Movie theater

Named after Jean Renoir's 1937 classic, the Grand Illusion is an oasis of wonderfully quirky (and sometimes wonderfully sentimental) programming in a city that's already several measures above average when it comes to indie cinema. If Landmark, SIFF Cinema, Central Cinema and Northwest Film Forum aren't meeting your needs, the G.I. will likely have something for you. In recent months, the theater's offerings have ranged from the films of Western-loving director Walter Hill to a live-action feature based on a manga comic. (Unsung old gems, noteworthy classics and oddball horror flicks also make their way across the screen from time to time.) Yet however eclectic the regular programming, every holiday season you can, without fail, catch "It's a Wonderful Life" -- and it's been thus for decades. (One more thing: The popcorn is cheap and tastes homemade, in a good way, and the collection of offbeat sodas and candies is almost worth a trip in and of itself.)