January 27 - February 2

Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts

Dir: Patrick Meaney
2011, Japan / Color / 90min. / Video

Captured Ghosts is the story of Warren Ellis, one of comicdom's most revered writers, best known for such comic titles as Transmetropolitan, The Authority and RED. Through extensive interviews, Ellis's acerbic wit and core belief in humanity comes across like never before. Complimenting Ellis's own words are interviews with his artistic collaborators, friends and admirers from across all media, including Helen Mirren, Joss Whedon, comedian Patton Oswalt and many others. Ellis's comics collaborators like artists Darick Roberts (Transmetropolitan), Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), Phil Jiminez ("The Invisibles") also provide insight into his mind and creative workings. From the director of Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods.

January 27 - February 2

Drive

Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
2011, USA / Color / 100min. / 35mm

Winner of Best Director at Cannes Film Festival, Nicolas Winding Refn's (Pusher Trilogy, Valhalla Rising) Drive is one of the best films of 2011. It's art house noir that was stuck in multiplexes, so the Grand Illusion decided to give it a proper home for a week. Ryan Gosling is Driver, a Los Angeles wheelman for hire, stunt driving for movie productions by day and steering getaway vehicles for armed heists by night. He falls for his beautiful neighbor (Carey Mulligan), but when her convict husband returns home, things go bad and Driver winds up with a bag of cash belonging to a deadly crime family (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman). When Driver realizes the gangsters are going after the woman he loves he stops at nothing to protect her.

"Here is a movie with respect for writing, acting and craft. It has respect for knowledgable moviegoers." - Roger Ebert

"...provides the visceral pleasures of pulp without sacrificing art." - Washington Post

January 29 added showtimes

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos

Dir: Kazuya Murata
2011, Japan / Color / 110min. / Blu-ray

When a dangerous criminal alchemist breaks out of prison in Central City, brothers Edward and Alphonse follow his trail to Table City in the western region of their home country Amaestris. Table City is a unique border town surrounded by slum-filled Milos Valley, and the neighboring country of Creta. But what the brothers find is a deeply embattled city, forged in blood and border disputes. When Ed and Al tumble deep into the valley and befriend a local rebel named Julia, they discover that nothing is what it seems, and that Table City harbors secrets darker than they ever imagined!

27 & 28 - Late Night

A Lonely Place to Die

Dir: Julian Gilby
2011, UK / Color / 99min / Blu-ray

A Lonely Place to Die is a remarkably well made, tense and atmospheric thriller with a plot as twisting and unpredictable as the mountainous terrain in which it is set. A group of climbers make a grim discovery high up in the mountains: an eight year old girl amongst the peaks...buried alive! Terrified, dehydrated and unable to speak a word of English, she is the victim of an elaborate kidnapping plot. Alison, the group leader, puts it upon her party to rescue the little girl. But more dangerous than the terrain, more dangerous than the kidnappers is the girl's war criminal father. Alison and her party soon find themselves in a fight for their lives while trying to do the right thing and bring the girl down to safety. Winner of Audience Awards for best action film, cinematography and most thrilling film at the 2011 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

"Real edge of your seat excitement." - BBC Radio

"Hits like a bullet between the eyes." - TOTAL FILM

January 7 - March 24

Sci-fi Saturday Secret Matinee

Dir: Various directors
Various years / B&W and Color / 120 min. / 16mm

Good old-fashioned Saturday matinees return again to the Grand Illusion! Each week you'll see a cliffhanger episode of the original Buck Rogers serial from 1939 (12 episodes, complete), paired with a secret sci-fi feature—favorites, rarities, and cult classics from 1919-1974. Plus! A special Leap Year Time Travel Show, with mind- bending shorts and a chronosynclastic featurette!

January: SPACE MADNESS! Aliens and high strangeness...
February: STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES! Retrofuturist worlds of wonder...
March: BEASTS FROM BEYOND! Strange creatures and monsters...

Monthly pass:
$24 general / $15 members $18 seniors, students, children

Series pass:
$56 general / $35 members $42 seniors, students, children