The Grand Cinema is once again hosting an Academy Awards Party. This year’s is on February 26 (the night of the Oscars, naturally.)

Tickets are on sale now and are $25 general admission or $20 for Grand Cinema members.

The event is not at the non-profit movie theater but instead at Theater on the Square where attendees will watch the Oscars on a movie screen. Included in the ticket price is a box lunch made by Maxwell’s Restaurant.

Doors open at 4 p.m. with a red carpet event “Tacoma-style” (I’m not sure what that means) followed …

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Last week I told you about the new holiday tradition at the Grand Cinema: the showing of the Finnish film “Rare Exports.” The film is centered around a demented and evil Santa.

Today at the 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. showings, the Grand will have a demented Santa on hand at the screenings. Bring your camera and he’ll pose with you for photos – I can’t promise he’ll be happy about it, though. He is evil after all.

“Miracle on 34th Street” this isn’t.

“Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” proved to be a hit last year when the Grand Cinema showed it and now the theater wants to make it a Christmas tradition, Grand director Philip Cowan tells me. (By the way, I predicted this in a story I wrote last year on the movie…just sayin’.)

The movie is a dark fairy tale from Finland. Deep in the Korvatunturi mountains lives a sinister Santa – a guy who chews off ears and kidnaps innocent children. An American (of course) drilling team digs him up and wants …

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