Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers; Elsa and friends in Frozen II and cops and robbers mayhem inside 21 Bridges

Chadwick Boseman (who has been Black Panther and before that Jackie Robinson and even a Supreme Court Justice) is a hot-head New York cop known for killing cop killers. There’s history to explain why, but not really justify. When eight cops die in responding to a robbery he’s called on to shut down all the bridges into Manhattan and get the killers. They happen to be a mixed pair. One is played by Kelowna-born, Vancouver-raised Taylor Kitsch (much of the time behind a mask). His partner, played by Stephan James, is black and therefore the subject of more half-baked storytelling about racial disadvantages. Most unclear is the heist itself. There’s ten times the cocaine they expected; the police show up before there’s even an alarm and what’s going on remains obscure. J.T. Simmons is around to complain about bureaucracy as if that’s the problem. The shooting battles work though. (Scotiabank and a few suburban theatres) 2 out of 5

RECORDER: THE MARION STOKES PROJECT: Here’s a delight for collectors and hoarders because Stokes was both. She recorded obsessively from her TV; over 70,000 VHS tapes over 30 years, and the film gives us a terrific sampling. The Challenger Explodes, planes hit the World Trade Centre, Iran takes hostages, Star Trek airs what she considered a form of “televised socialism,” Sinead O'Connor rips up the Pope’s picture. And isn’t that a young Kellyanne Conway, (named Fitzpatrick at the time) in one scene? Bush, Jesse Jackson, Ted Turner, Steve Jobs, Jeff Sessions (called Jeffrey in 1986) and many more are here. This montage gives a hint of the range.

Stokes was a Communist but rich, because she recognized early on that Apple was a good investment. She started a public access TV discussion group, joined the Fair Play for Cuba Committee (but wasn’t allowed to travel there) and at home had several video recorders rolling all day and all night.  She also saved newspapers and books. After she died seven years ago, her tapes were donated to a university for cataloging. She hoped to “transcend time” somebody says. There are fascinating glimpses in this film. (VanCity Theatre) 3 ½ out of 5

EUROPEAN UNION FILM FESTIVAL: I always find a few gems that haven’t been here before and may not come again so this annual event  at the Cinemathque is something of a highlight for me. This is the 22^nd annual festival and has films from 25 EU countries. They include big local hits, award winners and current and past submissions to the Academy Awards. Best of all, since they were apparently chosen through their embassies and consulates, they reflect specific national tastes and pride of achievement.

I’ve seen three, including two with a veteran actor in German language films, Bruno Ganz. He’s best known to us for playing Hitler in the film Downfall  but that’s just part of a long filmography stretching over 50 years. He died earlier earlier this year. The festival has him in films from both Germany and Austria.

In THE TOBACCONIST he’s playing Sigmund Freud, a regular customer at a smoke shop in Vienna where he offers relationship advice to a love-struck young man just arrived from the countryside. It’s a romantic comedy based on a popular novel but also deftly balances in the political: the rise of Naziism, the annexation of Austria and the growing incidents of anti-Semitism. It’s a charming film with considerable bite. (3 out of 5)

Germany’s submission, IN TIMES OF FADING LIGHT, has Ganz as a still-loyal believer in the Communist system in East Germany that is clearly eroding. His 90^th birthday party brings together various half-hearted well-wishers and serious questions like “Is there still a plan for the world?” His own grandson has just run off to the west. The dialogue is sharp about facing reality. (3 ½ out of 5)

Malta’s entry, THE WEEPING HOUSE OF QALA, is quite different. It’s a haunted house creeper set on the tourist island of Gozo. A film crew spends a night in a house where a family disappeared years earlier and noises are heard at the same time everyday. Lights flicker, doors clank, footsteps are heard, a top spins, people go missing in dark rooms in this easygoing  and satisfying thriller.  (2 ½ out of 5)

There’s information on all the titles at https://thecinematheque.ca/