We’ve added some encores to Howl’s Moving Castle, the acclaimed Studio Ghibli masterpiece, screening in its original Japanese language.

The film follows Sophie, a young woman who is mysteriously transformed into an elderly woman by a wicked witch’s curse. Seeking refuge, Sophie stumbles upon the magical, ever-moving castle of Howl, a reclusive wizard with a troubled past. As Sophie and Howl grow closer, they must confront not only the forces of war that threaten their world but also the personal battles that keep them from fully embracing their own potential.

With its masterful animation, imaginative world-building, and an all-star voice cast, Howl’s Moving Castle weaves themes of transformation, courage, and love into an unforgettable cinematic experience.

This film will be dubbed in its original Japanese language with English subtitles.

David Cronenberg delivers an entirely new take on body horror, reinventing the game yet again with his new film The Shrouds. This dramatic sci-fi thriller is a reflective stunner that combines the maestro’s signature body horror with profound elder-statesman reflection. Entering his 80s, Cronenberg (The Fly, Dead Ringers, History of Violence) continues to find new ways to innovate what can be done with bodies in cinema, losing none of his edge while demonstrating a true sense of empathy; the result is a film that astonishes while also being his most accessible film since Eastern Promises. 

In an eerie, deceptively placid near-future, a techno-entrepreneur named Karsh (Vincent Cassel) has developed a new software that will allow the bereaved to bear witness to the gradual decay of loved ones dead and buried in the earth. While Karsh is still reeling from the loss of his wife (Diane Kruger) from cancer—and falling into a peculiar sexual relationship with his wife’s sister (also Kruger)—a spate of vandalized graves utilizing his “shroud” technology begins to put his enterprise at risk, leading him to uncover a potentially vast conspiracy.

Join us for a night of brain-busting film trivia!

Think you’ve got what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the film nerds of Southern California? Then it’s time to put your cinema knowledge to the ultimate test at The Frida’s monthly Film Trivia Night!

Each month, we challenge cinephiles with five meticulously crafted rounds of film trivia, plus a special bonus round for those who truly know their stuff. Expect everything from deep dives to cult classics, iconic soundtracks to infamous flops. 

Up next in our Andrei Tarkovsky Retrospective is The Sacrifice, his final film.

Set in the days leading up to a nuclear war, the film centers on Alexander, a retired actor living on an isolated Swedish estate with his family. When he learns that the world is on the brink of destruction, Alexander makes an extreme, desperate vow to sacrifice everything—his family, his possessions, and his life—in the hopes of averting catastrophe. As the tension between personal sacrifice and global annihilation escalates, Tarkovsky crafts a poignant, spiritual journey that examines the complexities of selflessness, redemption, and the burden of human responsibility.

Released after Tarkovsky’s exile from the Soviet Union, The Sacrifice was his swan song, marked by a sense of personal reflection and an urgent exploration of moral and spiritual themes. Despite being filmed under difficult circumstances, it was met with critical acclaim, winning the Grand Prix at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival and becoming a testament to Tarkovsky’s unyielding artistic vision. As his final cinematic statement, The Sacrifice offers a powerful, evocative conclusion to Tarkovsky’s exploration of faith, art, and the eternal struggle between destruction and redemption.