Histologically proven malignant glioma (glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, or anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma) which is progressive or recurrent after radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy; patients with previous low grade glioma who progressed after radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy and are biopsied and found to have a high grade glioma are eligible Karnofsky performance status of >= 60% Patients - both males and females - with reproductive potential (i.e., premenopausal or menopausal for less than 1 year and not surgically sterilized) must practice at least 2 contraceptive measures throughout the study Patients must be registered and meet all the requirements of iPLEDGE in order to receive 13-cis-Retinoic Acid (CRA) Patients must provide verbal and written informed consent to participate in the study Patients must have a Mini Mental Status Exam score >= 15 Patients must have a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) without evidence of any clinically significant abnormalities Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,500/mm^3 Platelets >= 100,000/mm^3 Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =< 2.5 upper limit of normal (ULN) (ULN = 50 U/L) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =< 2.5 ULN (ULN = 50 U/L) Total Bilirubin =< 1.5 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase (Alk. Phos) =< 5X ULN (ULN = 125 U/dL) Estimated (Estim.) creatinine (Cr) Clearance > 50 ml/min Fasting total cholesterol < 300 mg/dL Fasting triglycerides < 250 mg/dL Two separate, laboratory pregnancy tests within 14 days of registration (for women of childbearing potential) Patients must have recovered from the toxicity of prior therapy; specifically, there must be at least a 3 month interval from the completion of the most recent course of radiation therapy, at least a 3 month interval from the implantation of Gliadel wafer(s), at least a 3 week interval from the completion of a non-nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy regimen, and at least a 6 week interval from the completion of a nitrosourea-containing chemo-regimen