Volunteer of the Month pick, selected by one of September’s Volunteers of the Month – The Amazing Trevor!

Set in the smoggy sprawl of 1970s Los Angeles, Shane Black’s (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3) The Nice Guys stars Ryan Gosling stars as Holland March, a bumbling private eye barely keeping it together. When his path collides with Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), a tough-as-nails enforcer with a knack for violence, the unlikely duo find themselves investigating the apparent suicide of a porn star and the disappearance of a young woman, leading to the unraveling of a conspiracy that winds from the seedy underbelly of Hollywood to the highest levels of power.

Fast, funny, and packed with action, The Nice Guys is a stylish throwback to mismatched-detective classics – a buddy-cop mystery / neo-noir comedy that’s laced with irreverent humor, outrageous set pieces, and two irresistible lead performances.

Taking our Arthouse 101: Japanese Cinema series into the 90’s is Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s heart-pounding 1997 thriller Cure, widely regarded as one of the best, most original, and most influential psychological horror films of the decade. 

A detective investigates a string of grisly murders—each victim killed in the same ritualistic manner, each murderer caught at the scene, unable to explain why they did it. The only connection? A mysterious drifter who seems to erase people’s memories—and unlock something buried deep inside them.

With icy precision and a creeping sense of dread, Cure is not just a murder mystery—it’s a meditation on identity and unraveling. Shot in long, haunting takes and drained colors, the film moves like a fog over post-economic-boom Japan: quiet and uncertain.

Arthouse 101: Japanese Cinema is a curated 12-film trip through the evolution of Japan—from the quiet post-war resilience of the 1940s all the way to the radical reinventions of the 1990s. This July-October, we will explore a new facet of this incredible nation’s cinematic journey throughout the 20th century. All films will be presented in their original Japanese language with English subtitles, at a reduced ticket price of $8.

From Jared Hess, the offbeat mind behind Napoleon Dynamite, comes the legendary story of a Mexican monk who moonlighted as a luchador — Nacho Libre!

Jack Black stars as Ignacio, a monastery cook with big dreams of wrestling glory. By day, he tends to orphans with meager meals and modest means, but by night, he dons a homemade mask and cape to become “Nacho” – a bumbling yet big-hearted fighter who enters the chaotic world of Lucha Libre. Teaming up Esqueleto (Héctor Jiménez), a wiry street thief with zero wrestling skills but plenty of scrappy determination (and a firm belief in science), Nacho must balance his secret life in the ring with his devotion to the children he cares for, all while chasing respect, redemption, and the heart of the beautiful Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera).

Wildly silly yet surprisingly sincere, Nacho Libre is a raucous underdog tale full of slapstick humor, colorful characters, and Jack Black at his most gloriously unhinged.

Arthouse 101: Japanese Cinema enters the 80’s with Jûzô Itami’s acclaimed Tampopo (original Japanese title: Tanpopo), an award-winning 1985 film that is truly like no other in our series – or in movie history, really. This deliriously inventive comedy follows a widowed ramen shop owner who, with the help of a mysterious trucker (a stoic parody of Clint Eastwood), sets out to create the perfect bowl of noodles. Along the way, we meet an ensemble of eccentric characters whose lives revolve – sometimes absurdly, sometimes erotically – around food.

Nominated for the Best Screenplay and Best Director awards by the National Society of Film Critics, Tampopo is billed as the first “ramen western,” Tampopo is both a genre spoof and a soulful tribute to Japanese cuisine and community. It’s a movie about perfection, pleasure, and the strange, spiritual rituals we attach to what we eat.

Arthouse 101: Japanese Cinema is a curated 12-film trip through the evolution of Japan—from the quiet post-war resilience of the 1940s all the way to the radical reinventions of the 1990s. This July-October, we will explore a new facet of this incredible nation’s cinematic journey throughout the 20th century. All films will be presented in their original Japanese language with English subtitles, at a reduced ticket price of $8.

Celebrate Silent Film Day with our friends at Flickrhappy as they present a 100th anniversary screening of The Freshman! And as an added bonus, Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of silent comedy legend Harold Lloyd, will be joining us in-person to introduce the film and share rare insights into her grandfather’s life and legacy! Adding even more to the magic, renowned silent film composer and pianist Cliff Retallick will provide live musical accompaniment.

Harold Lloyd’s biggest box office hit and still one of the most beloved comedies of the silent era, The Freshman follows Harold Lloyd as an eager college freshman who dreams of being a big man on campus, though his careful plans inevitably go hilariously awry. But he gets a climactic chance to prove his mettle and impress the sweet girl he loves in one of the most famous sports sequences ever filmed. 

Don’t miss this chance to experience and celebrate the 100th anniversary of a silent film masterpiece the way it was meant to be seen: on the big screen, with live music!

This program is a venue rental engagement. Member discounts and Frida Cinema comp passes not valid. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.