The Grand Illusion

Set in an otherworldly human existence, scientist Sterling Pierce dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum named "Divinity." His son, Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff), now controls and manufactures his father's once-benevolent dream. Society on this barren planet has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug, whose true origins are shrouded in secrecy. Two mysterious brothers arrive with a plan to abduct the mogul, and with the help of a seductive woman named Nikita, they will be set on a path hurtling toward true immortality.

“Shot in raw black and white 16mm, Divinity is a unique visual spectacle that subverts the sleek, macho sci-fi action of ‘90s Albert Pyun with a strong dose of gender politics and an experimental, industrial sensibility. Punctuated by a pulsating soundtrack from DJ Muggs [along with frequent David Lynch collaborator, Dean Hurley], and executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, Divinity is a wildly ambitious, lo-fi post-apocalyptic satire.” Lori Donnelly, Fantastic Fest

Part of our 16mm Centennial Celebration Series!

“Eraserhead meets Frankenstein by way of a perfume ad… the kind of movie that would be projected on the wall at the coolest nightclub where the meanest kids in town go.” Dais Johnston, Inverse

This cinema’s 53rd consecutive engagement on 35mm film! (But please know that a few showings may be digitally projected due to staffing). Playing through December 28th!

Showtimes for Christmas Day will be posted soon, pending staff availability.

“It’s a great — really great — film, so densely well made that to watch any three minutes is to realize how paltry the vast majority of movies are by comparison.” Richard T. Jameson

“The epiphany of movie sentiment and a transcendent experience.” Dave Kehr

**ADVANCE TICKETS RECOMMENDED**

The Monday, 12/11, screening is pay-what-you-can.

On Wednesday, 12/20, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration in memory of writer Jim Caple. In October 2023, we lost a wonderful man, a brilliant sportswriter, and a dedicated cinephile in Jim Caple. Dating back to the early 1980s, friends and family describe being introduced to It’s A Wonderful Life, one of Jim’s favorite films, when, first as a UW student, later as a world traveler, he would bring folks to the Grand Illusion for a holiday viewing. In Jim’s memory a portion of the proceeds from this screening will be donated to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, an organization, as described by Jim’s wife Vicki Shuman, that provided support and information about Jim’s diagnosis and help for both of them to navigate the day-to-day.

Please note: As of this time, all screenings listed so far will be on 35mm except the following, which will be projected digitally and will still look fabulous!

• Saturday, December 16 3:00 PM

After saving her town from a psychotic killer, Winnie Carruthers' life is less than wonderful. When she wishes she'd never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe where without her, things could be much, much worse.

“An unabashedly Queer delight… This grisly gift was a pleasure to unwrap, a ruby red love letter to both the holiday season and a high-concept horror chestnut that spans multiple generations. I couldn’t have asked Santa for more.” Sara Michelle Fetters, Seattle Gay News

“It’s A Wonderful Knife has plenty of attributes—charm, blood, and angst—that should fit right in at any family holiday gathering.” Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com

70TH ANNIVERSARY! And the centenary of Gloria Grahame's birth... just a week and a half removed from her 100th birthday!

A dark masterpiece of film noir, pantheon director Fritz Lang's excoriating THE BIG HEAT takes an unflinching look at the endemic corruption of small-town America, pitting a tough cop (Glenn Ford) against the forces of evil represented by a syndicate boss (Alexander Scourby) and his all-too-obedient flunkies within the police force. Gloria Grahame co-stars, indelibly, as a gangster's moll with a decent heart, exploited by both good guys and bad; and Lee Marvin makes a terrifying early appearance as a thug whose sharp clothes and fancy apartment do little to conceal his animalistic nature. It's a wonderful noir!

“The film is drum-tight, directed with muscular clarity and force.” Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“A definitive film noir… it’s designed in light and shadows, and its underworld atmosphere glistens with the possibilities of sadism…” Pauline Kael

“The film is as deceptive and two-faced as anything Lang ever made, with its sunny domestic tranquility precariously separated from a world of violence… That’s the beauty of Lang’s moral ambidexterity. He tells the story of a heroic cop, while using it to mask another story, so much darker, beneath.” Roger Ebert

The new film from independent filmmaker Neil Breen, director of FATEFUL FINDINGS and TWISTED PAIR!

Neil Breen stars as an identical twin brother who restores an old mysterious mental asylum. He takes it upon himself to mystically train the patients as warriors for humanity and justice.

Final showing added!

In accordance with our agreement with Mr. Breen, and in support of a true indie filmmaker, we are unable to offer member pricing or discounts for these screenings.

“Neil Breen’s movies… [are] undeniably his, and you won’t see anything else like them.” Gena Radcliffe, The Spool

“The movie is a miracle.” Tyler Hummel, Geeks Under Grace

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

“An entertaining blast of fresh air that just happens to include a fine spray of blood.” Tasha Robinson, The Verge

“This multigenre hybrid has more than enough good cheer to get viewers through another holiday season on this troubled planet.” Pat Padua, The Washington Post