Get Out » Grand Cinema

‘Chasing Ice’ comes to the Grand with special events

Craig Sailor — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:30:00 +0000

“Chasing Ice” – the documentary about global warming – is getting near universal great reviews. (Ours runs Friday in GO). National Geographic photographer James Balog set up time lapse cameras over a period of years to capture astounding images of glaciers melting before the cameras’ unblinking eyes.

The film is coming to the Grand Cinema on Friday and the theater has a couple of events lined up in conjunction with the screenings.

First, after the 6:35 p.m. Friday screening Point Defiance Zoo staff will be lead a discussion. John Garner, Curator of Education; Neil Allen, Curator of Aquatics; …

Oscar shows his shorts at Grand Cinema this week

Craig Sailor — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:31:24 +0000

UPDATE: The Grand tells me they are going to show the Nominated Animated Shorts once per day for the entire upcoming three-day President’s Day weekend. (11:50 a.m. Saturday-Monday)

The Grand Cinema is a third of the way through screening all of this year’s Oscar-nominated shorts.

(The animated shorts were shown last week. A bout of pneumonia interrupted my journalism. Apologies.)

You can still catch live action shorts on Tuesday and Documentary shorts on Feb. 19. Here’s the schedule:

Tuesday, Feb. 12, Showtimes: 2:20 and 6:30 p.m.
Academy Award Nominated …

Demented Santa makes his annual visit to the Grand

Craig Sailor — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:39:58 +0000

The Grand Cinema’s annual Christmas tradition, “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale,” returns to the Tacoma theater again starting Friday.

There’s no Rudolph or Whoville in this R rated film about a dig in Finland that surreptitiously unearths a long-buried Santa Claus. But Santa’s not the benevolent soul he’s made out to be and soon children start disappearing. A boy and his father capture Santa, hoping to sell him back to the corporation that sponsored the dig. But Santa’s evil elves have other ideas.

The film will run Friday through Thursday, December 20 with showings at 7:15 p.m. and …

Tacoman’s epic kayak journey down the Congo to screen at Grand Cinema

Craig Sailor — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:28:52 +0000

Steve Fisher was born in South Africa and lives in Tacoma but it’s the mighty Congo River that takes him to the Grand Cinema on Thursday.

“Congo: The Grand Inga Project” documents Fisher’s kayak expedition down the African river – the first ever.

Fisher, who will introduce the film, says the movie appeals to a wider audience than just paddling fans. It focuses on the history and details of the first decent of the world’s biggest rapids.

This is no shabby hand-held production. Footage was shot from helicopters and cameras mounted on helmets and on the kayaks themselves. …

‘Sister’ director is a rising star in indie film

Craig Sailor — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:22:34 +0000

Seattle film director Lynn Shelton’s career has ascended along the same trajectory as Seattle’s indie film scene. Each film she makes climbs one rung higher in critical acclaim and distribution.

Shelton’s just-released film, “Your Sister’s Sister,” opens Friday at Tacoma’s Grand Cinema, and just finished its run at Olympia Film Society’s Capitol Theater. The film – shot entirely on an undisclosed San Juan island and in Burien over two weeks – has been getting widespread praise, from Sundance Film Festival to The New York Times.

“Your Sister’s Sister” follows an aimless man (Mark Duplass) as he tries …

Grand Cinema to host Oscar party in Tacoma

Craig Sailor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:02:22 +0000

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 …

Come meet demented Santa today

Craig Sailor — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:35:58 +0000

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.

‘Rare Exports’ is new Christmas tradition at Grand Cinema

Craig Sailor — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:36:04 +0000

“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 …