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The Abortion Diaries One in three American women have had an abortion, but rarely are their stories rendered on film. In this half-hour documentary, director Penny Lane gives audiences a glimpse into the lives of 12 women, differing in age, economic status, race, and faith. Each shares the circumstances surrounding her decision with intimacy and candor. Lane also weaves in the story of her own abortion, and some troublesome questions raised by it, in a simple yet effective manner. Diaries isn’t strictly pro-choice—Lane’s purpose seems mainly to be to provide a forum for discourse. The screening is linked to the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade and will be followed by audience Q&A. (NR) KELLIE HWANG 911 Media Arts Center, 402 Ninth Ave. N., 206-682-6552. $10. 8 p.m. Wed. Jan. 25.

The Aristocrats Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette filmed over 100 of their favorite colleagues telling versions of “The Aristocrats” and riffing on its significance in cultural history. The unspeakably profane joke itself is a subversion of their own acts, the ultimate rebellion—insult, really—against the audience, which comics spend their lives trying to please. It’s a blank slate that the comic projects his own personality upon. With Chris Rock, Paul Reiser, Jon Stewart, Steven Wright, George Carlin, and, startlingly, Bob Saget of Full House. (NR) TIM APPELO Egyptian, 801 E. Pine St., 206-781-5755. $6-$9. Midnight. Fri. Jan. 20-Sat. Jan. 21.

The Cheat From 1915, this Cecil B. DeMille silent is accompanied live by organist Dennis James. The marvelous Sessue Hayakawa stars as a mysterious Asian moneylender who leads a privileged housewife astray. Themes of social transgression and forbidden sexuality are quite overt—it’s as close as DeMille ever came to German Expressionism. (NR) Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., 206-682-1414. $12. 4 p.m. Sun. Jan. 22.

The Director Is Star Don’t tell Oliver Stone, or he’ll be even more insufferable. Everett Herald critic Robert Horton presents a talk (with clips) in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibits. He’s expected to discuss Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know, one of our top-10 films of 2005. Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., 206-622-9250. Free. 2 p.m. Sun. Jan. 22.

Ecological Design Sustainable architecture, natural building materials, solar energy, and R. Buckminster Fuller are addressed in this green-themed documentary screening. Pizza and organic beer are served. (NR) Re-Store, 1440 N.W. 52nd St., 206-297-9119. $12. 7 p.m. Wed. Jan. 18.

Fellini at the Pink Door Call for screening details. 21 and over for this wine tasting event. (G) Pink Door, 1919 Post Alley, 206-443-3241. $20. 7 p.m. Sun. Jan. 22.

Fight Club Every lame buddy flick features a ritual fist fight that bonds its two male leads, and that clichéd meta-scene is the inspiration for this dark, gleefully incoherent 1999 comedy. Office drone Edward Norton receives his first beating from a loony, polyester-clad guy he meets on a plane (Brad Pitt). Turns out there’s a whole nutty philosophy of male liberation to their fisticuffs—but just ignore it with the other manifestoes. David Fincher employs an elliptical structure of multiple flashbacks and fantasy sequences, digressing frequently to prowl the sordid details with slo-mo computer-generated camera trickery. Helena Bonham Carter barely dignifies her klepto-nympho role. (R) Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave., 206-686-6684. $5. 3:30, 6:30, and 9:30 p.m. Sat. Jan. 21-Sun. Jan. 22.

The Gate 2: Trespassers Teens mess with the dark side in this 1992 horror sequel, with predictable results. Sure, having a portal to hell in your backyard seems like a great thing, but once you bring one of Satan’s minions up to the surface, you’ve got to feed it and keep it entertained. One of the kids asks, “Who needs demons when you’ve got chicks?”, and the film may not have an answer to that. Fortunately today we’ve got video games instead of this devilry. (R) Grand Illusion, 1403 N.E. 50th St., 206-523-3935. $5-$7.50. 11 p.m. Fri. Jan. 20-Sat. Jan. 21.

Independent America Filmmakers Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes will be on hand to discuss their 55-day, 13,000-mile documentary odyssey through corporate America. Wal-Mart is only one of their many targets as they consider how the demise of mom-and-pop retailers is changing our culture. (NR) Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave., 206-686-6684. 6:45 and 9 p.m. Wed. Jan. 25.

The Kodachrome Memoirs Nelson Harst and Jason Ryan collaborate on this project comprising 1,000 still images found at random and set to new audio tracks. Other short works will also be screened. 21 and over. (NR) Jewel Box Theater (Rendezvous), 2320 Second Ave., 206-441-5823. $5. 8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 20.

Movies at the Sunset The wonderful 2001 skateboard documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys will nicely erase Lords of Dogtown from memory (though even that’s worth a DVD rental for one of Heath Ledger’s several lesser-known roles of 2005). (R) Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 206-784-4880. Free. 7 p.m. Wed. Jan. 18. Then it’s Burt Reynolds in full mustachioed glory in 1981’s The Cannonball Run. 7 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 19. Kung-fu grindhouse night follows with unspecified programming. 7 p.m. Mon. Jan. 23. The classic comic short documentary Heavy Metal Parking Lot precedes Judas Priest: Live in ’86. 7 p.m. Tues. Jan. 24. You can’t go wrong with Mad Max, mate. 7 p.m. Wed. Jan. 25.

Rebecca SAM’s relocated (to MoHAI) Hitchcock series continues with his first American film, an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel—a de facto collaboration with strong-willed producer David O. Selznick. The results are great, though Hitchcock essentially spent the rest of his career seeking to avoid such partnerships. Laurence Olivier plays the moody English aristocrat who falls for humble Joan Fontaine while vacationing in Monte Carlo. Their romance seems charmed—until they go home to his estate on the cliffs of Cornwall. Manderley! There, the story turns full-blown Gothic, with Judith Anderson as the creepy housekeeper obsessed with Olivier’s first wife, and George Sanders as the supreme cad next door. In essence, Hitchcock creates a ghost story without a ghost, and so expert is his orchestration of suspense that you half expect dead Rebecca to reach out and grab poor Fontaine at any moment. She’s not a woman, nor is this a film, easily forgotten. (NR) Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave. E., 206-654-3121. $58-$65 (series), $7 (individual). 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 19.

Robo Vampire Just when you think those pesky bloodsuckers are under control, they turn into robots. Drinking games and trivia contests will attend this screening of this 1988 C-movie, to be preceded by a short documentary about a Down syndrome guy who loves porn (at 6 p.m.) and Troll 2 (at 7 p.m.). 21 and over. (NR) Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 206-784-4880. Free. 9 p.m. Mon. Jan. 23.

Seconds Rock Hudson stars—after the face transplant—as a guy who gets a new identity, then regrets the swap, in the 1966 John Frankenheimer paranoia study. In part it’s a satire of hollow California hedonism; maybe it’s also a parable of Hollywood and plastic surgery gone amok. The movie lends itself to various and not altogether satisfying interpretations. You end up feeling as frustrated as Hudson’s character, which may be Frankenheimer’s intent. Certainly the black-and-white cinematography by the great James Wong Howe is crisp and clear. Screened on video; admission includes discussion and snack. (NR) Movie Legends, 2319 N. 45th St., 206-632-2092. $5. 1 p.m. Sun. Jan. 22.

Sherlock Holmes Movies On Friday, the plot’s implicit in Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in a WWII mystery. The following night, Sherlock Holmes in Washington pairs the same classic duo, again with a WWII backdrop—but in our nation’s capital, unfortunately, and not here in the Evergreen State. Both are guaranteed not to be too frightening for kids. (NR) Kenyon Hall, 7904 35th Ave. S.W., West Seattle, 206-937-3613. $5 (kids free). 8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 20-Sat. Jan. 21.

Two Towns of Jasper This award-winning PBS documentary chronicles the 1998 “dragging death” murder of James Byrd Jr., which led to the passage of a hate-crimes act in Texas. (NR) Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center, 1609 19th Ave., 206-323-5770. $5-$15. 7:30 p.m. Sat. Jan. 21.

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price Outfoxed director Robert Greenwald’s take on the big-box behemoth. Discussion follows. (NR) Planned Parenthood, Madison St. & 20th Ave., 206-632-8547. Free. Reception: 6:30 p.m. Screening: 7 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 19.

The Warriors One of the most weirdly, lastingly influential films of the ’70s, Walter Hill’s 1979 street-gang odyssey is loosely based on, well, The Odyssey, as our motley heroes try to fight their way across N.Y.C. to the safe turf of Coney Island. Equally archetypal and ridiculous (check out those matching gang outfits!), this cult flick often feels like the unacknowledged father of MTV. As the man says, “Warriors, come out and play-e-eah!” (R) Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave., 206-686-6684. $5. 7 and 9:15 p.m. Wed. Jan. 18-Fri. Jan. 20.