TUESDAY JANUARY 25TH / DAY FOR NIGHT/BLOOR CINEMA / 7PM
In this film within a film, director Francois Truffaut plays himself (or a version of himself) as the director of the fictional film "Meet Pamela" which mirrors the details of his actual life. Hilarious and clever, one feels like a voyeur as Truffaut's characters work together, sleep together and gossip about each other without a care for reputation or discretion. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for members.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26TH / THE ILLUSIONIST /CUMBERLAND CINEMA / 1:30PM, 4:15PM,7PM OR 9:20PM
One of my favourite films of the past year, the Illusionist follows an aging magician and a young woman, as the former finds he is becoming unnecessary in the modernized world and the latter blossoms in it. Beautiful and touching, The Illusionist was based on a screenplay written by Jacques Tati (Playtime, Mon Oncle) before his death and was shelved for years until picked up by Sylvain Chomet. (The Triplets of Belleville.) Tickets are $11 for adults and can be bought online or in person.

THURSDAY JANUARY 27TH / WINTER'S BONE / REVUE CINEMA / 9:35PM
Ree, a rural teen in the Ozark's, is in a bit of a pickle. Her drug-dealing father has once again gotten arrested and this time their house gets put up as bond, but now he's flown the coop and it's up to her to find him. See the film that left Sundance with the Grand Jury Prize last January and was repeatedly listed on end of year lists as one of the best films of 2010. Tickets are $13 for non-members, which gets you a membership to the Revue for future shows, or $7 for members.

FRIDAY JANUARY 28TH / DELICATESSEN / BLOOR CINEMA / 9PM
From the director who brought you the bizarre Micmacs and the beloved Amelie comes a terrifying tale about a gourmet landlord whose kitchen specialty may be long pig or soylent green! While the subject matter is definitely darker than his more famous works, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's signature style and humour can be found in this black comedy. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for members and can be bought at the theatre.

FRIDAY JANUARY 28TH TO SUNDAY JANUARY 30TH / THE 8 FEST / TRASH PALACE
The 4th installment of the 8 Fest will feature a plethora of small gauge films from Toronto and around the world. Ranging from the avant-garde to vernacular home movies, the festival aims to provide "a forum for filmmakers who want to show their work on small-gauge and for people who want to see this work in its original formats...and is committed to keeping the exhibition of small-gauge film a viable presentation medium." Check the schedule here.

SATURDAY JANUARY 29TH / THE HIGH COST OF LIVING / TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX / 9PM
Treat yourself to another selection from the Canada's Top Ten programme with the High Cost of Living which follows an unlikely pair, one being a pregnant woman and the other being the guy who hits her with his car. An amazing debut by director Deborah Chow, the film was not only chosen as one of the top ten of the year, but won the Best Canadian First Feature prize at TIFF this past year. Tickets are $12 for adults and can be bought online or at the theatre.

SUNDAY JANUARY 30TH / RIKI-OH: THE STORY OF RICKY / TORONTO UNDERGROUND CINEMA / 7PM
The Toronto Underground Cinema has been quiet for the past few weeks as they do some retooling for February, but this Sunday they're back in fine form with one of the goriest, most WTF films I've ever seen. There's Akira-style-muscle-expanding, crazy martial arts, improbable and completely impossible violence but with just enough absurdity to keep you laughing between cringes. Tickets are $8 and can be bought at the theatre.

Photo by Scott Snider in the blogTO Flickr pool.