Quite often I grab my phone while watching a television show or movie, in awe of landscapes. “Where was […] filmed?” would be my Google search. And then the result would be: British Columbia, Canada. Ha! With so many great productions filmed in British Columbia, #hollywoodnorth is a recurring category in which I share my fave shows and movies shot in B.C. Today: two movies and six actors that may ring a bell: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner, Ryan Ruffalo, and Zoe Saldana.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Originally a 2008 novel by Garth Stein, the film adaptation of The Art of Racing in the Rain was a must-see for me because it combined three perfect ingredients: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, and a Golden Retriever named Enzo (Kevin Costner). Enzo narrates this film, telling us all about his adventures and life lessons as the best friend of his race car driving master Denny. It’s an emotional drama movie that will make you laugh and cry and love dogs more than you already do. The original movie description reads:
Shot in Canada, the US, and Italy, the movie started its filming process in Vancouver and surrounding areas. Denny meets his future wife Eve grocery shopping in Port Coquitlam (30 minute drive from Vancouver) and trains on the race track in Mission (1 hour drive from Vancouver) at the Mission Raceway Park. Closer by, Eve takes a hike in Princess Park in North Vancouver. It’s an important scene that they filmed there – a worrisome turning point in the movie concerning Eve’s health. Milo Ventimiglia was also spotted filming in Coal Harbour in the city of Vancouver – you see a glimpse of it as he takes Enzo for a run. Watch it on Disney+ or rent it on Amazon Prime and remember to have a box of tissues within reach.
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The Adam Project
Next in today’s #hollywoodnorth post is the 2022 action sci-fi comedy in which young actor Walker Scobell stars alongside Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and – one of my favourites – Zoe Zaldana. In this time travel story, fighter pilot Adam from the year 2050 accidentally ends up in 2022 with a stolen jet and runs into his younger self. They work together to save the future, but not without some hilarious witty and snarky conversations and some heartwarming moments for both older and younger Adam. Enjoyed this movie a lot – lovely action film to watch with the fam!
Ryan Reynolds is a proud Vancouverite, so it must have been nice for him to be shooting this film in his home town! Locations include the Blarney Stone Irish Pub and the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. This latter location was used for the woods around Adam’s house and definitely a place I would like to explore. With over 65 km of hiking trails that I can get to in just a 30 minute drive from the city of Vancouver, I can’t not go and have a look on the weekends!
Another filming location was the Chemistry Building on the University of British Columbia campus. I happen to know this building as it was part of the campus tour I got back in March when I was there for work. That’s one filming location I can tick off my list already!
And finally, I am also particularly interested to see Alouette Lake (image below) – apparently a much loved campground. From the photos I can see why…
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With just 2,5 weeks until my flight to Canada, I look forward to visiting some of these places and shoot my own photos of all those beautiful spots… See you next time with two more movies or shows shot in and around Vancouver!
