Vancouver rarely plays herself
Vancouver rarely plays herself
What locations near you have been used in a movie? For our FilmFile interactive project we've mapped locations across Vancouver where films have been shot, mostly since 2006. Want to add your own? Tell us here.
Scanning our big list of films shot in Vancouver (and they're only a fraction) on our FilmFile map, a pattern swiftly starts to emerge: 2012, Fantastic Four, Man of Steel, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (MI-4), Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The A-Team, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Twilight Saga, Underworld: Evolution, and The X-Men: The Last Stand.
That's simply a few blockbusters shot in Vancouver, all of which claim the ignominious distinction that none are actually set in the city. Take, for instance this shot from the set of the second Fantastic Four film:

Those yellow taxis? Those NYC banners? Dorothy is certainly no longer in Kansas.
And while Vancouver may not be the most glamourous or cosmopolitan setting for a big-ticket film heavyweight, perhaps it's possible that one day our "Best Place in the World to Live" label will land us some in-situ billing. I'm thinking a movie that's actually set here, like Hard Core Logo:
However, while our city's block-letter-billing tries to get a handhold, here are my top five films that were filmed in Vancouver but are pretending to be someplace else.
#1: X-Men
UBC Quad? Leafy B.C. foliage and twisty roads? Shirtless Hugh Jackman? Need I say more?
#2: Twilight
Stalking the Twilight set was a cottage industry for awhile here in town. That is, not counting that time I stumbled across one of their shoots in Lynn Headwaters park.
#3: Happy Gilmore
That scene where Bob Barker repeatedly punches Adam Sandler in the face? Priceless. This scene was shot up the Sea-to-Sky at the Furry Creek Golf and Country Club.
#4: Juno
Despite being a piece of uber-Canadiana, this film has Vancouver standing in for Minneapolis. But look closely and you'll see parks, and houses, that you walk past every day.
#5: Last, but certainly not least: Marley & Me: THE PUPPY YEARS!
Three words: Straight to DVD.
Did I miss any good ones? Comment below and I'll add them to the mix!







