The Grand Illusion Cinema

I can’t believe this place is run just through volunteer effort. Initially I was super annoyed that even though I called before coming no one mentioned they wouldn’t let me in earlier than 30 minutes before a showing and they were only check and cash. If you make it seem like the show might sell out and I need to be early, let me know I can’t come earlier than 30 min before the show and OF COURSE mention the totally obscure and old school cash/​check only rule.
That aside, the seats are stadium, they have a little bit of concessions (café must be closed Sunday) and staff was nice.
I saw the Peelander-​Z documentary «Mad Tiger» here, and it was just the perfect venue. Small, not many other patrons, great sound and picture quality. Price is amazing ($ 8!). I would come back for sure.

Fantastic art house movie theater just off the University Ave. Now for all you lovers of small intimate theaters you’ve hit the jack pot. Completely run by volunteers this theater is for movie fans that crave art movies. Judging by the previews, lots of euro productions with sub titles coming soon so bring your glasses. As for the theater it holds maybe 30 people and has a screen like a huge big screen tv so don’t expect your Cineplex mega screen. If you grab a few friends it would be like watching a movie in your basement except without beer, but hey they have popcorn. Just watch out for troll guarding it.
Now all this movie going experience happened because I decided to watch the“We Are Twisted «F@@KING» Sister doc that was playing. Had a great experience and would go back in a heart beat.

I love this place. When I eventually move from Seattle I’ll miss it so much. When I used to live in the U-​District I would come here a lot more. I worked on a short film that filmed here once, and I’ve been friends with some of their volunteers in my youngun days. Now it’s mostly a place of special tradition for my husband and I: one of our first dates was watching It’s a Wonderful Life here, and so now we come back every year. They have good snacks at good prices (for a movie theater) and I feel good supporting them.
Also, if you want the love seat in the back, come early and start the line. We’ve had people dodge in front of us to snag it before, it’s the best seat in the house!

Wouldn’t think of giving anything but five big stars to Grand Illusion. It’s been a staple for me for many years and I always associate it with memorable, quality movie experiences. When I lived in the University, Roosevelt and Wallingford Districts I was spoiled with great movie theaters close by and the Grand Illusion was (and is) always a favorite.
If I see lone patrons at a theater I assume it’s quality and I often see more lone patrons here than at other theaters. People are going because they love the movie or theater and are there whether they can find someone to share the great experience with or not. Also, there tends to be less audience talking and chatter. Overall a unique, terrific movie experience.

I must admit, I LOVE this place.
It’s nothing special from the outside but when you get in, OMG!
Old wooden ceilings, plushy seats and sofas in the back for couples, it’s very intimate and romantic and I can’t wait to come back and see some more «off screen» movies here!
Worth every cent you spend, even more as it is based on the work of volunteers!

Not what I had in mind. The place look kind of run down and pretty small. Seats were limited so make sure to buy tickets in advance! Bathroom isn’t the best either so make sure to go before coming here. Make sure to get here early to get a good spot. Screen is pretty small but it does a pretty good job at giving good quality to watch. Overall, I won’t be back unless it’s the only place that’s going to show what I want to watch.

Had a wonderful time during STIFF, Seattle True Independent Film Festival screenings last week at Grand Illusion. They have the sweetest peeps, all staffed by volunteers. Cute lil oldie theater with popcorn, candy and soda, though I would love to see the possibility of adding beer/​wine to the menu. This cozy theater seats a whopping 70 and I would definetly come back to catch some upcoming flicks here. Cheers!

One thing I am so grateful for since moving here was Seattle’s love for film. Colorado just did not take it very seriously. Sure, there was Denver and Boulder which contained the more avid film viewers in the state but no theater named themselves after a classic French film. Or naming their breweries after classic Jules Dassin films. There is just a different depth and understanding of film here.
The Grand Illusion Cinema is named after the Jean Renoir film, Grand Illusion which came out in 1937.
There is a poster of the film in the lobby along with other movie posters displayed as well as movie series that they played here over the years.
The theater is run by volunteers and is a one screen venue. The theater is actually very small and it would not take much to have a movie sold out. This is where this theater seems to depart from many old theaters. The small size.
The lobby also is very small and there is little room to maneuver in if there are more than 30 people interested in any given movie. Personally I am not a much of a fan of the venue because of the small layout.
Despite this I would still go back. The Grand Illusion brings in interesting and unique programming in for both Seattle and the U District neighborhood.
When I was here I went to see a Troma film, Return to Nuke Em High Volume 1. The director that made this film, Lloyd Kaufman was present and signed autographs and took pictures! That was a lot of fun! Even the Toxic Avenger himself made an appearance.
The Grand Illusion is worth going to but more for the programming choices than anything else. That alone will have me returning.

This theatre is magical. So rare, and so charming. You walk up from the street into a space apart in an old house joined to the upstairs of a store. There’s a very cozy espresso and food shop attached with fireplace and comfy seats in the living room of the old house. The theater itself is tiny but oh so charming. I’ve seen the most interesting movies in this magical space. Get away from IT ALL here.

I love this place so much! The first time I came here was to see a showing of one of my all-​time favorite movies, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. It was awesome being able to see it on the big screen.
The staff is always super sweet, and they’re all volunteers which is pretty admirable!
I also came here to see The Paw Project, and The Muslims Are Coming! Both really, really excellent films. I love their wide range of unique showings and ancient, original seating.
It’s a cozy place and I can’t wait to go back. :) I hope it never leaves Seattle!
(FYI: It’s cash or check only!)

I’ve only been here once.
It was really really really cool but really really really hot.
I can’t wait to come in the winter and hopefully enjoy a movie without sweating through my shirt.
Yay non-​profit theater. If you have extra money, you can give them some… they need it.

The Grand Illusion is one of the best jewel-​box theaters in a city that’s crawling with ‘em. I would love the hell out of it even if it wasn’t just a short walk from where I live; it’s a lovely little space, well-​maintained, quiet and intimate, with a good mix of films, comfy seating, and extraordinarily reasonable rates when you consider what their overhead must be. The concession selection isn’t great, but you’re in the middle of the best neighborhood in town for cheap eats, so why quibble? The picture and sound are also terrific, and the crowds are small and knowledgable. The folks running the Grand Illusion are doing the Lord’s work, people; places like this are one of the reasons to live in a city. Become a member if you can.

So I’m not really that into vintage theaters but I like some indie movies and documentaries hence how I ended up here. This place is tiny and hidden! I can appreciate a small local business but a couple things to note:
–Seats aren’t super comfy but I like that the theater is small so you aren’t too far from the smaller screen
–They only take cash or check
–You have to walk all the way through the café to go to the bathroom with a key connected to a huge wooden paddle. It’s so big, its hard to turn the key which cuts into movie viewing time.
This movie plays movies that you can’t really find in other theaters. I’d come here if another movie I wanted to see came to only this theater again but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way. This is for vintage theater lovers.

A theater experience like no other, the Grand Illusion rocks! I was a regular here in the days of yore, when I lived on Capitol Hill and could just hop on a bus to go watch movies with my film major friends from college. Now that I’m a married mom who lives in the ‘burbs, I rarely make it to the U-​district, except I have to revisit the Grand Illusion to see «It’s a Wonderful Life» at Christmastime… it’s our ritual, and I believe this is the only theater that still shows it. It’s one of our favorite movies, and it just feels magical to watch it here!

This theater is one of my favorite places in Seattle, hands down.
I have seen quite a few movies here, and it is always a treat.
I like that they tell you about the movie beforehand, I like the small, intimate space, I like the ever changing film content. I saw one of my favorite movies of all time here, which is called «Hamburger Dad». These are the kind of elusive movies that only Grand Illusion seems able to find.
They also opened my eyes to blaxploitation films, for which I am forever grateful.

Tiny, funky, but with a big heart. This movie theater is art-​house all the way, run by volunteers, and with a coffee shop attached. Don’t expect pristine viewing conditions… the seats are a little rickety, you can hear the sound traffic outside through the thin walls, and the theater can be a little chilly in the winter time. But the selection of films is completely unique, and the programming reflects the diversity of the University District where the theater is located. Check out their schedule online, and find something that suits you. It’s definitely worth a visit to this landmark, one of the longest continuously operating movie theaters in the Pacific Northwest.

Zach this small movie house is where the magic of cinema really happens. While the average theater is screening the newest flavor of the month, local cinemas like Grand Illusion are digging into the past and offering viewings of rare treats. Any eclectic fan of film would love the Grand Illusion and should come see some films that you may never ever see again!
Grand Illusion is a very small independent theater that is non-​profit and volunteer run. You won’t expect price gouging here. Popcorn that isn’t the price of an entrée at any restaurant is a reality here. The theater itself is fairly small, but gets the job done. You shouldn’t have a problem with the screen from any spot in the room.
The films they find are simply amazing. Often is it that they will bring out a print of something that is one-​of-​a-​kind. How much more of a unique experience can you ask for? And the film selection really runs across all genres. Fan of bad film? You’ve got Turkish Star Wars on deck. Blaxploitation? No problem — «Black Gestapo» or «Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde» is at the ready. You say you’re a Duke Mitchell fan? Here’s the print of «Gone with the Pope». And if you aren’t one to dig too deeply into cinema history, you’ll find that cult classics like «The Warriors» have been screened here too.
This is how it should be done, Zach. This is what cinema should be like in every city.

This might be a totally illegal review since I’m a volunteer here and it’s all volunteer run (does that make this my second job?), but I have to sing the praises of this cool, weird theater. It’s cool, and super weird, and you’ll love it.
The GI has been around forever. It’s one small, 70-​seat theater with a tiny lobby attached to a great café, which also contains the theater’s bathrooms. There are at least two shows a night (three on weekends including the late-​night show!), sometimes the same and sometimes different, and the movies are always interesting ones you very likely won’t see anywhere else. The GI specializes in showing 35 mm prints of classics that are rarely screened or have recently been remastered, as well as one-​night-​only screenings of independent films usually featuring the director for a Q&A before or after the screening. There are documentaries, foreign films both new and old, animated features, and special nights curated by Scarecrow Video (among others) that bring you clips from the best of the worst films of all time.
The place is full of love because nobody who works there is getting paid. The popcorn is made without butter or peanut oil and you can get an endless amount of it for $ 4.50. The snacks are very reasonable and the drinks are also cheap but super high-​quality, with a good selection of flavors and no HFCS.
Membership’s $ 30 a year and gets you into every show for $ 5 ($ 4 if you’re a student or a senior!) and on Tuesday nights, members can bring a friend for free. Even if you’re not a member, you can’t beat an $ 8 ticket ($ 6 for students and seniors), especially for some of the rare and wonderful films you can see here. You can even read a bunch of weird movie books in the lobby while you wait for your screening, or get a coffee next door that nobody will yell at you for bringing into the theater with you.
It’s cash or checks only, so come prepared. See you dudes at the movies!

This is the only arthouse/​jewelbox theatre for which we renew our memberships. The programming and volunteers make supporting Grand Illusion a joy. We have seen rarely screened and unique film collages (Joe Dante’s «Movie Orgy,» Dennis Nyback’s exquisite traveling programs of oldtime shorts and TV PSA oddities of a different time) as well as noir and thriller classics here. People who come here come for the films, not to be texting, or talking during the movies.
The beverages are cane sugar, the popcorn heated with peanut oil. My one request, echoed by another frequent G.I. attendee, would be that Spike™ be added to the popcorn seasoning tray.

This is the cutest most adorable little theater ever. I didn’t realize that it existed until last night.
A couple things to know to maximize the win of your visit here.
First, it might be freezing cold or (based on other reviews) searingly hot. I suggest that you tell your movie date to wear something tight and slinky under a parka just to, you know, prepare for eventualities.
Since this is basically the quintessential art house theater, a couple of things will surprise you. It is less like an art house theater, but more like the secret lair of a eccentric failed millionaire. The sound is awesome. It’s so small that everyone gets an awesome surround sound experience.
This should be your destination for old cool films and impossibly run limited audience flicks.

This theater takes pride in being the longest running independent cinema in the city and is also a fun place to see one of those rare independent classics that you would otherwise never see in the big chain theaters. They definitely cater to hardcore movie fans and film buffs with interesting movies like old time favorite Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy or a more current Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen which is a Donnie Yen period piece from Hong Kong.
What you will not get here is massive auditoriums with gigantic screens and state of the art sound systems, but what you will get instead is a more intimate movie experience presented by a 100% volunteer staff that truly cares about the films and the experience of going to the movies.
Walking up the steps and through the entrance is basically the same as hitting 88 miles an hour in the famous Delorean from Back to the Future as you feel like you’ve gone back many years to a place that has long since passed us by in the age of 3D IMAX and BluRay home theaters. Don’t get me wrong, I love the big theater experience, but the Grand Illusion has that perfect charm you just want to revisit every now and then and that is definitely a good thing to have.