola has produced." (Filmspotting)

Sunday, November 24
Doors 3:50 pm | Movie 4:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MEGALOPOLIS (Francis Ford Coppola / 2024 / 138 mins / 14A) A conflict between Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare.

Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s explosive Cannes sensation THE SUBSTANCE is a be-careful-what-you-wish-for fable for the ages. Demi Moore gives a career-best performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister past her prime and drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue. The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?

Fargeat's (REVENGE) satirical work of body horror has emerged as one of the biggest box-office wins of 2024, and is now the highest-grossing genre film ever directed by a female filmmaker. With Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid.

“A total knockout. Without a doubt the performance of Demi Moore’s career. Had viewers gasping, shrieking, laughing, and cheering all the way through." (Vogue)

"For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s 'The Substance' while it is still playing on the big screen." (The New Yorker)

“Jaw-dropping. Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and 'Showgirls'.” (Variety)

Sunday, November 24
Doors 7:00 pm | Movie 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE SUBSTANCE (Coralie Fargeat, 2024 / 142 mins / 18A) A fading celebrity takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

RETURN follows Torstein Horgmo, Mikey Ciccarelli, Mons Røisland, Brandon Cocard, Brandon Davis, and Raibu Katayama as they push the boundaries of what can be accomplished snowboarding when innovative minds join forces.

Monday, November 25
Doors 5:30 pm | Event 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please ar+
369.rive on time.

RETURN - A ShredBots Film (Torstein Horgmo, 2024 / NR)

Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s explosive Cannes sensation THE SUBSTANCE is a be-careful-what-you-wish-for fable for the ages. Demi Moore gives a career-best performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister past her prime and drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue. The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?

Fargeat's (REVENGE) satirical work of body horror has emerged as one of the biggest box-office wins of 2024, and is now the highest-grossing genre film ever directed by a female filmmaker. With Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid.

“A total knockout. Without a doubt the performance of Demi Moore’s career. Had viewers gasping, shrieking, laughing, and cheering all the way through." (Vogue)

"For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s 'The Substance' while it is still playing on the big screen." (The New Yorker)

“Jaw-dropping. Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and 'Showgirls'.” (Variety)

Monday, November 25
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE SUBSTANCE (Coralie Fargeat, 2024 / 142 mins / 18A) A fading celebrity takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

MUSIC FOR MUSHROOMS is a narrative documentary highlighting the personal journey of shamanistic musician and filmmaker East Forest (Krishna-Trevor Oswalt) – a collaborator of the late Ram Dass – whose bold experiments pair music with guided psychedelic experiences to create spaces of healing for a fractured world.

The film captures East Forest as he performs guided ceremonial concerts that offer participants an immersive environment to confront their pain and fears, fostering hope, and moving them to re-engage with their own true north. His voice and music practices have garnered acclaim from worldwide fans, academic research institutions and fellow psychedelic leaders.

Weaving together interviews and conversations with artists, academics, and cultural experts in the fields of psychedelics, science, music and philosophy - voices like Ram Dass, Xochitl Ashe, Hanifo Nayo Washington, Spring Washam, Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, Jon Hopkins, Peter Broderick, ANNA, and more - the film explores first hand experiences, wisdom traditions, and data-backed evidence of how these timeless tools impact the human psyche, nervous system, and more.

Filmmaker East Forest in attendance for post-show Q&A. Special guests TBD.

Tuesday, November 26
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $25+ s/c

MUSIC FOR MUSHROOMS (Krishna Trevor Oswalt, 2024 / 83 mins / NR) Musician East Forest, a key figure in the psychedelic movment, embarks on a mission pairing music with psychedelics to bring about transformative healing to a world in crisis.

THE APPRENTICE is a dive into the underbelly of the American empire. It charts a young Donald Trump's ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential, infamous right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn. With Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, Martin Donovan.

"A smart, tragic take on just how dark the American Dream can be, with award-worthy work from Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong." (Empire Magazine)

"Way better than you may have heard, this mesmerizing look at young Donald Trump (a sensational Sebastian Stan) and his legal dark prince Roy Cohn (a dynamite Jeremy Strong) provides funny and scary insights into the ego Trump developed to rule the world." (ABC News)

"'The Apprentice' is an essential piece of cinema, both thought-provoking and timely. It doesn’t seek to offer easy answers or redemption, and with sharp performances and a narrative that refuses to flinch, the film leaves a lasting impact." (HeyUGuys)

"'The Apprentice' delivers an entertaining portrait of a three-dimensional human being who so emulates his mentor that he finally acquires all of his most disturbing traits. It’s a smart, but not smart-alecky, dramatization of his evolution." (Leonard Maltin)

Tuesday, November 26
Doors 9:10 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE APPRENTICE (Ali Abbasi, 2024 / 14A / 122 mins) A young Donald Trump, eager to make his name as the hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn. Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protege: someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Brit Rock VI presents a stunning line-up of three superb adventure climbing films capturing all the action and wild characters in what are truly inspiring stories. Set in iconic locations such as El Cap, Devils Tower and also Switzerland!

Wednesday, November 27
Doors 5:30 pm | Event 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Supported by Climb Base 5

$2.50 from every ticket goes to The Power of Play, a charity building sustainable playgrounds for children in need of a space to play all around the globe.

The Films
CLIMBING BLIND 2, NOSE JOB and FREYA'S BACK

Imagine trying to lead climb a 5.10d, with your eye closed, placing gear, for 4 pitches ! Meet Jesse Dufton on his mission to be the first blind climber to lead El Matador on the legendary Devils Tower

Or what happens when 2 indoor comp climbers decide to go to El Cap and attempt to free climb one of the most iconic routes in the world, The Nose !

Then after a climbing accident and broken back, follow Freya's return to climbing in pursuit of a hard multi pitch trad climb in the mountains !

NOSE JOB 50 mins - El Cap

Alex Waterhouse and Billy Ridal are two recently retired competition climbers that attempt to apply their indoor skills to real rock in the most extra-ordinary fashion. With almost no traditional climbing experience and barely a multi-pitch climb between them, our audacious duo set out to be the first Britons to make a free ascent of the world famous Nose on El Capitan, Yosemite.

The route was first climbed by Lynn HIll in 1993 and has sub-sequently only recieved eight ascents in 30 years. To say the odds were stacked against them would be an understatement comparable in size to the route itself.

Hold tight as the action packed movie tracks this most unlikely of journeys to success. Features contributions from Lynn Hill, Hans Florine and Leo Houlding.

CLIMBING BLIND II 35 mins - Devils Tower

Following on from our first film ‘Climbing Blind’ (2019) where we see blind climber Jesse Dufton and sight guide Molly Dufton ascend the iconic Old Man of Hoy, this film picks up the story of Jesse’s incredible climbing career.

Born with a rare genetic disease; retinitis pigmentosa, Jesse no longer receives any useful information from his eyes. Despite this Jesse’s climbing has continued to progress. As well as competing on the para-circuit and making first ascents in Morocco, Jesse has managing to on- sight several E2’s. This season Jesse’ s ambition is set on a succesful on-sight of an E3 and chooses the infamous ‘El Matador’ rated 5.10d (E3/4) on the spell binding Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, USA.

What unfolds is one of the most remarkable feats of persistance and human endevour you will ever witness. As terrifying as it is inspiring; Jesse takes several leader falls on route to the summit in a gruling encounter of the blind kind. If advertisy in life presents an oportunity to grow then look no further than our movie Climbing Blind II.

FREJA’S BACK 25 mins - Switzerland

All-round climber Freja Shannon is back again for 2024. In the late alpine season of 2023 Freja took a serious fall on the committing North Face of the Droites in the French Alps resulting in a broken back. This film tell’s Freja’s story of initial horror and doubts to a full physical recovery. In Freja’s inimitable style and despite the physio’s prognosis, Freja returns to walking and then climbing in an unusually short time frame.

We follow the ups and downs of Freja’s rehabilitation, go on a near calamatus ascent of The Forbes Arete (Aiguille du Chardonnet) which sets up the main objective in the Swiss Alps. Here Freja attempts an ascent of ‘Ave Ceasar’ an immaculate 7c trad route on the spectacular Petit Clocher du Portalet. Whilst physically recovered, as the story transpires it seems the psycological aspects of such a traumatic event may take more time to heal.

Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s explosive Cannes sensation THE SUBSTANCE is a be-careful-what-you-wish-for fable for the ages. Demi Moore gives a career-best performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister past her prime and drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue. The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?

Fargeat's (REVENGE) satirical work of body horror has emerged as one of the biggest box-office wins of 2024, and is now the highest-grossing genre film ever directed by a female filmmaker. With Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid.

“A total knockout. Without a doubt the performance of Demi Moore’s career. Had viewers gasping, shrieking, laughing, and cheering all the way through." (Vogue)

"For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s 'The Substance' while it is still playing on the big screen." (The New Yorker)

“Jaw-dropping. Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and 'Showgirls'.” (Variety)

Monday, November 25
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Wednesday, November 27
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE SUBSTANCE (Coralie Fargeat, 2024 / 142 mins / 18A) A fading celebrity takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Join us for a screening of one of the most acclaimed Canadian films ever made, Bruce McDonald's HARD CORE LOGO. Based on the novel by Michael Turner, director Mcdonald plays "himself" - a filmmaker following the cult punk-rock bank Hard Core Logo as they embark on a harrowing, last-gasp reunion tour through Western Canada.

As magnetic lead-singer Joe Dick (Hugh Dillon) holds the whole magilla together with his sheer force of will, all the tensions and pitfalls of life on the road come bubbling to the surface - including that guitarist Billy Tallent (Callum Keith Rennie) is actually "on hold" with another, more popular band, which adds to his already fraught relationship with Joe, for whom the band is everything. Toss in an erratic bassist (John Pyper-Ferguson) and hard-partying drummer (Bernie Coulson), and the result is a rock n' roll road trip movie unlike any other. (Watch for cameos from Art Bergmann, Joey Shithead, Joey Ramone, and Terry David Mulligan.)

Featuring special guests including legendary singer-songwriter Art Bergmann,, a never-before-seen “making of” documentary, and a live performance from the band Lick the Pole (who appeared in the film - we got the band back together!).

Thursday, November 28
Doors 6:30pm | Movie 7:00 pm
Tickets $20+ s/c

HARD CORE LOGO (Bruce McDonald, 1996 / 92 mins / 14A) A group of washed-up Canadian punk rockers get back together for a road trip in memory of a dear friend who was supposedly shot, or so rumors imply. As they travel, they ignore the underlying psychological darkness within each other.

Welcome to a world where cult cinema intersects with the sultry art of Burlesque. Where storylines unfold and your favorite characters are parodied unlike ever before!

Watch as THELMA & LOUISE take a wild ride off the edge of hilarity, and the chaos of Patrick Bateman leaves you feeling something… Different. With acts inspired by the twisted genius of RE-ANIMATOR and the absurdity of RUBBER, this is a celebration of the films and characters that make us laugh, cringe, and cheer!

Come for the nostalgia, stay for the giggles, and prepare to be entertained. Grab you tickets now (and save a few bucks with the Early Bird!) and let the bizarre brilliance of Movie Buff unveil itself before your eyes!

Friday, November 29
Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Regular Admission $30+ s/c
VIP (Rows A-C, Centre) $40+ s/c
Movie Buff Squad Pack (Group of 4) $100+ s/c

Featuring Performances From:

Dolly Dynamite & Cookie Craven
Gnarleigh
April O'Peel & Ruthe Ordare
Kaleidoscope Crush
Viktoria Court
Leanne Cummins
June Monsoon
Arabella Boop
Clare Vouyeur

Hosted by Rory Dunn

Please note: This is a parody production. MOVIE BUFF is not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with any film’s creators, affiliated companies and/or third party licensors. Performers and acts subject to change.

"Do you like Huey Lewis and The News?"

The Rio Theatre's Friday Late Night Movie series continues on November 29 with AMERICAN PSYCHO, a biting black comedy that examines the elements that make a man a misogynist monster - perhaps buckling under the pressure of the Holiday season - which makes it a perfectly fitting title to kick off our Holiday lineup.

Author Bret Easton Ellis' highly controversial AMERICAN PSYCHO was, for years, considered too outrageous and gratuitous to make the bloody leap to the big screen. But in 2000, it did, courtesy of visionary Vancouver-based director Mary Harron (who memorably blends gore, violence and social satire with a killer 80s soundtrack), and its star-making performance from the pitch-perfect Christian Bale.

Set in New York City in 1987, Bale shines as 27 year-old Patrick Bateman, a handsome and highly-privileged (before there was such a thing!) Ivy League-grade narcissist living the quintessential young urban professionals' American dream, working on Wall Street and earning a fortune to complement the one he was born with. He does, however, harbour an unusual secret: He's a total psychopath who moonlights as a gruesome serial killer by night, descending into fits of madness as he experiments with fear and violence. The all-star cast is filled out by the detective (Willem Dafoe), the fiance (Reese Witherspoon), the mistress (Samantha Mathis), the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary (Chloë Sevigny).

"The slick satire cleverly equates materialism, narcissism, misogyny, and classism with homicide, but you may laugh so loud at the protagonist that you won't be able to hear yourself laughing with him." (Chicago Reader)

"AMERICAN PSYCHO is nearly perfect for what it is, but before we go on, we should ask what that actually amounts to. Can something with so rigid a thesis be a real work of art?" (Slate)

"It needs to be seen and appreciated, like a serpent in a glass cage." (TIME Magazine)

Friday, November 29
Doors 10:45 pm | Movie 11:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Bring a friend or date and get two-for-one entry!

AMERICAN PSYCHO (Mary Harron, 2000 / 18A / 102 mins) A wealthy New York investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.

"To me you are perfect."

Love, Actually? or Love, CRAFT-ually! It's the most wonderful time of the year to break down and analyze all your romantic-emotional baggage while you re-direct craft and create holiday cheer. KNITFLIX Vancouver presents: Love, Actually: A movie for crafters where we'll keep the lights on. Snuggle up and craft while you watch one of the best rom-coms of all time!

Rom-com master Richard Curtis (who also wrote FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, NOTTING HILL, BRIDGET JONES' DIARY) wrote and directs a star-studded cast in LOVE ACTUALLY, a holiday staple that's achieved a kind of cult-status in the years since its release in 2003. The mostly British ensemble (including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Firth and Laura Linney) totally shine in nine (!) intertwined stories examining the complexities of modern life and the one emotion that connects us all: love.

Although LOVE ACTUALLY is considered one of the most successful "rom-coms" of all time, it manages to stand apart from so many other titles of its ilk because explores emotional connectivity on a myriad of levels, not just romance - platonic love, the love between parents and their children, the love between siblings, etc. Tie stellar performances, some laugh-out-loud moments and a solid soundtrack up with a bow and some mistletoe, and you have an eternal crowd-pleaser! Among the (many) storylines are the handsome, newly elected British prime minister who falls for a young junior staffer, a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicates her love life, a married man tempted by his attractive new secretary, a recently widowed single dad trying to navigate his young son through his first real crush, and a couple whose language barrier is eclipsed by their chemical attraction. Also starring Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Rowan Atkinson, and more.

Saturday, November 30
Doors 1:30 pm | Movie 2:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

LOVE ACTUALLY (Richard Curtis, 2003 / 135 mins / 14A) Follows seemingly unrelated people as their lives begin to intertwine while they fall in – and out – of love. Affections languish and develop as Christmas draws near.

Irish comedian David Nihill graces the Rio Theatre's stage on Saturday, November 30 with his new show, "Shelf Help."

Saturday, November 30
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony Seating (General Admission) $32+ s/c | $37 at the door
Main Floor (Assigned Admission) $37+ s/c | $42 at the door

Leaving Dublin, Ireland where he was born and raised until the age of 22, David got drunk on
travel and never quite hit sobriety of it. He has lived and worked in twelve countries and visited over seventy. His shows draw on his wide travels, cultural observations, attempts at language study, (occasional) international drinking session(s) and being a mildly confused immigrant.

David is the winner of the prestigious annual San Francisco Comedy Competition, (previous finalists include Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and Dana Carvey) and runner-up in the Moth’s largest US Grandslam storytelling competition. Also a bestselling writer, David recorded his debut special for Dry Bar Comedy in 2019 and has been featured on TED.com, Sirius XM, Just For Laughs, The Irish Independent, Inc, NPR, and the Huffington Post among others. A festival favorite, David's videos have also gone viral many times over with over 400 million views and a social following of over 1.5 million people.

At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman (JUNO, UP IN THE AIR), written by Gil Kenan and Reitman and told in real time, SATURDAY NIGHT is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of 'Saturday Night Live'. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes until we hear those famous words… Featuring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J.K. Simmons, Jon Batiste and Naomi McPherson.

"For fans and frequent viewers of the late night comedy sketch show, the energy, the vibrancy of fresh ideas and the steady stream of humor make this reimagining of the beloved show such a personal watch." (Seattle Refined)

"Jason Reitman loves 'Saturday Night Live', and he loves (most of) the anarchic disruptors who made entertainment history. Saturday Night is poignant pandemonium and an exhilarating jump back in time." (The Curb)

"The glibly entertaining Saturday Night presents like we’re all friends – the clubhouse vibes make for a fun hang..." (Austin Chronicle)

"The filmmakers hone the anarchy of the show’s 1975 debut into a smooth, fast-paced narrative." (Chicago Sun-Times)

"Jazzed up by an excellent ensemble that captures the essence if not the exact likeness of SNL's original cast and crew, Saturday Night is a frenetic and nostalgic celebration of one of showbiz's most auspicious debuts." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Saturday, November 30
Doors 9:30 pm | Movie 10:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Produced by Neeta Peris and Yodelling King Melwyn Peris under the banner of Sangeet Ghar Productions, the film’s screenplay and direction were helmed by versatile Konkani talent, Sangeet Guru Joel Pereira. `PAYANN (Journey) A timeless legacy’ follows the journey of Christopher Peris a struggling musician, who discovered that the true harmony of life requires more than just mastering melodies. As he navigates the challenges of the music industry and grapples with personal demons, deceit and forges unexpected connections. Driven by the desire to leave a legacy behind, the challenges he faces becomes the centric point of story / movie.

“Best film ever made in Mangalorean Konkani” – Vartha Bharathi

Sunday, December 1
Doors: 11:15 am | Film: 11:45 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Please note this movie screens in Konkani with English subtitles. There will also be a short intermission.

PAYANN: A TIMELESS LEGACY (Joel Pereira, 2024 / 147 mins / 14A / Konkani w. EST ) Follows the journey of Christopher Peris a struggling musician, who discovered that the true harmony of life requires more than just mastering melodies. As he navigates the challenges of the music industry and grapples with personal demons, deceit and forges unexpected connections. Driven by the desire to leave a legacy behind, the challenges he faces becomes the centric point of story / movie.

MUSIC FOR MUSHROOMS is a narrative documentary highlighting the personal journey of shamanistic musician and filmmaker East Forest (Krishna-Trevor Oswalt) – a collaborator of the late Ram Dass – whose bold experiments pair music with guided psychedelic experiences to create spaces of healing for a fractured world.

The film captures East Forest as he performs guided ceremonial concerts that offer participants an immersive environment to confront their pain and fears, fostering hope, and moving them to re-engage with their own true north. His voice and music practices have garnered acclaim from worldwide fans, academic research institutions and fellow psychedelic leaders.

Weaving together interviews and conversations with artists, academics, and cultural experts in the fields of psychedelics, science, music and philosophy - voices like Ram Dass, Xochitl Ashe, Hanifo Nayo Washington, Spring Washam, Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, Jon Hopkins, Peter Broderick, ANNA, and more - the film explores first hand experiences, wisdom traditions, and data-backed evidence of how these timeless tools impact the human psyche, nervous system, and more.

Sunday, December 8
Doors 3:00 pm | Film 3:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MUSIC FOR MUSHROOMS (Krishna Trevor Oswalt, 2024 / 83 mins / NR) Musician East Forest, a key figure in the psychedelic movment, embarks on a mission pairing music with psychedelics to bring about transformative healing to a world in crisis.

At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman (JUNO, UP IN THE AIR), written by Gil Kenan and Reitman and told in real time, SATURDAY NIGHT is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of 'Saturday Night Live'. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes until we hear those famous words… Featuring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J.K. Simmons, Jon Batiste and Naomi McPherson.

"For fans and frequent viewers of the late night comedy sketch show, the energy, the vibrancy of fresh ideas and the steady stream of humor make this reimagining of the beloved show such a personal watch." (Seattle Refined)

"Jason Reitman loves 'Saturday Night Live', and he loves (most of) the anarchic disruptors who made entertainment history. Saturday Night is poignant pandemonium and an exhilarating jump back in time." (The Curb)

"The glibly entertaining Saturday Night presents like we’re all friends – the clubhouse vibes make for a fun hang..." (Austin Chronicle)

"The filmmakers hone the anarchy of the show’s 1975 debut into a smooth, fast-paced narrative." (Chicago Sun-Times)

"Jazzed up by an excellent ensemble that captures the essence if not the exact likeness of SNL's original cast and crew, Saturday Night is a frenetic and nostalgic celebration of one of showbiz's most auspicious debuts." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Sunday, December 1
Doors 5:15 pm | Movie 5:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s explosive Cannes sensation THE SUBSTANCE is a be-careful-what-you-wish-for fable for the ages. Demi Moore gives a career-best performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister past her prime and drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue. The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?

Fargeat's (REVENGE) satirical work of body horror has emerged as one of the biggest box-office wins of 2024, and is now the highest-grossing genre film ever directed by a female filmmaker. With Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid.

“A total knockout. Without a doubt the performance of Demi Moore’s career. Had viewers gasping, shrieking, laughing, and cheering all the way through." (Vogue)

"For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s 'The Substance' while it is still playing on the big screen." (The New Yorker)

“Jaw-dropping. Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and 'Showgirls'.” (Variety)

Sunday, December 1
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE SUBSTANCE (Coralie Fargeat, 2024 / 142 mins / 18A) A fading celebrity takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Purna Bahadur Ko Sarangi is a 2024 Nepalese social drama film that tells the story of the Gandharva community, a marginalized group in Nepal known for their traditional music and storytelling. Directed and written by Saroj Poudel, with production by Binod Poudel and Patrick Subedi under Seven Seas Cinema and Baasuri Films, the film stars Bijay Baral, Mukun Bhusal, Anjana Baraili, and Prakash Saput. The narrative delves into the Gandharva community’s struggles, emphasizing their efforts to preserve cultural heritage amid modern challenges. Themes include love, separation, and the pursuit of education, illustrating their resilience and strength in facing both social and economic adversities. This film sheds light on the unique struggles of the Gandharvas while celebrating their cultural contributions and traditions.

Monday, December 2
Doors: 5:15 pm | Film: 5:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $25+ s/c
Students - $20+ s/c (ID Required)

*Please note: This screening is in Nepalese with English subtitles, and will include a brief intermission. All seating is assigned. Shorter patrons (or those with young children) will have a better balcony viewing experience if selecting seats in Rows BB – FF.

Purna Bahadur Ko Sarangi (Saroj Poudel | 2024 | Nepali w. EST | NR) In the heart of a remote village, Purna Bahadur Ko Sarangi weaves a poignant drama about the unbreakable bond between a struggling father and his son. Purna Bahadur, a humble and impoverished musician, clings to the hope of a better life through his beloved sarangi, an instrument that carries the echoes of his dreams and sacrifices. As the family faces relentless hardship, the son, who yearns for a brighter future, becomes increasingly distant, torn between his aspirations and the harsh reality of their life.

"Oh, hi Mark!"

Join us at the Rio Theatre for a very special Holiday screening of one of the best experiences you can have in a darkened theatre: Tommy Wiseau's epic, pop-culture masterpiece THE ROOM.

"What makes this so special," you ask?

Well, this holly-fueled screening will be hosted by best-selling author, actor, and filmmaker Greg Sestero, who cut his teeth in the entertainment industry two decades (!) ago when he took on the role of "Mark" in Wiseau's notorious romantic drama. Sestero would parlay both his epic experience on the set of the film and its subsequent earth-shattering impact on the cinematic landscape in his acclaimed memoir, "The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made." That memoir served as the basis of the Golden Globe-winning film, THE DISASTER ARTIST. In the years since his serendipitous experience in THE ROOM, Greg has emerged as a prolific speaker, and continued to act, write, and direct in films like MIRACLE VALLEY and BEST FRIENDS 1 & 2 (which saw him reunite with his old friend, Wiseau.)

This event will include a live script reading directed by Greg Sestero and starring YOU, the audience! (We'll pick players for select scenes during the show.) Costumes (and ugly Christmas sweaters) are very welcome AND encouraged. Get ready for a few other surprises, and yes - there will be an amazing assortment of sweet MERCH! Greg will also be available for pre-show meet n' greets, photos and book signing.

Fun Fact: In 2014, while James Franco was in town shooting THE INTERVIEW, he came to the Rio Theatre for a screening of THE ROOM and a live reading from THE DISASTER ARTIST, hosted by Greg Sestero. Franco was so taken by Greg’s memoir and the rapturous response of the crowd, that they shook on the making of the feature that very night!

THE ROOM is easily the Rio Theatre audiences' all-time, hands-down forever favourite "so bad, it's good" movies. In fact, among our collective guiltiest cinematic pleasures, it may just be the bestest "best-worst" films of all time!

What a story! A marvel of modern cinema, Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM is so powerful that it will, literally, "tear you apart." (Or, maybe just your brain. And occasionally your eyeballs.) In the pantheon of you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it, best-worst movies, it's quite possible that nothing tops THE ROOM. It's the CITIZEN KANE of bad movies! And truly, truly, the best (trust) way to experience this "masterpiece" is in the dark, on the big screen, and with a packed audience of confused (and enthused!) lovers of director Wiseau's bizarre cinematic oddity that has morphed into a pop-culture phenomenon.

Tuesday. December 3
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE ROOM (Tommy Wiseau, 2003 / 99 mins / 18A) Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world fall apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

The clash is on as Pushpa and Bhanwar Singh continue their rivalry in this epic conclusion to the two-parted action drama.

Wednesday, December 4
Early Show
Doors 2:00 pm | Movie 2:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

This screening is in Telugu with English subtitles, and will include a brief intermission.
Shorter patrons (or those with young children) will have a better balcony view in Rows CC - FF. (Please consider this when purchasing your tickets.)

Please: DO NOT bring confetti, torn up newspapers or guns & weapons of any kind (including toys, replicas, props & cosplay weapons) to this screening.

Mountains on Stage aims to bring the mountains to the city and to share all the beauty of mountain sports! A selection of the best films related to mountain activities are presented.

Mountains on Stage's Winter Edition is just around the corner! After an amazing Summer Edition, the festival is back with a new program featuring spectacular team-building performances. This particularly diverse edition promises evenings packed with excitement and good vibes. Invite friends, parents and children, it's time to dream with your eyes wide open.

Complete program info and lineup coming soon!

Wednesday, December 4
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

The clash is on as Pushpa and Bhanwar Singh continue their rivalry in this epic conclusion to the two-parted action drama.

Wednesday, December 4
Early Show
Doors 10:00 pm | Movie 10:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

This screening is in Telugu with English subtitles, and will include a brief intermission.
Shorter patrons (or those with young children) will have a better balcony view in Rows CC - FF. (Please consider this when purchasing your tickets.)

Please: DO NOT bring confetti, torn up newspapers or guns & weapons of any kind (including toys, replicas, props & cosplay weapons) to this screening.

The East Van Laugh RioT welcomes comedian Jeff Dye to the Rio Theatre's stage on Friday, December 6.

Friday, December 6
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony (General Admission) $35+ s/c | $40 at the door
Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $35+ s/c | $40 at the door

About Jeff Dye

Jeff Dye is a nationally touring comedian, actor, and host. Jeff shot over 100 episodes of a new FOX game show called "Who the Bleep is that?" and is currently filming his new comedy special, "The Last Cowboy in LA." Jeff starred in NBC's comedy adventure series "Better Late Than Never" and can be seen on episodes of "I Can See Your Voice" and "The Masked Singer" on Fox.

Dye has performed multiple times on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and has his own "Comedy Central Presents" special. In previous years, he has starred on numerous TV projects, including "Money from Strangers," "Girl Code," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," NBC's "I Can Do That,"
"Better Late Than Never," "That bAwkward Game Show" and numerous others. Jeff's last 2 albums "Dumb is Gooder" and "Live from Madison" is playing on Sirius XM and both are top 10 albums on the Billboard Comedy Charts. Jeff is a recurring guest on "The Greg Gutfeld Show" where he has received praise for his raw unfiltered comedic viewpoint, bringing a new style of edge and honesty.

Dye's passion is bringing love and positivity through laughter WHILE maintaining truth to everyone he encounters.

Connect with Jeff:

FACEBOOK: @JeffDye
TWITTER: @JeffDye
INSTAGRAM: @JeffDye
YOUTUBE: Jeff Dye

The Vancouver Burlesque Co. is proud to present their December Student Showcase at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, December 7.

Join the VBC as we wrap up 2024 in a sparkly bow and celebrate our outstanding students and teachers! With large group acts to ring your bells and sass-tacular solos to make you squeal, the VBC is ready to give you a show to remember. Grab someone cute and let's get in the holiday spirit with burlesque shenanigans and fun!

Get ready for performances from both VBC students and alumni, as well as classes brought to you by Ariel Helvetiva, Androsia Wilde, Arabella Boop, Chelsea Hart and Cherry OnTop.

Hosted by Miss Kiss

Saturday, December 7
Doors 8:15 pm | Event 9:00 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change,
Early Bird Tickets (Until November 30) $25+ s/c
Tickets $30+ s/c

This show tends to sell out and seating is limited! Advance tickets are recommended to ensure entry.

Different from anything we have seen so far in domestic production, the film directed by Nemanja Ćeranić takes us into a shattered world in a post-apocalyptic time, which we experience through the verses of a mysterious blind epic poet. His epic lyrics introduce us to a story about tribes and their struggle to resist the tyranny of a distant city.

The production company “Režim,” led by director Miloš Avramović, along with Telekom Serbia, who recognized the potential and innovation of this project, stands behind this major cinematic blockbuster that brings powerful messages about love, sacrifice, and the strength of family bonds.

The cast of the film Volja sinovljeva includes Igor Benčina, Isidora Simijonović, Marta Bjelica, Sergej Trifunović, Jovo Maksić, Petar Benčina, Ivan Vujić, Svetozar Cvetković, Miodrag Radonjić, Zlatan Vidović, Milica Janevski, Aleksandar Đurica, Anita Mančić, and many others.

The creative team behind this epic adventure, inspired by Serbian tradition and set in the distant future, includes director and creator Nemanja Ćeranić, Strahinja Madžarević as the creator and screenwriter, Aljoša Ćeranić as executive producer, co-producer Aleksandar Protić, cinematographer Igor Marović, costume designer Ružica Bukvić, production designer Damjan Paranosić, and composer Aleksandar Ranđelović.

Presented by System Entertainment & ArtLive

Saturday, December 8
Doors 3:15 pm | Movie 3:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Drugačiji od svega što smo do sada videli u domaćoj produkciji, film reditelja Nemanje Ćeranića, vodi nas u razrušeni svet u postapokaliptičnom vremenu, koji upoznajemo kroz stihove misterioznog slepog guslara. Njegovi epski stihovi predstavljaju nam priču o plemenima i njihovoj težnji da se ne povinuje tiraniji udaljenog grada.

Autorski tim ove epske avanture inspirisane srpskom tradicijom koja je smeštena u daleku budućnost čine reditelj i kreator Nemanja Ćeranić, Strahinja Madžarević kao kreator i scenarista, Aljoša Ćeranić kao izvršni producent, koproducent Aleksandar Protić, direktor fotografije Igor Marović, kostimograf Ružica Bukvić, dok je za scenografiju bio zadužen Damjan Paranosić, a muziku je komponovao Aleksandar Ranđelović.

VOLJA SINOVLJEVA "Son's Will" (Nemana Ceranic, 2024 / 140 mins / NR / Serbian with English subtitles) In the post-apocalyptic future, Jovan, a young man must choose whether to take revenge on his enemy Tudjin for all the crimes he has committed against his family, or peacefully continue his life in the mountain, thus securing his family legacy. / Volja sinovljeva je epska avantura smeštena u svet posle nuklearne katastrofe. Putujući razrušenom zemljom u potrazi za sestrom, Jovan se zaljubljuje u devojku Anđeliju i uz njenu pomoć dolazi u Grad gde će morati da odabere stranu u odlučujućoj borbi za budućnost civilizacije.

The light, the lives, and the textures of contemporary, working-class Mumbai are explored and celebrated by writer/director Payal Kapadia, who won the Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (the first Indian film to be selected for competition in 30 years!) for her revelatory fiction feature debut.

Centering on two roommates who also work together in a city hospital—head nurse Prabha and recent hire Anu —plus their coworker, cook Parvaty, Kapadia’s film alights on moments of connection and heartache, hope and disappointment. Prabha, her husband from an arranged marriage living in faraway Germany, is courted by a doctor at her hospital; Anu carries on a romance with a Muslim man, which she must keep a secret from her strict Hindu family; Parvaty finds herself dealing with a sudden eviction from her apartment. Kapadia captures the bustle of the metropolis and the open-air tranquility of a seaside village with equal radiance, articulated by her superb actresses and by the camera with a lyrical naturalism that occasionally drifts into dreamlike incandescence. ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is a soulful study of the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood, in all its complexities and richness. With Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam.

A bona fide audience and critical hit at major festivals around the world, and ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT has elevated its director, Payal Kapadia, from documentary-maker to celebrated auteur.

"There are a million stories in the naked city, and Kapadia is about to show you three of them in the most delicate, moving way possible. She’s also about to mount a quiet, sneak attack on your soul." (Rolling Stone Magazine)

"A portrait of female loneliness, longing, and suffering that derives its power from its subtle lyricism and heartfelt empathy." (The Daily Beast)

"A miraculously subtle piece of work... Its writer and director, Payal Kapadia, was born in Mumbai and that’s where she sets her first drama — not the bustling battlefields of 'Slumdog Millionaire' or 'Monkey Man,' but a rainy city marked by the anonymity of crowds and small spaces... It’s as if the director herself has run into an existential choice: to show women in the fullness of their complications, frustrated and abandoned? Or to give them an escape? Fittingly, for a filmmaker who already seems major, her answer is simple. We need both." (Los Angeles Times)

Monday, December 9
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (Payal Kapadia, 2024 / 118 mins / PG / Hindi with English subtitles) In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha’s routine is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest.

The Rio Theatre is flying both our Made In Canada and LGBTQ+ pride flags with a screening of award winning, Canadian maritime born, filmmaker Michael Clowater's ('Tenant', '4 Eyes'), DRIVE BACK HOME. The film is based on the true story of Clowater's grandfather Ernie and great-uncle Hedley. Featuring queer icon, multi-award winner, and host of The Traitor's, Alan Cumming. 

In the winter of 1970, a cantankerous, small town plumber from rural New Brunswick, must drive his beat-up work truck 1000 miles to Toronto to get his estranged, gay brother out of jail after being arrested for having sex in a public park. The two men are then forced to drive back home together at the behest of their hard-nosed mother before they kill each other. With Charlie Creed-Miles, Alan Cumming, Clare Coulter.

Audience Award for Canadian Narrative Feature: Won at the 2024 Calgary International Film Festival
Artistic Director's Award: Won at the 2024 San Diego International Film Festival

Tuesday, December 10
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

DRIVE BACK HOME (Michael Clowater | 2024 | 100 min) A conservative plumber from a small east coast village who travels to Toronto in order to get his brother out of jail after he is arrested for having sex with another man in a public park. At the insistence of their strong willed mother, the two brothers must drive the 1000 mile trip back home to New Brunswick, together - discovering each other and themselves along the way.

Join Outside Voices Choir for an unforgettable night of music, featuring contemporary songs by The Cranberries, Radiohead, Billie Eilish, José González, and more. With creative arrangements by David Beckingham (of Hey Ocean!), it’s a night you’ll be talking to your friends about for ages.

Wednesday, December 11
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

East Van Laugh RioT
Presented by Charlie Demers and Friends

The Rio Theatre's live comedy night featuring Vancouver’s top stand-up comedians from CBC, Netflix, Just For Laughs and more returns to take the stage on Thursday, December 12.

(Because we could all use a good laugh…)

Thursday, December 12
Featuring Erica Sigurdson & Jacob Samuel
With special guests Gina Harms & Faris Hytiaa

Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change.

BONUS! Health care workers get in free with valid ID. Please be ready to present it at the door.

Charlie Demers is a Juno-nominated stand-up comedian, a regular on CBC Radio's "The Debaters," and co-star of two Emmy-winning Netflix animated series, "Beat Bugs" and "The Last Kids on Earth." He lives four blocks from the Rio Theatre.

“‘Twas the week before Christmas, and all through Vancouver,
The queens were all slaying with every maneuver.
Out of theatre arose such a clatter –
Run to the Rio and see what’s the matter!”

Dahlings, put on your slippers and grab your candlesticks. Run downstairs to find your living room has turned into a glittery holiday extravaganza. Have the dragged out nutcrackers grown life sized? Or have you shrunk into a babe in toy land? Join social media sensation DANDY, the award winning host and drag superstar, to find out!

Don your holiday best and sing along to the gay carols of olde, as Dandy guides you through a glittering holiday pageant “Dandy’s Nutcracker.” Featuring some of the most glamorous burlesque, festive drag, and sugar-plum-crazed performances by the best LGBT performers in the city.

See why GEORGIA STRAIGHT readers placed us in BEST OF VANCOUVER 2023.

Dressing up is highly encouraged!

Friday, December 13
Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Main Floor Assigned $30 + s/c | $35+ s/c at the door
VIP - First 4 rows $40 + s/c | $45+ s/c at the door **VIP seating includes an INTERACTIVE PROP bag!**

The 'Sugarplum Fairies' 4 Pack $25 a ticket + s/c (Available online only)

Starring:
Dandy as The Nutcracker
Jordy Matheson as The Rat King
Ruffian as The Ballerina
Holly Graphic as Krampus
Clare Voyeur as Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo

The Rats:
Jalebia Majora | Jesse Creations | Glimmer Rouge
Scarlette Ibis | Amber Honey

The Toys:
Banana Delvey | Miss October | Strawberry Short King

Special appearances by:
Mona Moore | Peter Packer | Burna Dart | Dublin Tendre
&
Noa Lottathings

About your Host:

Dandy (he/him) is the award-winning host made popular on TikTok for his viral videos promoting queer joy! Winner of Host of the Year 2024 for Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and awarded runner up in the Georgia Straight’s BEST OF VANCOUVER for his show Drag Attack! - you can catch him regularly on stage in his shows at the iconic Rio Theatre in Vancouver, or touring regularly this year between LA and New York City. His all new series Dandyland, which highlights businesses, organizations, and artists in the lower-mainland's LGBT Community, premiered this Summer on Optik TV

@dandyandfriends

No matter how loud you sing or chant, "One More Time" this vibrantly restored and remastered in 4K screening of Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s, epically, wicked, INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM, happens ONE NIGHT ONLY on December 13 at the Rio Theatre.

“We’re excited to bring Daft Punk’s iconic 'Interstella 5555,' now fully remastered in stunning 4K, to cinemas for a global event,” Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby said in a statement. “This is a rare opportunity to experience the film on the big screen, along with accompanying Daft Punk music videos, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences everywhere.”

INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM was created by Daft Punk and Cédric Hervet in collaboration with Leiji Matsumoto and Toei Animation, and tells the story of the abduction of an alien music band by an evil human character who has dark plans. Essentially an anime visual album, Interstella features the entirety of Daft Punk’s seminal 2001 album Discovery as its soundtrack, including iconic anthems such as “One More Time,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” and “Veridis Quo.” Says Shinji Shimizu of Toei Animation, who produced the film, “‘One More Time’ was playing all over the town at that time! I felt so proud that I wanted to shout to people on the street, ‘We are making its animation now!’” As a visual album, the film was cut into individual music videos, and until this year it has been very rare to see the film in its entirety in cinemas.

"... a visual and aural treat of intergalactic proportions." (BBC)

Friday, December 13
Doors: 10:45 pm | Film 11:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

LOW TICKET ALERT!

INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5STORY OF THE 5ECRET 5STAR 5YSTEM (Leigi Matsumoto, 2003 / 66 mins / PG) Four talented alien musicians are kidnapped by a record producer who disguises them as humans. Shep, a space pilot in love with bass player Stella, follows them to Earth. Reprogrammed to forget their real identities and renamed The Crescendolls, the group quickly becomes a huge success playing soulless corporate pop. At a concert, Shep manages to free all the musicians except Stella, and the band sets out to rediscover who they really are -- and to rescue Stella.

Deck the halls with endless cereal...

The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party is returning to the Rio Theatre with a brand new collection of specially curated retro TV goodness covered in sugary cereal, and sprinkled with endless Holiday cheer. It's Volume VI - The Christmas Show! Even better? This program will be screening on Saturday, December 14 and again on Saturday, December 21, so you have TWO chances to make merry and eat cereal in a movie theatre.

Kids today may not realize the significance of the Saturday morning ritual, but once upon a time, we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix, and when we got it, we tended to binge. Well – welcome to The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party - that special time when kids and kids-at-heart get to relive the exciting Saturday morning ritual of non-stop retro cartoons, and binge on the multi-colored sugary cereals that used to be a part of every “balanced” breakfast!

The cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but Volume VI will be covered in an extra coating designed to make merry and spread all kinds of Holiday cheer. Expect the unexpected, from faves and obscurities spanning the '30s through the '90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs for a 3-hour trip down memory lane! Get ready for a sugar rush and an explosion of nostalgia in one hair-raising morning.

Even better...? A Holidaze COSTUME CONTEST! Show us what you've got, or maybe just show off your best Holiday-inspired jammies. Costumes (and, as always, comfy pajamas in chic patterned flannel sporting elasticized waistbands) are welcome and encouraged.

Curated by David Bertrand

Please note: Dairy-free options are available. Compostable bowls and spoons will be provided, but we absolutely do encourage all of our guests to bring their own NON-BREAKABLE (ie, not ceramic) bowls and spoons.

Saturday, December 14
Doors 10:00 am | Event 10:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adults $20
Kids Pricing (13 and under) $14

Group pricing in effect! Grab one of our Reindeer Squad passes - a sweet treat for a birthday party or Holiday celebration of your own.

Reindeer Squad Jr.
Reindeer Squad Sr.

Helvetica Productions is once again proud to present Tits the Season! at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, December 14!

Proving that there’s no business like snow business, Helvetica Productions is back with a fourth installment of Vancouver’s naughtiest and nicest new holiday tradition: Tits the Season!

Come make a holidate with this over-the-top festive extravaganza featuring drag, burlesque, circus, and variety performers from Vancouver and beyond. The bow on top of this holiday present is that the show will be headlined by an iconic King - global sensation Landon Cider, Winner of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula!

This holiday spectacular is sure to keep you Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree and warmer than a cup of mulled wine! So, meet us under the mistletoe, Yule definitely be entertained!

Saturday, December 14
Early Show
Doors 5:00 pm | Show 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Snowbells $40+ s/c
(Rows K-O and Balcony)

Snowballers $55+ s/c
(Rows F-J)

Snow Angels VIP $75+ s/c (Rows A-E / Includes swag bag full of holiday presents, including a signed photo from Landon Cider.)
Limited VIP tickets available — frost come, frost served!

Headliner: Landon Cider

Batty Banks
Ariel Helvetica and Chelsea Hart
Elektra + The Soul Star
Monday Blues
Skim
Arabella Boop
Helvetica’s Follies
Misty Blue
VBC’s Fatlesque

Hosted by: Miss Kiss

And more TBA! Full cast announcements coming soon — so hold onto your (Santa) hats until then!

Cast subject to change.

Proudly sponsored by ShoeFreaks.ca

About Helvetica Productions:

With more than a decade of experience under her G-String, Ariel Helvetica is everyone’s type. She has boldly crossed the globe (and uncrossed her legs) in some of the top burlesque shows across Europe, Canada, and the USA. With her unique blend of glamour, cheese, and stratospheric high-kicks, this purveyor of Tits and Teeth has received many accolades, including performing twice at the Burlesque Hall of Fame, as well as being named one of 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s Most Influential Performers.

Underlining her performance bonafides, Ariel is also the Assistant Director of the Vancouver Burlesque Company, and in late 2021 she combined her burlesque prowess and showbiz moxie to create Helvetica Productions, which debuted with two sold-out shows of the holiday smash Tits the Season.

Helvetica Productions is once again proud to present Tits the Season! at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, December 14!

Proving that there’s no business like snow business, Helvetica Productions is back with a fourth installment of Vancouver’s naughtiest and nicest new holiday tradition: Tits the Season!

Come make a holidate with this over-the-top festive extravaganza featuring drag, burlesque, circus, and variety performers from Vancouver and beyond. The bow on top of this holiday present is that the show will be headlined by an iconic King - global sensation Landon Cider, Winner of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula!

This holiday spectacular is sure to keep you Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree and warmer than a cup of mulled wine! So, meet us under the mistletoe, Yule definitely be entertained!

Saturday, December 14
Late Show
Doors 9:00 pm | Show 10:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Snowbells $40+ s/c
(Rows K-O and Balcony)

Snowballers $55+ s/c
(Rows F-J)

Snow Angels VIP $75+ s/c (Rows A-E / Includes swag bag full of holiday presents, including a signed photo from Landon Cider.)
Limited VIP tickets available — frost come, frost served!

Headliner: Landon Cider

Batty Banks
Ariel Helvetica and Chelsea Hart
Elektra + The Soul Star
Monday Blues
Skim
Arabella Boop
Helvetica’s Follies
Misty Blue
VBC’s Fatlesque

Hosted by: Miss Kiss

And more TBA! Full cast announcements coming soon — so hold onto your (Santa) hats until then!

Cast subject to change.

Proudly sponsored by ShoeFreaks.ca

About Helvetica Productions:

With more than a decade of experience under her G-String, Ariel Helvetica is everyone’s type. She has boldly crossed the globe (and uncrossed her legs) in some of the top burlesque shows across Europe, Canada, and the USA. With her unique blend of glamour, cheese, and stratospheric high-kicks, this purveyor of Tits and Teeth has received many accolades, including performing twice at the Burlesque Hall of Fame, as well as being named one of 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s Most Influential Performers.

Underlining her performance bonafides, Ariel is also the Assistant Director of the Vancouver Burlesque Company, and in late 2021 she combined her burlesque prowess and showbiz moxie to create Helvetica Productions, which debuted with two sold-out shows of the holiday smash Tits the Season.

Vancouver's Kingsgate Chorus returns to the Rio Theatre on Sunday, December 15 with "Atmospheric Shiver," a night of rousing choral music in support of The Aboriginal Friendship Centre.

Sunday, December 15
With Ride By Night
Doors at 6:45 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission $25+ s/c
Seniors & Students (With Valid ID) $20+ s/c
Youth (18 and under) $15+ s/c

No matter how loud you sing or chant, "One More Time" this vibrantly restored and remastered in 4K screening of Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s, epically, wicked, INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5STORY OF THE 5ECRET 5STAR 5YSTEM, happens on December 15 for a ONE NIGHT, ONLY ONE MORE TIME Encore at the Rio Theatre.

“We’re excited to bring Daft Punk’s iconic 'Interstella 5555,' now fully remastered in stunning 4K, to cinemas for a global event,” Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby said in a statement. “This is a rare opportunity to experience the film on the big screen, along with accompanying Daft Punk music videos, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences everywhere.”

INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5STORY OF THE 5ECRET 5STAR 5YSTEM was created by Daft Punk and Cédric Hervet in collaboration with Leiji Matsumoto and Toei Animation, and tells the story of the abduction of an alien music band by an evil human character who has dark plans. Essentially an anime visual album, Interstella features the entirety of Daft Punk’s seminal 2001 album Discovery as its soundtrack, including iconic anthems such as “One More Time,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” and “Veridis Quo.” Says Shinji Shimizu of Toei Animation, who produced the film, “‘One More Time’ was playing all over the town at that time! I felt so proud that I wanted to shout to people on the street, ‘We are making its animation now!’” As a visual album, the film was cut into individual music videos, and until this year it has been very rare to see the film in its entirety in cinemas.

"... a visual and aural treat of intergalactic proportions." (BBC)

Sunday, December 15 ONE MORE TIME Encore (No More Screenings Permitted in CANADA after this!!)
Doors 10:15 pm | Movie 10:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5STORY OF THE 5ECRET 5STAR 5YSTEM (Leigi Matsumoto, 2003 / 66 mins / PG) Four talented alien musicians are kidnapped by a record producer who disguises them as humans. Shep, a space pilot in love with bass player Stella, follows them to Earth. Reprogrammed to forget their real identities and renamed The Crescendolls, the group quickly becomes a huge success playing soulless corporate pop. At a concert, Shep manages to free all the musicians except Stella, and the band sets out to rediscover who they really are -- and to rescue Stella.

The live, smash hit epic comedy THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW returns to the Rio Theatre's stage on Wednesday, December 18 for more monstrous mirth, merriment, and snacks! (And maybe some mistletoe...?!?)

Prepare yourself for a generous dose of laughter and holiday cheer, as some of Vancouver’s best comedic performers grace the stage in a night featuring intrepid players on a gallant quest for comedy glory (and more snacks!) in a hilariously epic adventure saga that has been running continuously since 2012.

Spanning over 100 live performances in both Canada and the United States, two years of “at-home” streaming, and frequent festival appearances, The Critical Hit Show is one of the longest running comedy shows around. #DNDLive is an improvised adventure that takes its inspiration from tabletop role-playing games, fantasy film and TV, and (most importantly) you!

Whether you’re a longtime fan, you’ve been enjoying our live streamed shows, or you’re brand new to The Critical Hit Show - you’re going to have a great time.

Wednesday, December 18
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change.
Advance tickets $17 +s/c | $20+ s/c at the door

THE ADVENTURERS

Eric Fell as The Dungeon Master
Ian Boothby as Benoit the Anointed, the Half-Elf Cleric
Joanna Gaskell as Freya, the Elf Warlock
Barbara Beall as Ingrid, the Halfling Fighter
Ellen MacNevin as Belle Strummer, the Half-Elf Ranger
Allen Morrison as Spitz Lube’n, the Human Wizard
Shaun Stewart as Brask Hellbeard, the Dwarf Bard

More monsters! More Magic! More Mayhem! More Off-Brand soda!

Twitter: @critshow
www.criticalhitshow.com
www.facebook.com/dndlive

"Yippee ki yay, motherfudger!

Send your movie-loving' self into Christmas overdrive with what is - hands down - one of the absolute biggest, baddest motherfudging edge-of-your-seat big screen thrill rides ever, DIE HARD. In (arguably) his signature performance, Bruce Willis shines as a streetsmart (and mostly barefoot!) cop tasked with outsmarting a group of terrorists who have taken over a building in downtown LA. Also starring the late, great Alan Rickman (Hans Gruber!) and Bonnie Bedelia.

"Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"DIE HARD is an action picture with a capital A. In fact, you might as well go ahead and capitalize the whole darn word." (Orlando Sentinel)

"For all its moments of almost overwhelming cheese, DIE HARD is still the definitive action thriller." (Total Film)

Friday, December 20
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Friday Late Night Movies are two-for-one entry, so bring a bestie, date or an estranged ex and be a hero!

DIE HARD (John McTiernan, 1988 / 131 mins / 18A) New York City Detective John McClane has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunately, it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. A group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber, is holding everyone in the Nakatomi Plaza building hostage – including Mrs. McClane! With no way of anyone getting in or out, it’s up to the street-smart (and barefoot) McClane to stop them all and save the day.

Deck the halls with endless cereal...

The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party is returning to the Rio Theatre with a brand new collection of specially curated retro TV goodness covered in sugary cereal, and sprinkled with endless Holiday cheer. It's Volume VI - The Christmas Show! Even better? This program will be screening on Saturday, December 14 and again on Saturday, December 21, so you have TWO chances to make merry and eat cereal in a movie theatre.

Kids today may not realize the significance of the Saturday morning ritual, but once upon a time, we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix, and when we got it, we tended to binge. Well – welcome to The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party - that special time when kids and kids-at-heart get to relive the exciting Saturday morning ritual of non-stop retro cartoons, and binge on the multi-colored sugary cereals that used to be a part of every “balanced” breakfast!

The cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but Volume VI will be covered in an extra coating designed to make merry and spread all kinds of Holiday cheer. Expect the unexpected, from faves and obscurities spanning the '30s through the '90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs for a 3-hour trip down memory lane! Get ready for a sugar rush and an explosion of nostalgia in one hair-raising morning.

Even better...? A Holidaze COSTUME CONTEST! Show us what you've got, or maybe just show off your best Holiday-inspired jammies. Costumes (and, as always, comfy pajamas in chic patterned flannel sporting elasticized waistbands) are welcome and encouraged.

Curated by David Bertrand

Please note: Dairy-free options are available. Compostable bowls and spoons will be provided, but we absolutely do encourage all of our guests to bring their own NON-BREAKABLE (ie, not ceramic) bowls and spoons.

Saturday, December 21
Doors 10:00 am | Event 10:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adults $20
Kids Pricing (13 and under) $14

Group pricing in effect! Grab one of our Reindeer Squad passes - a sweet treat for a birthday party or Holiday celebration of your own.

Reindeer Squad Jr. (2 Adults, 4 kids $90 - online only)
Reindeer Squad Sr. (6 Adults $102 - online only)

A copious cavalcade of top notch talent and captivating cabaret await at The Rio Theatre Burlesque and Variety Show on Saturday, December 21.

Local luminary April O’Peel has curated a show full of wonder sure to dazzle and delight our fun loving audience! The theme is... NO THEME. That’s right! These talented performers will each be performing one act of their choosing. What act will they decide to bring to The Rio Theatre Burlesque and Variety Show!? Find out on October 12, as these stars align for one night only.

Saturday, December 21
Doors at 8:00 pm | Show at 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $30+ s/c | $35+ s/c at the door
VIP tickets (Rows 1-3, centre section) $40+ s/c
Squad Pass (Group of Four Tickets - online only) $100+ s/c

Featuring performances from:

Amnesia Haze
Ariel Helvetica
Bella Bizarre
Disco Squad
Gigi Lavande
Faye Havoc
Maria Sample
Monday Blues
Sensi Kat
Shirley Gnome
Vita Devour & April O'Peel

Hosted by Cookie Craven

The Rio Theatre is thrilled to welcome beloved East Van staple Petunia & The Vipers to our stage for an album release concert in support of their new album, 'Calling Me Back,' on Friday, December 27.

Louis Armstrong was once asked what his favorite kind of music was, and his response was simple; "Good music." Petunia & The Vipers' sound may not sit comfortably in one certain genre, but "Good Music" describes it well.

Friday, December 27
With Special Guests!
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets $20+ s/c (Until December 1)
General Admission $26.00+ s/c
Date Night (Pair of Tickets) $44.00+ s/c (Available online only)

Hank Williams on acid…
Tom Waits meets Elvis at Woody Guthrie's Hobo junction…
Avante-Country night club scene music…
One of the best bands in the world today, of any kind…
Hillbilly-flavoured-swing inflected-ragtime-goodtime-thunderously rolling-one-of-a-kind-you-don’t-want-to-miss-this-sort-of-a-show…
A new music that springboards off of music of the past and jumps into the present day, left with only echoes of the past…
Something in between 1920's and steam punk. It's good for your mind…

These are just a few of the words uttered by folks around the globe trying to pin down a description of all that is Petunia & The Vipers.

Connect on Instagram @petuniaandthevipers
Connect on Facebbook https://www.facebook.com/PetuniaTheVipers/

This event is brought to you by LIC Entertainment or in partnership with LIC Entertainment.

It's The Allusionist podcast's tenth birthday! Celebrate with host Helen Zaltzman and house band Martin Austwick at a special performance of the new live show, Souvenirs, about friendship breakups, fonts, and the history of ass. Because it's a birthday party, BYO party hat. 

The Allusionist is a podcast about language: how and why we humans use it the ways we do, the funny and frustrating ways it shapes our words, thoughts, and lives - and how, just when we think we can tame it and ride it around, like a rodeo beast, it throws us defiantly into the sawdust.

Called “one of the funniest and most educational podcasts around” by The Guardian and “linguistically zesty“ by The New Yorker, The Allusionist has previously made hit stage shows about speed-typing champions, protest cakes and the history of the word ‘Ms’. Now celebrating its tenth year, the Allusionist presents a brand live show, Souvenirs, telling the story of a friendship torn apart by… a font. A font? Look, font-related emotions can get VERY heated.

“The Allusionist, a podcast about the English language, is an absolute delight. Host Helen Zaltzman is prone to going down fascinating etymological wormholes, uncovering the history behind certain turns of phrase.” - Refinery29

“Helen Zaltzman is a podcast pioneer... It’s a podcast about words, but don’t expect a dry lecture on etymology: instead, our host uses all the irreverence and creativity at her disposal to make her linguistic forays into subjects such as planet-naming, food branding and the name Tiffany as fascinating as possible.” - The Guardian

Sunday, January 12
Doors 1:00 PM | Event 2:00 PM *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $25 + s/c
Students (with ID) & Kids (15 under) $18 + s/c
Group of 4 (online only) $20 each + s/c

Early bird tickets just $20 + s/c - Available until Dec 15!

*Kids aged 10+ are welcome, but the show does contain some Strong Language (in an educational context!) so parental discretion is advised. 

Helen Zaltzman is a multiple award-winning podcast host and producer. Her linguistics podcast The Allusionist has won multiple awards and the live theatrical spin-off has appeared on stages around the world. Answer Me This, the comedy show she co-founded with Olly Mann in 2007, was one of Britain's most beloved and successful independent podcasts, running for 400 episodes and nearly 15 years. In her podcast Veronica Mars Investigations with Jenny Owen Youngs, she recapped the entirety of the TV show Veronica Mars, plus two versions of Pride and Prejudice. She has appeared regularly on Radios 2, 4 and 5 Live, as well as on podcasts including The Bugle, Bullseye, Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, 99% Invisible, The Sporkful, Ologies, The Infinite Monkey Cage, No Such Thing as a Fish, Buffering the Vampire Slayer, and many more. She has co-written two toilet books which have almost certainly been pulped by now.

Martin Austwick is a podcaster, musician and singer-songwriter, and has released albums as Pale Bird. He has performed music live for Answer Me This!, The Allusionist, 99% Invisible, The Bugle, and Radiotopia Live, and has created music for literally tons of podcasts. He also co-created the podcasts Neutrinowatch and Song by Song.

Allusionist Socials:
Website: theallusionist.org
Facebook: facebook.com/AllusionistShow/
Twitter: twitter.com/AllusionistShow
Instagram: instagram.com/Allusionistshow
YouTube: youtube.com/allusionistshow 

One of the UK’s biggest stand-ups brings his arena-filling Hustle tour to North America -with a stop at the Rio Theatre on Monday, January 20!

Romesh is the star of his worldwide Netflix stand-up special Romesh Ranganathan: The Cynic, as well as a string of UK television hits, including BBC’s Asian Provocateur, BBC’s The Ranganathan, Sky’s A League Of Their Own and BBC’s Avoidance. He fronted the Showtime show Just Another Immigrant in 2018, documenting his attempts to sell out a show at LA’s famous Greek Theatre; and has appeared twice on the Late Late Show.

Presented by Show And Tell with Off The Kerb

Monday, January 20
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony (General Admission) $50+ s/c

Main Floor (Assigned) $60+ s/c

VIP (Rows A-F, Centre Section) $70+ s/c

All tickets on sale September 6 at 9:00 am PST

Connect with Romesh:
www.romeshranganathan.com
www.instagram.com/romeshranga/
https://www.tiktok.com/@romeshranga

One of the UK’s biggest stand-ups brings his arena-filling Hustle tour to North America -with a stop at the Rio Theatre on Monday, January 20!

Romesh is the star of his worldwide Netflix stand-up special Romesh Ranganathan: The Cynic, as well as a string of UK television hits, including BBC’s Asian Provocateur, BBC’s The Ranganathan, Sky’s A League Of Their Own and BBC’s Avoidance. He fronted the Showtime show Just Another Immigrant in 2018, documenting his attempts to sell out a show at LA’s famous Greek Theatre; and has appeared twice on the Late Late Show.

Presented by Show And Tell with Off The Kerb

Monday, January 20
Doors 9:00 pm | Show 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony (General Admission) $50+ s/c
Main Floor (Assigned) $60+ s/c
VIP (Rows A-F, Centre Section) $70+ s/c

Connect with Romesh:
www.romeshranganathan.com
www.instagram.com/romeshranga/
https://www.tiktok.com/@romeshranga

Come enjoy an evening at the Rio Theatre with The Allmost Brothers, Canada’s premier Allman Brothers Tribute. Formed in 2017, Allmost Brothers emerged as a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Allman Brothers Band in the wake of the passing of founding members Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman. What began as a one-time performance has blossomed into one of Canada’s most electrifying tribute acts, captivating audiences with their soulful renditions of classic Southern rock.

Sunday, January 26 TWO sets!
Doors 7:00 pm | Event 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Advance tickets $25+ s/c | $30+ s/c at the door

Drawing inspiration from the Allman Brothers' extensive catalog, Allmost Brothers seamlessly weave together fan favorites such as "Ramblin' Man," "Jessica," "One Way Out," and "Whipping Post." Their performances are characterized by infectious energy and passion, creating an immersive experience that resonates with music lovers of all ages. While rooted in the Allman Brothers' legacy, the band also pays homage to influential acts like Derek and the Dominos, Tedeschi Trucks, and Gov't Mule, enriching their repertoire with a diverse selection of iconic songs.

Allmost Brothers pride themselves on their ability to connect with audiences, transcending the label of a typical tribute band. Their performances often include original compositions and playful teases of classic tracks from other legendary musicians, ensuring that each show is a unique celebration of Southern rock's rich heritage. As they continue to perform at festivals and venues across the
region, Allmost Brothers remain dedicated to honoring the spirit of the Allman Brothers Band while carving out their own identity in the music scene. Whether you're a lifelong fan or new to the genre, experiencing Allmost Brothers live guarantees an unforgettable journey through the sounds that defined a generation.

Show And Tell present
SARAH KEYWORTH: MY EYES ARE UP HERE

UK stand-up star Sarah Keyworth makes their North American tour debut, bringing their smash-hit show to the Rio Theatre on March 18.

"My Eyes Are Up Here" is one of the most talked about stand-up shows of the last year, racking up a string of awards and selling out theaters all across their native UK, and Australia.

Tuesday, March 18
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony (GA) $40+ s/c
Main Floor (Assigned) $50+ s/c
VIP (Rows A-E, centre section) $60+ s/c

‘Achingly funny’- The Herald ★★★★★

‘Gales of laughter’ – The Guardian ★★★★

‘Utterly engaging’ The Telegraph ★★★★

Sarah has appeared on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats, ITV's The Stand Up Sketch Show and Comedy Central's Roast Battle. Their BBC Radio 4 show Are You A Boy or A Girl is available to stream on BBC Sounds and their Prime Special Dark Horse is streaming on Prime TV.

Winner of the Most Outstanding Show at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024, the International New Faces of Comedy at Just For Laughs Festival 2023.

Guest star on Off Menu and The Guilty Feminist podcasts.

You’ve watched his clips on Instagram, you’ve shared his standup with your friends and family on TikTok, now it’s time to see Jarlath Regan’s funny bits live - and in person. The brand new standup show from the man behind some of the most hilarious viral standup comedy clips is finally here! After selling out every single seat on his “Yer Man” tour in 2024, Jarlath is on the road again and travelling around the world with a completely fresh, never before seen standup comedy show guaranteed to have you “In Bits”.

Friday, April 11
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets $42+ s/c

Artist Pre-Sale - Thursday, September 12 10:00 am
General On Sale - Friday, September 13 10:00 am

“The jewel in the Irish comedy crown.” (The Examiner)

“Universally enjoyable – 90 minutes of jaw-achingly funny anecdotes which spanned every topic
imaginable.” (The Post)

“A subtle yet sublime helping of observational wit” (The Herald ★★★★★)

“Downright hilarious…comedy genius” (The Irish Times ★★★★)

“Had the audience shaking so violently with laughter they probably could have charged their phones” (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine)

“Regan is an expert storyteller and this is a beautifully constructed show that I could have happily
listened to for twice its length.” (★★★★ The Arts Desk)