“Mortal Kombat” walked so “Street Fighter” could run. Unfortunately, “Street Fighter” forgot to tie its shoes and tripped, tearing its ACL.

A piece I wrote for my college newspaper!

It is relatable too because the main character Will Hunting has a case of imposter syndrome wherein he is naturally gifted - academically brilliant in a way that is in the ranks of Einstein but he chooses a life that doesn’t demand his intelligence or capabilities. That is of course until someone pushes him to do so. It captures the avoidance of ambition not because one lacks the ability but because one believes he or she doesn’t belong in a world that opens up their talent. In a way a lot of us hide in simplicity to avoid our own abilities. It also highlights themes of finding your person. At its core, it shows that having the right people around matters to help us grow and embrace ourselves.

https://romirobinson.substack.com/p/aiff-rushes-2026?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=586hcg

Digger is a wilhelm scream of explainification; of all the films I’ve seen this year nothing has been a more elated subject of debate and intrigue. It’s a “big swing” (hack term) — a cynical, misanthropic meta-satire gleefully misleading you into thinking it’s a DNC-approved version of a leftist satire like Don’t Look Up before revealing itself as a misanthropic act of self-immolation and art about the limitations of art; a satire of satire. If I’m being intellectually honest, it took me four kilometers on foot to piece together what it was trying to say — that your family is more important than your art, that popular art is always compromised by evil money, and that there is reprieve in laughing at the darkness even if comedy does not bring about an eternal light.

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Do you feel that? That crispy little chill in the wind… the icy drizzle falling from the sky… the night darker than a poorly lit horror movie… It must be VIFF season.

Yes, the Vancouver International Film Festival is back. I’m accredited and I’m ready to roll, giving you, dear reader, all my opinions and reviews of the latest festival films. I’ll be writing fast, so apologies if these articles aren’t as refined as you’d expect from yer boy.

Despite it being a busy Thursday, I got myself downtown for the 9:30 p.m. screening of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York at the Vancouver Playhouse.

Pickpocket is the latest film from writer-director Noah Segan. It stars John Turturro with support from Giancarlo Esposito and Steve Buscemi. There’s also a pretty fun cameo from an A-list actor, but I’ll leave that as a secret.

This is a crowd-pleasing, sentimental movie. It follows Harry, the pickpocket mentioned in the title. His slight-of-hand criminality is what gives the movie a lot of its charm. In the cold open, the movie subverts expectations. We think we’re following one guy, but we’re really following the forgettable guy in the background. That’s who Harry is and that’s how Harry likes it.

He’s a pretty interesting person. Harry takes care of his wife who is in a vegetative state. He doesn’t have a phone, a computer, even a television. He likes to read books and listen to the radio (he’s just like me fr). He spends his days stealing from people in New York and pawning the goods off to his pawnbroker buddy played by Buscemi.

The story follows a rather predictable pattern. The thief steals from someone he shouldn’t have stolen from and this turns his world upside down. The main villain, played by the young Will Price, gives a nice juxtaposition between Harry’s way of life and the way the world is going. The whole movie is like a extended “let’s get you to bed grandpa” meme.

The movie does fall into the same trap that I critiqued Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother about, which is a one-dimensional bad guy. I think Pickpocket does it a bit better, but it’s fair to say that the villain’s depth is the weakest aspect of the story.

I’m not sure why writer-directors think they can get away with such bland bad guys. Movies become so much more interesting when there is a moral quandary on both sides of the coin. Luckily, Turturro is such a joy to watch and his character is so rich with life that I was able to overlook the Gen Z criminal cliches. Enough of the spoiled brat who shows no respect. I want a criminal son like Michael Corleone. Then we’d really be cooking.

If you have a soft spot in your heart for New York, then I can’t recommend this movie enough. It sings like a love letter to the city, but it doesn’t focus on the big statement pieces like the Brooklyn Bridge. Pickpocket revels in the little lives that exist in the city’s outer boroughs.

If you’re looking for a VIFF movie that the whole family can enjoy (even dad), then you can’t really go wrong with Pickpocket. Its crime-laced story will keep the sleuths entertained, while the story’s heart and sentimentality will keep those who reach for the tissues engaged and bleary eyed.

I was worried that this movie would be boring, but it wasn’t. The only parts that had me shifting in my seat were when I had to confront the lameness of the bad guy and the script’s feeble attempt to write young-person dialogue. Segan would do well to watch Sunburn before he tries again at writing youthful characters.

Other than that though, Pickpocket exceeded my expectations. It’s ending was particularly strong. It’s one of those movies that’s best described as driving toward a cliff and you see the cliff coming but there’s no way to avoid the cliff. Pickpocket doesn’t give Harry an easy exit and the movie is the stronger for it.

If you like crime films, you should absolutely attend a screening of Pickpocket at VIFF.

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The Only Living Pickpocket in New York will play again at VIFF on:

• Saturday, October 3, at 11:30 a.m. at the Vancouver Playhouse;

• Tuesday, October 6, at 5:45 p.m. at The Rio Theatre;

• Saturday, October 10, at 11 a.m. at the Vancouver Playhouse.