After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Volkmar Richter

Volkmar Richter reviews new movies opening in Vancouver on Fridays.

Disney wildlife times two, a blast at American politics and a traumatic teen drama

Also a couple of small but amiable comedies, one of them Canadian
Volkmar RichterApr 2nd, 2020

More streaming ideas take you to Brazil, low-life China and two Jesse Eisenberg films

As well as a cleverly-plotted trip to Barcelona thanks to Netflix
Volkmar RichterMar 27th, 2020

Movie theatres are shut down, so what’s streaming?

Some modest recommendations and stay for the last one, an alarm about what has happened to the internet.
Volkmar RichterMar 19th, 2020

Three women lead off a long line-up of new movies in town

Note also new ones from Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Annette Bening with Bill Nighy, a forgotten Canadian tragedy and China’s rush to tear down some of its heritage
Volkmar RichterMar 13th, 2020

Pixar’s new one, Onward, new laughs from Greed and a new Emma from Jane Austen

And much more: Ben Affleck back from the bar, Ken Loach slams the gig economy, a tri-nation scarefest and a pair of enigmatic art films
Volkmar RichterMar 6th, 2020

Ordinary Love, superb, three superior Canadian films and two imports you can do without

Also a TV show most of us have never heard of spins off a surprise hit
Volkmar RichterFeb 27th, 2020

The Call of the Wild re-made again, a festival of strong documentaries and a boy’s space adventure in Terra Willy

Canada’s Screen Awards got their nominations out, and right, this week. One of the top nominees is a drama that shows a real slice of life here in Vancouver. The Body Remembers When the World Broke...
Volkmar RichterFeb 21st, 2020

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, superb, The Assistant, too restrained, Sonic the Hedgehog, fun times

Also Downhill, a weak re-make of a Swedish triumph, and a look-ahead to a documentary festival
Volkmar RichterFeb 14th, 2020

Unruly Harley Quinn, morality by The Traitor and Elijah Wood’s psychic adventure in Tofino

Also two queer films and dancing to fight colonialism as part of Black History Month
Volkmar RichterFeb 6th, 2020

Mostly Oscar contenders this week: including Corpus Christi and three classes of short films

Thank heaven for the Oscars. Three new films this week weren’t available to preview but a batch of Academy Award nominees were. Including all the shorts. They’re showing at the Van City Theatre and...
Volkmar RichterJan 31st, 2020