Now Playing & Coming Soon

High. How are you? Gregg Araki's Smiley Face is finally coming to The Frida Cinema as part of our 4/20 weekend festivities! Jane, a struggling but perpetually stoned actress, has a busy day ahead. She has several important tasks on her list, including buying more marijuana. Even though she already has a good start on the day's planned drug use, she eats her roommate's pot-laced cupcakes and embarks on a series of misadventures all over Los Angeles. Smiley Face has grown over time from a modest, under-seen stoner comedy into a cult favorite, especially among fans of offbeat indie cinema and Gregg Araki’s work. At the center of the whole affair is Anna Faris, whose performance is now widely considered one of the great modern comedic turns, and for good reason.

Bogie Fest rolls on as we revisit one of the most beloved films of all time: Michael Curtiz's Casablanca! The story unfolds in the titular Moroccan city, a haven for refugees seeking passage to the Americas. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), the jaded owner of a popular nightclub, unexpectedly reunites with his former lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), who arrives with her husband, resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). As Rick grapples with lingering feelings for Ilsa, he must decide whether to help the couple escape the clutches of the Nazis, risking his own safety in the process. With its unforgettable performances and a rich blend of romance and moral dilemmas, Casablanca earned three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and remains one of the most celebrated films in cinematic history. Bogart's role as Rick continues to be the go-to for fans of hard-shelled man with a soft heart. 

The passion, the violence, the birth of America's Gilded Age. Flickrhappy is back at The Frida Cinema, bringing with them a restoration of Milos Forman's 1981 rarely-screened epic Ragtime! America at the dawn of the 20th century bursts to life in this sweeping, ambitious adaptation of E. L. Doctorow’s celebrated novel. Set in a nation electrified by upheaval, Ragtime weaves together the lives of dreamers and revolutionaries as their stories collide in a rapidly changing New York. A proud Black pianist seeks justice after an act of racist cruelty. A glamorous chorus girl becomes the center of a national scandal. Historical figures – including magician Harry Houdini, activist Emma Goldman, and tycoon J. P. Morgan – drift through a world where wealth and poverty sit side by side, and where the promise of America feels both intoxicating and fragile. Featuring a remarkable ensemble cast,including screen legend James Cagney in his final film performance, Ragtime is a powerful tapestry of music and hope. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff. Flickrhappy is allowing Frida Cinema members to use their regular discounts to this event! 

The Frida Cinema is proud to present a special 75th Anniversary screening of The Day the Earth Stood Still, one of the most important science fiction films ever made whose message has only grown more urgent with time! Plus, get there early and see the iconic 8-Foot-Tall Gort Robot live-on-stage! Starring Michael Rennie in his unforgettable performance as Klaatu, this 20th Century Fox landmark follows an alien emissary who arrives on Earth with a message that could save humanity…or doom it! At his side the towering Gort Robot whose silent presence became a legend of science fiction design. Directed by Academy Award winner Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound Of Music, The Haunting, Star Trek: The Motion Feature) The Day the Earth Stood Still rejected spectacle in favor of moral urgency during a time of high-anxiety, making it evergreen filmmaking at its finest.  Bernard Herrmann’s revolutionary score, featuring eerie theremins and groundbreaking electronic instrumentation, forever changed the sound of Science Fiction cinema. Lauded worldwide and praised by critics for its intelligence and restraint, the film was selected by the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic importance. Arnold Leibovit, a personal friend of Robert Wise, will host the evening and present two more of George Pal's Academy Award-winning Puppetoons he's restored: "A Hatful of Dreams" featuring a DC Comics use of Superman and "The Gay Knighties" with a mischievous Ogre.  Also: please join us for Bonus pre-screening of The Puppetoon Movie – A Legacy Revisited, at 5:00PM, a behind-the-scenes look into the making of The Puppetoon Movie with Joe Dante (Gremlins),  Floyd Norman(Walt Disney animator – Sleeping Beauty,  The Jungle Book),  Peter Lord (Aardman Animations – Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit),  Dennis Muren (Star Wars, Jurassic Park),  Phil Tippett (Starship Troopers), Mick Garris (Critters 2), Bob Kurtz (Animation Director), Marc Caballero & Seamus Walsh (Screen Novelties Directors), Art Clokey (Gumby Creator), Dallas McKennon (Actor), Jerry Beck (animation historian) and others. Produced & Directed by Arnold Leibovit with archival narration by Paul Frees. This showing will coincide with the new restoraton Blu-ray release of The Puppetoon Movie. -5:00PM Doors Open (Arnold Leibovit signing/selling blu rays in the lobby and meet Gort The Robot!) -5:30PM A Puppetoon Movie: A Legacy Revisited documentary (introduction by Arnold Leibovit) (50 min + intermission) -7:00PM Two Puppetoons shorts + The Day The Earth Stood Still (introduction by Arnold Leibovit) (92 min) Tickets are $20 to this event. Frida Cinema comp passes and member discounts do not apply. 

Just added: this final encore of Dead Lover will be presented in scratch-and-sniff Stink-O-Vision!  Love conquers death in director Grace Glowicki's deliriously dark new film Dead Lover, opening up for a special two night run at The Frida Cinema on April 3rd! A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in grave consequences and unlikely love. A love story unlike any other, Dead Lover is a mix of Mario Bava, John Waters, and Guy Maddin, promising one of the goriest and smelliest movie experiences of the year!

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is proud to present a completely free screening of the new documentary Four Rational People!  The story follows the Emerson String Quartet as they embark on the final season of a fifty-year history that includes 9 GRAMMYS and thousands of concerts. Interweaving vivid memories with delicate observations of life on the road, the film explores the difficult decision to walk away from the things they cherish: the music they play and the friends they hold dear. At once a frank examination of the tyranny of aging and a cri de cœur to pass the torch to a new generation, the film culminates with one final performance, leaving all to ponder what happens to us after the final curtain. RSVP to get your tickets now!

It will make you feel VERY funny! Our 4/20 Weekend celebrating continues as our friends at See It On 16mm present the Cheech and Chong comedy classic Up In Smoke on glorious celluloid! An unemployed pot-smoking slacker and amateur drummer, Anthony Stoner ditches his strict parents and hits the road, eventually meeting kindred spirit Pedro de Pacas. While the drug-ingesting duo is soon arrested for possession of marijuana, Anthony and Pedro get released on a technicality, allowing them to continue their many misadventures and ultimately compete in a rock band contest, where they perform the raucous tune "Earache My Eye."

Sickness or pleasure? From Executive Producer Guy Maddin and Director Josh Heaps comes City Wide Fever, a modern giallo film echoing back to the early 2000s.  Sam, a young film student, discovers a USB detailing the life and career of forgotten Italian horror director Saturnino Barresi. As she begins to investigate his mysterious disappearance, Sam finds herself pulled into a violent conspiracy eerily similar to those of the films she adores.

Our favorite 4/20 weekend tradition continues as we present the fourth annual Scooby-Doo + Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed double feature on 4/20 and 4/21!  Scooby-Doo: When the Mystery Inc. gang is invited to Spooky Island, a popular amusement park, they soon discover that the attractions aren't the only things that are spooky. Strange things are happening, and it's up to Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma to uncover the truth behind the mysterious happenings. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed: After solving their last mystery at Spooky Island, the Mystery Inc. gang is back in Coolsville, where they are being honored with their very own exhibit at the Coolsonian Criminology Museum. However, when a masked villain steals costumes of classic monsters on display and brings them to life, the gang must come out of retirement to solve the case. If you've got the munchies for Scooby Snacks, we've got exactly what you need, two nights only at The Frida Cinema! Doo the doo! 

We’re diving a bit deeper into the gloriously depraved world of John Waters with a double feature of two more of his unhinged creations: Female Trouble and Desperate Living! Female Trouble: Dawn Davenport wants fame...and she’ll do anything to get it. From petty crime to full-blown notoriety, her life becomes a chaotic mess of violence and warped ambition, all in pursuit of becoming a star. Featuring one of Divine’s most iconic performances, the film is a savage satire of celebrity culture. Desperate Living: When a neurotic housewife goes on the run after committing murder, she finds refuge in Mortville, a lawless shantytown ruled by a tyrannical queen. As she descends deeper into this bizarre society of misfits and criminals, survival means putting up with the madness...and maybe embracing it. Waters builds a world with these two films where crime is glamorous and authority is a joke, and he somehow manages to balance is all by making it all feel so filthy and fabulous, the two words we use most to describe him. There will be a 10 minute intermission between both films. One tickets gets you access to both movies!

Just beyond your dreams lives a secret world. Where every tree is a home. Every sound is a song. And humans only exist in fairy tales. Until now... Join us on Earth Day, April 22nd, as we present special screenings of FernGully: The Last Rainforest on a beautiful big screen for everyone to enjoy! When a sprite named Crysta shrinks a human boy, Zak, down to her size, he vows to help the magical fairy folk stop a greedy logging company from destroying their home: the pristine rainforest known as FernGully. Zak and his new friends fight to defend FernGully from lumberjacks and the vengeful spirit they accidentally unleash after chopping down a magic tree. Way before Avatar, this Don Bluth-esque animated rainforest romp warmed the hearts of kids everywhere with the voices of Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Tim Curry, Robin Williams, Cheech & Chong, Harry Shearer, Tone-Loc, Pamela Adlon, and even David Lynch favorite Grace Zabriskie. We’re delightfully buzzed to be playing a brand new DCP of this psychedelic ‘90s staple from our buds at Shout! Studios and American Genre Film Archive!

Alright, see...join us for April's Classic Movie Nights pick: the James Cagney gangster flick Angels With Dirty Faces! This film will be pulling double duty as part of Bogie Fest, our 14-film retrospective on the work of Humphrey Bogart, who has a small role in the film!  Cagney plays Rocky Sullivan, a two-bit punk who grows into a full-blown gangster with the whole neighborhood full of kids. Trying to set him straight is his old pal Father Jerry, played by Pat O’Brien, now on the right side of the law and sweating bullets over whether those kids are gonna follow the wrong horse. Directed by Michael Curtiz of Casablanca and White Christmas fame, this is an old school, real-deal Warner Brothers gangster picture, culminating in one of the greatest endings in cinema history. Make sure to get to the screening early, as our Marketing Director Bekah will be doing a very informative and entertaining presentation on the film before it starts!

Just added: Mood Poison is giving away a custom Santa Sangre pin to all ticket-holders coming to the Thursday night show! Forget everything you have ever seen... Santa Sangre is finally coming back to The Frida Cinema, and this time we are joined by our friends at Mood Poison, who will be selling a brand new, custom pin from the film as well as giving away exclusive prizes to lucky ticket-holders, all in celebration of their 10 year anniversary The film is a tale of a young circus performer, the crime of passion that shatters his soul, and a macabre journey back to the world of his armless mother.  Fifteen years after Alejandro Jodorowsky’s El Topo and The Holy Mountain unlocked our collective third eye, the legendary provocateur made his 1980s comeback with this staggering odyssey of ecstasy, anguish, belief, blasphemy, beauty, and madness.  The film continues to enrapture both Jodorowsky newbies and dedicated fans alike. 

Bogie Fest, our 14-film retrospective on the films of the incomparable Humprey Bogart, continues with one of the all time great films from the Noir genre: John Huston's debut film The Maltese Falcon! In shadow-drenched San Francisco, private detective Sam Spade (Bogart) is pulled into a deadly web after his partner is murdered. What begins as a routine case spirals into a hunt for a priceless, jewel-encrusted statuette: the elusive Maltese Falcon. Surrounded by liars, thieves, and the dangerously alluring Brigid O’Shaughnessy, Spade must navigate shifting loyalties and his own code of ethics to uncover the truth. The Maltese Falcon is widely regarded as the blueprint for Film Noir. Its hard-edged dialogue and stark visual style set the tone for an entire movement in American cinema. 

Our Page To Screen series in April is the Paul Newman starrer Cool Hand Luke! When petty criminal Luke Jackson is sentenced to two years in a Florida prison farm, he doesn't play by the rules of either the sadistic warden or the yard's resident heavy, Dragline, who ends up admiring the new guy's unbreakable will. Luke's bravado, even in the face of repeated stints in the prison's dreaded solitary confinement cell, "the box," make him a rebel hero to his fellow convicts and a thorn in the side of the prison officers. Based on the 1965 novel by Donn Pearce, Cool Hand Luke is a defining 1960s counter-culture film celebrating anti-authoritarianism through Newman's iconic portrayal of a charming rebel. 

Celebrate 40 years of Labyrinth magic as The Frida Cinema presents a limited run of the fantasy cult classic in a brand new restoration!  Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah, a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King. Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. Starring a very young Jennifer Connelly, Labyrinth has withstood the test of time due to its handmade aesthetic, groundbreaking practical effects, and David Bowie’s iconic role as Jareth the Goblin King! Don't miss it on the big screen for this very special anniversary!

Jonathan Demme's 1984 concert film masterpiece Stop Making Sense is coming back to The Frida in April! And this time, we're going to be dancing on a Saturday night! Doors open at 7:15PM and the party starts at 7:45PM! Stop Making Sense is an iconic concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, while on tour for their 1983 album “Speaking in Tongues.” The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning, cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals. Featuring masterful performances by David Byrne and photography by Jordan Cronenweth (Blade Runner), Stop Making Sense is a concert experience at its most colorful and life-affirming. Stop Making Sense will continue with regularity at The Frida Cinema as long as we keep selling it out! Don't miss this once in a lifetime cinematic experience!

The good news is your date is here. The bad news is...he's dead. HorrorBuzz continues its 2026 Horror Movie Night series with a 40th anniversary blast of pure ’80s genre joy: Fred Dekker’s Night of the Creeps! In the 1980s, two college freshmen unwittingly unleash slug-like parasites that turn anyone they infect into walking corpses. As the outbreak spreads, it’s up to hardboiled detective Ray Cameron (the legendary Tom Atkins) and a group of panicked students to save the night...or at least go down swinging! Horror Movie Night takes filmgoing to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Pres-how, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream. Doors open and video pre-show video begins promptly at 7:30 pm. Games, prizes, and short film begin at 8:00PM. Feature starts at 8:30PM. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

Frida Cinema Film Club members are being treated to free 30th anniversary screenings of Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies! An expert observer of unembellished humanity, writer-director Mike Leigh reached new levels of expressive power and intricacy with this exploration of the deceptions, small and large, that shape our relationships. When Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), a Black optometrist who was adopted as a child, begins the search for her birth mother, she doesn’t expect that it will lead her to Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn, winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s best actress award), a lonely white factory worker whose tentative embrace of her long-lost daughter sends shock waves through the rest of her already fragile family. Born from a painstaking process of rehearsal and improvisation with a powerhouse ensemble cast, Secrets & Lies is a Palme d’Or–winning tour de force of sustained tension and catharsis that lays bare the emotional fault lines running beneath everyday lives. Not a Film Club Member yet? Click here to join our growing family of fellow film-lovers and Frida Cinema supporters!

Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. The Hunt For Ben Solo is coming to The Frida Cinema to present a very special screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi! As the Resistance struggles to survive the relentless advance of the First Order, Rey seeks out the reclusive Luke Skywalker in hopes that the legendary Jedi will help turn the tide. But as old myths are challenged and loyalties are tested, heroes and villains alike must confront the weight of the past. Written and directed by Frida Cinema Favorite Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi pushes the Star Wars saga into bold new territory, a rare feat for blockbuster filmmaking on this scale. Doors are at 6:00PM and the fun all starts at 6:30PM! This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

They call themselves "The Goonies." The secret caves. The old lighthouse. The lost map. The treacherous traps. Join the adventure! April's Staff Pick comes from our beloved Eddie, who has chose Richard Donner's 1985 classic The Goonies!  Young teen Mikey Walsh and his friends set off on a quest to find Pirate One-Eyed Willie's treasure in hopes of saving their homes from demolition. However, on their quest to find the treasure, they run into a family of recently escaped criminals, determined to capture the kids and reach the treasure first. A key touchstone of 1980s cinema, The Goonies has a legacy rooted in pure nostalgia and youthful imagination. Its simple premise has now turned into a defining blueprint for kid-led adventure stories for the rest of time!

The fastest hands in the East meet the biggest mouth in the West. Join us at the Frida Cinema on April 28th as Nostalgic Nebula presents a double feature screening of Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2! When the daughter of a Chinese diplomat is kidnapped in Los Angeles, by-the-book Hong Kong detective Jackie Chan is sent to help...but the FBI sticks him with fast-talking LAPD officer Chris Tucker instead. Forced to work together despite wildly different styles, the mismatched duo bicker their way through a high-octane investigation that turns culture clash into explosive comedy. And then, after a ten minute break...the action moves to Hong Kong, where Detectives Lee and Carter’s vacation quickly turns into another globe-trotting case of non-stop chaos. With bigger stunts and more jokes, the sequel doubles down on the buddy-cop formula that made the original a hit. Be sure to show up early for behind-the-scenes clips, Jackie Chan trivia and immerse yourself with the Heaven On Earth Massage Parlor photo op!  Doors open at 6:30PM, there will be a trivia game at 6:45PM, and the movies will start at 7:00PM! There will be a 10 minute intermission between both films. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

We're presenting a Kiyoshi Kurosawa double feature of the new restoration of 1998's Serpent's Path and his 2024 film Chime! Serpent's Path: Straight off Cure (1997), his international breakthrough, Kiyoshi Kurosawa directed two low-budget films using the same basic premise and the same lead actor (Sho Aikawa) to completely different ends. The experiment first resulted in Serpent’s Path (1998, later remade in 2024), a dark gangland thriller with philosophical overtones. Obsessed with avenging his young daughter’s murder, yakuza subordinate Miyashita (Teruyuki Kagawa) recruits Nijima (Aikawa), a brilliant yet strangely detached math teacher, to help carry outcarry out a scheme to kidnap and torture the man allegedly responsible. But the plan goes awry when their target, Otsuki (Yurei Yanagi), fingers another mobster as the mastermind behind Miyashita’s tragedy. As the two partners ascend the yakuza chain of command in search of the true culprit, Miyashita and Nijima follow the cold, calculating logic of revenge, descending into a moral abyss from which they may never surface.  Chime: A masterclass in escalating dread and shocking violence, Chime reaffirms Kiyoshi Kurosawa as one of modern horror’s most innovative and unpredictable visionaries. During a class, culinary instructor Matsuoka (Mutsuo Yoshioka) witnesses the suicide of a young student (Seiichi Kohinata), driven to insanity by what he claims is a chiming sound that controls his mind. Soon, Matsuoka begins hearing it, too, and descends into a mental abyss that warps his perception of reality and gives vent to his darkest impulses. 

Our seaside horror Hallucinations mini series continues with a brand new 4K restoration of the 1961 gem Night Tide! Night Tide presents a world in which undefined realms float around, blurring boundaries between reality and fantasy. Dennis Hopper is profoundly charming in his portrayal of Johnny, a young sailor who is spellbound by Mora, an enigmatic woman who performs as a mermaid at the Santa Monica Pier carnival. Set near the water in Santa Monica and Venice Beach, Night Tide dives into the purgatory domain of dreamy love, which is cursed by doomed imagination, like a beautiful nightmare underwater. Hosted by Polygon’s editor-in-chief Chris Plante, Hallucinations is a monthly event that spotlights movies that challenge our expectations of story, style, and “good taste”. We invite guests to bond over films that change what we expect from the medium, the world, and themselves. So come early, stay late, make friends, and watch something strange, surprising, or just shamelessly sick.

See It On 16mm is back at the end of April to dust off some well-loved (worn) prints of ignored exploitation, horror, and other off the radar films as we present another entry into our Secret Grindhouse series!  They're gonna dig up some decaying prints and thread them up for genre fans! Most titles are either in a rights limbo, forgotten, or just need to be shown more appreciation. They'll be playing blaxploitation, vansploitation, nunsploitation, kung fu, made-for-TV terrors, and everything else between! Grab a ticket and watch as the secret movie unspools loud and proud on the big screen!

Bogie Fest is heating up as we slip into the shadows with one of his most intriguing noirs: Dark Passage! Directed by Delmer Daves, this atmospheric thriller drops us into post-war San Francisco, where escaped convict Vincent Parry (Bogie) is determined to prove his innocence after being wrongly accused of murdering his wife. On the run and desperate, Parry finds an unlikely ally in Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall), a mysterious woman who believes in his cause and helps him evade capture. As the tension builds through foggy streets and dangerous encounters, Dark Passage leans into the paranoia that came to define classic film noir, while also showcasing the electric chemistry between Bogart and Bacall. 

The inaugural Blu Star Film Festival will take place in person at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana California on Saturday May 2nd, with in-person blocks screening blocks taking place from 3pm-11pm! The festival will showcase the work of neurodivergent filmmakers from eight Southern California production studios. Prominent guests, such as Dani Bowman from Netflix's Love on The Spectrum, will be present to showcase their work. Blu Star Productions is a company founded by an artist with a disability for artists with disabilities. Our goal is to empower disabled artists and creators across the globe with the resources needed to showcase their groundbreaking talents. Tickets for the festival can be purchased here! But the festival will continue virtually on this platform with livestreams, Q&A's and at-home viewings. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff. Frida Cinema memberships and discounts do not apply.

When the body of teenager Laura Palmer is discovered, the citizens of the peaceful town of Twin Peaks are rocked -- and suspected.  FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper arrives to join Sheriff Harry S. Truman to solve the case, launching with the interrogations of grieving friends and family, each of whom seems to know only part of the story. Their investigation soon begins to unveil hidden relationships, private lives, and a few unsettling mysteries...

He thought he knew the risks of going undercover. We are stepping away from the lens of John Woo to explore the eye of Ringo Lam, as we present his iconic 1987 action thriller City On Fire! Ko Chow is an undercover cop who is under pressure from all sides. His boss, Inspector Lau, wants him to infiltrate a gang of ruthless jewel thieves; his girlfriend wants him to commit to marriage or she will leave Hong Kong with another lover; and he is being pursued by other cops who are unaware that he is a colleague. Chow would rather quit the force, feeling guilty about betraying gang members who have become his friends. Stripped of glamour in favor of sweet, sweet desperation, City on Fire replaces operatic heroism with fatalism and realism, helping define a harder edge of Hong Kong action cinema that would echo for decades. Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

It’s Scentsational! We’re inviting you to experience John Waters as he was meant to be seen (and smelled) with Polyester in glorious Odorama!  Francine Fishpaw seems to have it all: a suburban home, a successful husband, and a picture-perfect family. But behind closed doors, her life is falling apart. Her spouse is running a sleazy business, her children are out of control, and scandal lurks around every corner. As Francine’s world spirals into chaos, a mysterious stranger offers a chance at romance…and maybe redemption. Polyester is a Waters-esque send-up of melodrama, packed with outrageous humor and sensory surprises. Make sure to get to the screening early and grab your scratch-and-sniff cards to get the full experience!

The new concert film/documentary Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition is rocking its way to The Frida Cinema for two nights only! With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history! Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.

Our award-winning resident performance troupe K.A.O.S. returns for their celebrated all-costumed, all-choreographed, all-leg-kicking live shadowcast presentation of 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, performed on stage in front of the film! Director Jim (Don’t squeeze the…) Sharman’s cult classic stars Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon as Brad and Janet, two virginal small-town lovers whose car breaks down in the shadows of a creepy old castle, where they encounter an odd collective of “unconventional conventionalists” gathered to witness transvestite scientist’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s latest creation – a muscular man named Rocky. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including tap-dancing Columbia, rocking biker Eddie, and of course, the castle’s “Sweet Transvestite” himself, Frank-N-Furter! Adapted from the 1973 stage musical by Richard O’Brien, this glam cult classic is a cinematic experience unlike any other. Sing-along (and shout-along!) to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a classic that still packs houses 50 years after its initial release! Get your tickets now before it sells out! Doors open at 11:00pm  Official K.A.O.S. preshow starts at 11:30pm!  Movie at midnight! SENSORY WARNING: Flashing Lights and Fog effects may be used during the event. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff. Member discounts and Frida Cinema comp passes not valid.

Just added: James Pax “Lightning” will be joining us for this screening! Aside from appearing as Lightning in Big Trouble in Little China, James has also appeared in such movies as Invasion USA with Chuck Norris, The Dark Knight, Year of the Dragon, and Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects with Charles Bronson. James will join our other guests for a signing before the the film and will also be part of the on stage post Q&A! Jack Burton's in for some serious trouble...and you're in for some serious fun. The Moviebusters are back at The Frida Cinema, and this time they're celebrating the 40th anniversary of the John Carpenter and Kurt Russell's 1986 cult classic Big Trouble In Little China! In addition to the film, we will have guests Alan Howarth, who worked with John Carpenter on the film’s soundtrack, and actor and martial artist Gerald Okamura, who played the Wing Kong Hatchet Man in the film join us after the screening for a Q&A hosted by Scott Zillner! They will also be signing autographs in the lobby before the film begins! Truck driver Jack Burton gets embroiled in a supernatural battle when his best friend Wang Chi's green-eyed fiancée is kidnapped by henchmen of the sorcerer Lo Pan, who must marry a girl with green eyes in order to return to the human realm. This kind of Kung Fu-Western-Sci Fi-Action-Horror genre mashing is common now, but in the 1980s, it was unheard of. Big Trouble In Little China embraced the chaos then, and has become even more beloved as the years have worn on. Come see it on the big screen! This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff. Frida Cinema member discounts and comp passes do not apply.

Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone. Moviebusters are taking us back to the coldest corner of horror history with some encores of John Carpenter's The Thing--now in a new 4K restoration! And as an added bonus, Alan Howarth, a frequent collaborator with John Carpenter, will be joining us for a post-screening Q&A hosted by Scott Zilner! Alan worked closely with composer Ennio Morricone and contributed additional synthesizer-based musical pieces and sound design work for the film. He will be signing autographs in the theater lobby before the film!  What begins as a simple rescue mission at a remote Antarctic outpost quickly dissolves into a nightmare of shape-shifting terror. When a mysterious organism infiltrates U.S. research station Outpost 31, it doesn’t attack its victims...it becomes them. With no way out and no way to tell who’s human, the team must confront an enemy capable of wearing any face...including their own. What can be said about The Thing that hasn't already been said? This 1982 masterpiece redefined paranoia horror, practical effects (by the incredible Ron Botin and his team), and the art of keeping an audience on the very edge of its seat in only a way that the master of horror, John Carpenter, can do. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff. Frida Cinema member discounts and comp passes do not apply.

Season 1, Episode 2 - “Traces to Nowhere”
Original Air Date: April 12, 1990

As Agent Cooper settles into Twin Peaks, he joins Sheriff Truman, Hawk, and the rest of the department in following early leads connected to Laura Palmer’s death, and the disappearance of Ronette Pulaski. Laura’s classmates struggle to process what has happened, while certain citizens begin to come under closer scrutiny. With emotions running high and suspicion spreading through town, Cooper starts to realize that nearly everyone Laura knew may have been seeing a different side of her.

Season 1, Episode 3 - “Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer”
Original Air Date: April 19, 1990

Cooper introduces Sheriff Truman and his deputies to his unorthodox methods, hoping intuition will help unlock details that ordinary police work cannot. At the same time, Audrey Horne’s curiosity leads her to begin poking around on her own, while Donna and James grow closer as they try to make sense of Laura’s hidden life. As dreams, clues, and personal loyalties begin to overlap, the investigation takes on a stranger and more unsettling shape.

Get ready to lock, pop, and break your way down memory lane! On May 11, 2026, The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana will host a highly anticipated theatrical anniversary screening of the 1984 summer blockbuster smash hit, Breakin'! This unforgettable evening will double as a profound tribute to the film’s legendary star, the late Adolfo "Shabba-Doo" Quiñones, taking place on what would have been his 71st birthday. The exclusive anniversary event will be hosted by Vashawn Quiñones, Adolfo's son. Following the screening of the film, Vashawn will conduct an intimate and exclusive Q&A session. He will share personal stories, explore his father's groundbreaking contributions to hip-hop culture, and discuss how the man who famously brought the character Orlando "Ozone" to life earned the undisputed title of "The Godfather of Street Dance." Released in the summer of 1984, Breakin' was a cultural phenomenon that took the world by storm. Grossing over $38 million domestically, it catapulted breakdancing and hip-hop culture from the underground club scenes of Los Angeles into the global mainstream. At the heart of this movement was Adolfo "Shabba-Doo" Quiñones. Before lighting up the silver screen, Quiñones was a founding member of the pioneering dance group The Original Lockers, where he helped innovate and popularize the "locking" style of street dance. His unparalleled talent eventually led him to choreograph and perform for some of the biggest names in music history, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and Chaka Khan. Through his explosive footwork, natural charisma, and visionary choreography, Shabba-Doo forever changed the landscape of modern dance. "My father's legacy is etched into every spin, pop, and lock you see in street dance today," says Vashawn Quiñones, "Celebrating the 42nd anniversary of Breakin' on his birthday is the perfect way to honor his memory, his artistry, and the lasting impact he left on dancers and fans all over the world." Fans of the film, dance enthusiasts, and lovers of 80s pop culture are invited to experience the electric boogaloo magic on the big screen once again and pay homage to a true cultural icon.

We're trading in trench coats for tuxedos with the charming romantic classic Sabrina, doing double duty for our Classic Movie Nights series as well as Bogie Fest! Sabrina Fairchild (Audrey Hepburn) has long pined for the carefree playboy David Larrabee (William Holden), but after a transformative trip to Paris, she returns as a poised and captivating young woman who suddenly turns heads, including David’s. Concerned that his brother’s romantic entanglement could jeopardize a major business deal, the stern and work-obsessed Linus Larrabee (Humphrey Bogart) steps in to distract Sabrina...only to find himself unexpectedly falling for her. Directed by Billy Wilder with his signature mix of wit and romantic tension, Sabrina earned multiple Academy Awards nominations and won for Best Costume Design, thanks in part to its iconic Parisian-inspired wardrobe. The film remains a high point of classic Hollywood romance, elevated by Hepburn’s radiant performance and the unlikely but compelling pairing of Bogart and Holden. Make sure to get to the screening early, as our Marketing Director Bekah will be doing a very informative and entertaining presentation on the film before it starts!

She’s having the baby. Whether she wants to or not. Our friends at See It On 16mm are back to unspool a very special IB Technicolor print of the 1968 horror masterpiece Rosemary's Baby! One of the most elegant and deeply unsettling horror films ever made, Rosemary’s Baby is the definitive domestic nightmare. Based on Ira Levin’s bestselling novel, the film follows Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), a young wife who moves into a storied New York apartment building with her ambitious husband Guy (John Cassavetes). But as strange neighbors grow intrusive and Rosemary’s pregnancy becomes increasingly terrifying, paranoia gives way to a far more sinister truth. The unbearable slow-burn dread and suffocating portrait of gaslighting and control that Rosemary's Baby presents keeps it as a landmark of psychological horror and must be seen on the big screen with an unsuspecting crowd. Now…say your prayers. Rosemary is expecting.

He’s back for the first time! When an influx of illegal weapons trafficking explodes onto the scene, a grieving blind police officer must purge the city streets or risk mass chaos breaking loose. After a big time East Coast roadshow the smash hit indie action-comedy Blind Cop 2 is exploding onto the big screen for the first time in the West Coast! Come see the absurdly hilarious and outrageously over the top micro budget movie that has been blowing audiences away around the world!  Alec Bonk (Writer/Director), Augustin Huffman (Co-Writer/DP), and Isaac McKinnon (Co-Star/Co-Writer) will be joining us after the screening for a Q&A! So stick around and they will answer all your hard hitting questions about how they made an indie action flick with basically no money. "Indie send-up of ‘80s action films that is becoming a cult favorite. And, no, there is no “Blind Cop 1” -Houston chronicle

Join us for California premiere of Director Jeff Shulman's new film What It Takes! The documentary follows two different stories set on opposite coasts share more in common than meets the eye. The shared arc of their lives reveals the devastation that substance use disorder leaves in its wake, the power of a little grace, and how love can light the path to redemption. Content Advisory: This film contains mature language, adult themes, and discussions of addiction and recovery that may be triggering for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. Appearing in the film: Sheriff Karl Leonard, Kerri Rhodes, Craig Fordham Jr, Earl Thomas, Kevin Wheeler, Amin Wright, Ashlee Poch, Elizabeth Poch, Jason Poch, Trevor Poch, Gilbert Isaac, and Andrea Gillette Directed by Jeff Shulman Cinematography by Steven Fong, Jawfox Productions, and Jeff Shulman Finishing Editing by Steven Fong

The nearer they get to their treasure, the farther they get from the law. Bogie Fest heads south of the border for one of the greatest adventure dramas ever put to film: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre! Directed by John Huston, this gripping tale of greed and survival unfolds in the rugged mountains of Mexico, where desperation and fortune are two sides to the same coin.  Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart), a down-on-his-luck drifter, teams up with fellow American Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) and a seasoned old prospector, Howard (Walter Huston), to strike gold in the Sierra Madre. What begins as a hopeful quest for riches slowly unravels into a tense psychological battle, as paranoia and mistrust creep in and threaten to destroy everything they’ve worked for. With its stark realism, iconic lines (“We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”), and one hell of a performance from our beloved Bogie, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre remains a towering achievement in classic cinema. Walter Huston’s colorful turn as the wise and weathered Howard earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while his son, John Huston, took home Oscars for Best Director and Best Screenplay!

Season 1, Episode 4 - “Rest in Pain”
Original Air Date: April 26, 1990

The town gathers for Laura Palmer’s funeral, an emotional occasion that reveals just how many lives were tied to hers in complicated ways. As an emotionally raw town continues to process their grief, their continually mysterious behavior raises new questions for Agent Cooper.

Season 1, Episode 5 - “The One-Armed Man”
Original Air Date: May 3, 1990

Cooper follows an eerie trail of clues that leads him toward a mysterious one-armed man, while Sarah Palmer experiences frightening visions that suggest Laura’s death may be connected to something larger and enigmatic. Donna and James continue searching for answers on their own, while Audrey uses her charm to get closer to the adults and institutions surrounding the case. With each new encounter, the investigation grows stranger, more surreal, and more dangerous.

We’re cranking up the jukebox and continuing to celebrate the irresistible rebel spirit of John Waters with a double dose of his 1980s rock and roll flicks: Hairspray and Cry-Baby! Hairspray: In 1960s Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad lands a spot on a popular local dance show. As she rises to fame, she uses her newfound platform to challenge racial segregation on the program, clashing with snobby rivals and narrow-minded authority figures along the way. With the support of her friends and family, Tracy proves that change can start on the dance floor! Cry-Baby: In a stylized 1950s Baltimore, tensions run high between the clean-cut “Squares” and the rebellious “Drapes.” When straight-laced Allison falls for Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, a motorcycle-riding outsider with a reputation for trouble, their romance sparks outrage on both sides. As rivalries escalate and loyalties are tested, the two must decide whether love is worth defying the rules of their divided world. Packed with catchy songs and Waters’ signature ability to mix satire and sincerity, these two films prove that the weirdos will always have the last dance. There will be a 10 minute intermission between the films. One ticket gets you access to both!

Hidden by darkness. Guarded by witches. Discovered by a boy. Stolen by a king. Whoever owns it will rule the world. Or destroy it! Cinematic Void is back at The Frida Cinema to present a slightly-late 40th anniversary screening of Disney's rarely-screened gem The Black Cauldron! Taran is an assistant pigkeeper with boyish dreams of becoming a great warrior. However, he has to put the daydreaming aside when his charge, an oracular pig named Hen Wen, is kidnapped by an evil lord known as the Horned King. The villain hopes Hen will show him the way to The Black Cauldron, which has the power to create a giant army of unstoppable soldiers. This event is co-presented by both Cinematic Void and The American Cinematheque! Member discounts do apply!

He killed...and there on the crest of Sierra's highest crag...he must be killed! We're hitting the road with one of the defining films of Humphrey Bogart's early stardom: High Sierra! This gritty crime drama finds Bogie stepping into a role that helped transform him from supporting heavy into full-fledged leading man. Bogart stars as Roy “Mad Dog” Earle, a hardened criminal freshly released from prison and pulled into one last heist in the mountains of California. As he assembles his crew and plans the job, Roy crosses paths with Velma (Joan Leslie), an innocent young woman he becomes unexpectedly devoted to, and Marie (Ida Lupino), a tough, world-weary drifter who sees through him more clearly than anyone else. Successfully mixing a gangster film intensity with a tragic romance, High Sierra builds toward a tense and unforgettable finale high in the Sierra Nevada. The film cemented Bogart’s ability to bring depth and vulnerability to dangerous men, hinting at the layered performances that would define his greatest roles.

Season 1, Episode 6 - “Cooper’s Dreams”
Original Air Date: May 10, 1990

After Cooper has a vivid dream that suggests a new way of understanding the case, he shares its cryptic details with Sheriff Truman. Audrey pushes further into her own private investigation, while Donna and James discover a clue that points them toward one of Laura’s secret relationships.

Season 1, Episode 7 - “Realization Time”
Original Air Date: May 17, 1990

Cooper and the sheriff’s department move quickly as pieces of Laura Palmer’s life begin to align, bringing several suspects and secrets into sharper focus. Donna, James, and Laura's cousin Maddy Ferguson find themselves drawn together as they attempt to understand what Laura had been hiding, while Audrey’s curiosity places her closer to danger than she may realize.

Season 1, Episode 8 - “The Last Evening”
Original Air Date: May 23, 1990

As the first season comes to a close with a massive cliffhanger, several major storylines collide over the course of a single eventful evening. Cooper closes in on new information, tensions rise among the town’s young couples, and Audrey continues to explore a world she only partly understands.

Bad Things Happen At The Happiest Place On Earth... Join for a special one night only screening of the buzzy new documentary Stolen Kingdom! And make sure to stick around after the screening for an in-person Q&A with director Joshua Bailey and producer Brandon Pickering! Directed by Joshua Bailey in his feature directorial debut, the 74-minute documentary follows the history of urban exploration around Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, and the people who break into closed or closing attractions around the park to document the infrastructure. Some of the figures covered include anonymous figures in the community, who documented and explored closed rides and attractions such as Horizons, Discovery Island, and River Country.

Our Hallucinations series heads to the seaside one final time (for this sub-series, at least) for director Jerzy Skolimowski's The Shout! Adapted from Robert Graves’ short story, The Shout follows a mysterious traveler, Crossley, who takes advantage of a young couple’s hospitality. Claiming to have learned an Aboriginal ‘terror shout,’ Crossley threatens the couple’s safety and sanity.  Skolimowski’s film is dreamlike and disorienting, playing out like a hallucination (see what we did there?). It's not a conventional horror movie by any means, using fractured timelines and the barren English coastal to slowly create an existential nightmare.  Hosted by Polygon’s editor-in-chief Chris Plante, Hallucinations is a monthly event that spotlights movies that challenge our expectations of story, style, and “good taste”. We invite guests to bond over films that change what we expect from the medium, the world, and themselves. So come early, stay late, make friends, and watch something strange, surprising, or just shamelessly sick.

Our Starring Natalie Wood series kicks off with the iconic 1955 Nicholas Ray landmark drama Rebel Without A Cause, in which she co-stars as Judy, going toe-to-toe with big fellow big screen icon James Dean. She earned herself an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the role--the first of her career. After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato, and falls for local girl Judy. However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz. When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin. This Summer, we are celebrating the unforgettable star power of Natalie Wood with a quartet of films that showcase the unique blend of charisma and emotional intensity that made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen icons. This series is co-presented by the amazing folks over at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton as part of their exhibit More Than Love: The Life & Art of Natalie Wood!

Season 2, Episode 1 - “May the Giant Be with You”
Original Air Date: September 30, 1990

In the aftermath of the previous night’s chaos, Cooper receives a visit from an enigmatic giant who offers him three cryptic clues. Around town, Audrey’s fate remains uncertain, the Palmers continue to unravel, and the investigation shifts as new information emerges from unexpected places.

Season 2, Episode 2 - “Coma”
Original Air Date: October 6, 1990

The sheriff’s department follows up on the giant’s clues. Donna and James pursue their own suspicions, Audrey returns to a changed home life, and the people around the Palmer house struggle to move through grief that still feels raw and unresolved.

Every mom wants to be wanted, but not for murder! Our John Waters retrospective is reaching its bittersweet conclusion with us screening his 1994 suburban nightmare-comedy Serial Mom! Beverly Sutphin seems like the perfect housewife: devoted mother, loving spouse, and model member of her community. But behind her cheerful demeanor lies a deadly secret...she has a habit of murdering anyone who offends her sense of decency, from rude neighbors to ill-mannered strangers, all while maintaining her pristine suburban image. Serial Mom proves once again that in Waters’ world, good taste is meant to be destroyed, and Kathleen Turner's iconic performance as Beverly finds both of him having a lot of fun being bad. Please join us to give this series the send-off it deserves!

We're setting sail for our next film of Bogie Fest, venturing into one his most intense and morally grey performances: The Caine Mutiny! Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk, this gripping naval drama unfolds aboard a U.S. Navy minesweeper during World War II, where tensions simmer just beneath the surface. Humphrey Bogart delivers a fascinating, against-type performance as Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg, the tightly wound and increasingly unstable captain of the USS Caine. As the crew, including Lt. Steve Maryk (Van Johnson), and the cynical communications officer Tom Keefer (Fred MacMurray), begins to question Queeg’s judgment, a crisis at sea leads to a fateful decision that sparks a court-martial and a battle over sanity. Best remembered for its riveting courtroom climax and Bogart’s unforgettable “strawberries” monologue, The Caine Mutiny earned multiple Academy Awards nominations, including Best Actor for Bogart. His portrayal of Queeg is one of the boldest of his career, trading cool confidence for psychological fragility.

Witness action cinema pushed to its absolute physical limits with Police Story + Police Story, a double featuring Jackie Chan, the filmmaker-performer who redefined what a movie star would risk for the camera. A smash hit that made him a worldwide icon of daredevil action spectacle, the director/star/one-man stunt machine plays Ka-Kui, a Hong Kong police inspector who goes rogue to bring down a drug kingpin and protect the case’s star witness (Chinese cinema legend Brigitte Lin) from retribution. Packed wall-to-wall with charmingly goofball slapstick and astoundingly acrobatic fight choreography, including an epic shopping-mall melee of flying fists and shattered glass, Police Story set a new standard for rock-’em-sock-’em mayhem. Then, after a quick ten minute intermission, Jackie is back! Having been demoted to a lowly traffic cop for his, ahem, unorthodox policing methods, Chan’s go-it-alone officer Ka-Kui quits the force in protest. But it isn’t long before he’s back in action, racing the clock to stop a band of serial bombers and win back his much-put-upon girlfriend May (the phenomenal Maggie Cheung, reprising her star-making role). Boasting epic explosions, an awesomely 1980s electro soundtrack, and a showstopping finale that turns an abandoned warehouse into a life-size pinball machine of cascading oil drums, collapsing scaffolds, and shooting fireworks, Police Story 2 confirmed Chan’s status as a performer of unparalleled grace and daring. There will be a ten minute intermission between each film. One ticket gets you access to both movies! Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

Season 2, Episode 3 - “The Man Behind Glass”
Original Air Date: October 13, 1990

New suspects, new locations, and a strange clue hidden in plain sight send Cooper and Truman in a fresh direction, while Donna and James test the boundaries of how far they are willing to go in search of answers. Audrey continues navigating the influence of her father Benjamin Horne and the world surrounding the Great Northern, and Lucy, Andy, and Deputy Dick Tremaine bring a more awkward kind of tension to the station.

Season 2, Episode 4 - “Laura’s Secret Diary”
Original Air Date: October 20, 1990

Local recluse Harold Smith becomes central to Donna and Maddy’s search for the missing diary that may explain some of Laura’s secret life. Cooper and Truman continue pursuing clues that point toward both human suspects, and something less easily defined.

Season 2, Episode 5 - “The Orchid’s Curse”
Original Air Date: October 27, 1990

Cooper’s investigation begins stretching beyond Twin Peaks as he uncovers connections that may link Laura’s death to similar crimes elsewhere. Donna and Maddy’s attempt to get close to Harold places them in delicate territory, while Audrey continues using her access and intelligence to uncover information that others miss.

Join us for a special one-off screening of the new indie addiction drama Withdrawal. And stick around after the screening as we present an in-person Q&A with Director Aaron Strand and Cinematographer Emily Marquet! Artistic lovers Viv and Jay are trapped in a vicious cycle of codependent heroin addiction. When Viv's wealthy parents hire an interventionist to take her to rehab, the couple decides to go it alone with nothing but a suboxone prescription and each other. All they have to do is survive one harrowing night of withdrawal. As the hours tick by, physical, mental, and emotional torments send them searching through fractured memories, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.  Raw, unflinching, and shockingly funny, Withdrawal was shot primarily on miniDV in Athens, Georgia. Winner of 12 awards on the festival circuit including Best Feature/Best Director at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival and Best Actress at the Kanazawa Film Festival. Film Threat calls it "the best film about addiction since Requiem for a Dream." 

The second film in our Starring Natalie Wood series is Splendor In The Grass, co-starring Warren Beatty in his screen debut! Wood's performance garnered her the second Oscar nomination of her career, this time Best Actress! The story follows a small-town Kansas teenager whose passionate romance collides with the strict social expectations of the late 1920s. As heartbreak begins to take its toll, she’s forced to confront the fragile line between desire and despair. This Summer, we are celebrating the unforgettable star power of Natalie Wood with a quartet of films that showcase the unique blend of charisma and emotional intensity that made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen icons. This series is co-presented by the amazing folks over at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton as part of their exhibit More Than Love: The Life & Art of Natalie Wood!

Join us for a special one-off screening of the new film Matador Bolero, starring Kansas Bowling and Yves Tumor (in their acting debut)! And stick around after the screening for a special Q&A with director Jonathan Rosado and producer Nicolette Wilkey!  The story follows a New York nightclub, The Matador, that becomes the site of a high-profile murder that attracts the attention of an obsessive detective, a TV news reporter, and an elusive being living outside the realms of time and space. Their stories converge with that of a new-age cult operating at the command of an ultra-intelligent supercomputer named Bolero. A love letter to 70s exploitation cinema, Matador Bolero promises a genre-mashing and psychedelic trip to the movies!

Season 2, Episode 6 - “Demons”
Original Air Date: November 3, 1990

With pressure mounting from all sides, Cooper and Truman move closer to identifying the forces behind Laura Palmer’s death. Leland's increasingly erratic behavior draws uneasy attention, and Ben Horne remains entangled in business and family conflicts that ripple outward. The case grows darker as personal grief and supernatural dread begin to overlap.

Season 2, Episode 7 - “Lonely Souls”
Original Air Date: November 10, 1990

As several long-running threads finally converge, Cooper and the sheriff’s department race to act on information that could bring them face to face with Laura’s killer. Donna, James, and Maddy continue to follow Laura’s trail, while events at the Roadhouse and the Palmer home take on an almost unbearable intensity.

Season 2, Episode 8 - “Drive with a Dead Girl”
Original Air Date: November 17, 1990

The town struggles to absorb the consequences of what has been revealed, and the investigation begins shifting away from one question and toward several others. Cooper tries to steady himself after a breakthrough that has changed everything, while Donna, James, and the Palmers each respond to the truth in very different ways.

Our Classic Movie Nights is diving headfirst into the deliciously catty world of The Women, a glammed-up showcase of all-out social warfare! Society wife Mary Haines (Norma Shearer) seems to have it all, until whispers start circulating that her husband is having an affair with a predatory perfume clerk. What follows is a cluster-mess through high society circles as Mary navigates the uniquely cutthroat support system of her all-female friend group, including the sharp-tongued Sylvia Fowler (Rosalind Russell) and the endlessly naive Peggy (Joan Fontaine). Directed by George Cukor, The Women is famous for its entirely female cast—no men appear on screen—and its dazzling blend of biting dialogue and high-fashion spectacle, including a legendary Technicolor fashion show sequence. Adapted from Clare Boothe Luce’s hit play, the film remains a masterclass in ensemble performance and unapologetic melodrama, where every line lands like a perfectly aimed dart. Make sure to get to the screening early, as our Marketing Director Bekah will be doing a very informative and entertaining presentation on the film before it starts!

Who wants to cook Aloo Gobi when you can bend a ball like Beckham? We're celebrating the World Cup and Pride Month with two ultra-rare screenings of Bend It Like Beckham, presented by our friends over at the Orange County Soccer Club! Jess Bhamra, the daughter of a strict Indian couple in London, is not permitted to play organized soccer, even though she is 18. When Jess is playing for fun one day, her impressive skills are seen by Jules Paxton, who then convinces Jess to play for her semi-pro team. Jess uses elaborate excuses to hide her matches from her family while also dealing with her romantic feelings for her coach, Joe. Endlessly quotable and packed with charm, this early-2000s nostalgic classic hits the sweet spot by blending sports movie thrills with a fresh and funny look at identity. Chase your goals!

Fear and fury are sizzling in the Florida Keys! We're attempting to ride out the storm with our next Bogie Fest entry: Key Largo! This hurricane-lashed drama brings Humphrey Bogart together once more with Lauren Bacall in a story where danger rises with the tide. Set in a remote Florida Keys hotel, war veteran Frank McCloud (Bogie himself) arrives to visit the family of a fallen comrade, only to find himself trapped as a powerful storm bears down. The hotel is then seized by a gang of mobsters led by the ruthless Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson doing his very best Edward G. Robinson impression), a larger-than-life crime boss whose presence turns the claustrophobic setting into a pressure cooker of fear and defiance. As the winds howl outside, tensions escalate within, and McCloud must decide whether to remain the detached observer he claims to be...or take a stand against tyranny. Anchored by crackling dialogue and powerhouse performances, Key Largo is a bit underrated these days, sometimes lost in the sea of masterpieces that director John Huston bestowed upon us.

Season 2, Episode 9 - “Arbitrary Law”
Original Air Date: November 24, 1990

Cooper, Truman, and the others try to bring order to the aftermath of the case as legal questions, emotional fallout, and lingering mysteries remain unresolved. Major characters are forced to reckon with what has happened, while the town searches for a way forward after months of fear and suspicion.

Season 2, Episode 10 - “Dispute Between Brothers”
Original Air Date: December 1, 1990

With Laura Palmer’s case no longer the sole focus, attention shifts to the strange dynamics between Benjamin Horne and his brother Jerry, as well as the schemes, affairs, and ambitions unfolding across town. Cooper finds himself facing professional complications of his own, and Sheriff Truman must navigate new tensions inside and outside the department.

Season 2, Episode 11 - “Masked Ball”
Original Air Date: December 8, 1990

As new dangers begin to take shape, Cooper continues investigating suspicious activity tied to the town’s criminal undercurrents, while Audrey becomes more deeply entangled in her father’s complicated world. Shelly and Bobby’s relationship faces new pressures, and James meets an alluring woman that pulls him away from town.

Love finds a way...even in the middle of a war. The third film in our four film Starring Natalie Wood tribute is West Side Story, where she shines as Maria alongside other screen icons Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn, and George Chakiris! In Manhattan’s Upper West Side, rival gangs of Polish-Americans and newly arrived Puerto Ricans clash for control of the neighborhood, even as two young members from opposite sides fall dangerously in love. Featuring unforgettable songs by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, this landmark musical remains one of cinema’s most vibrant expressions of youthful hope and heartbreak. This Summer, we are celebrating the unforgettable star power of Natalie Wood with a quartet of films that showcase the unique blend of charisma and emotional intensity that made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen icons. This series is co-presented by the amazing folks over at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton as part of their exhibit More Than Love: The Life & Art of Natalie Wood!

Just added: Director Ted Nicolaou and actress Diane Franklin will be joining us for this after this screening a special in-person Q&A! People of Earth: your planet is about to be destroyed...we're terribly sorry for the inconvenience. Our friends at HorrorBuzz are back to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of the most gloriously bonkers creature features of the 1980s: TerrorVision! When the ultra-quirky Putterman family installs a new satellite dish, they accidentally beam in more than late-night cable. A grotesque alien known as the Hungry Beast materializes in their home, and soon the eccentric clan is fighting for survival as the creature slithers through their pastel nightmare of a mansion, devouring everything in sight! Horror Movie Night takes filmgoing to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Pres-how, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream. Doors open and video pre-show video begins promptly at 7:30 pm. Games, prizes, and short film begin at 8:00PM. Feature starts at 8:30PM. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

Season 2, Episode 12 - “The Black Widow”
Original Air Date: January 12, 1991

The town’s romantic entanglements, family tensions, and private agendas continue to multiply. Norma and Ed remain caught between old feelings and present obligations, and Audrey struggles with the limits of what she can control inside the Horne family.

Season 2, Episode 13 - “Checkmate”
Original Air Date: January 19, 1991

A contest of wits begins to take shape as Cooper faces off against powerful figures working behind the scenes, and several residents of Twin Peaks pursue their own strategic moves. Andrew Packard’s return complicates life for Catherine Martell and Pete, while Ben Horne starts slipping further into a world of fantasy and self-reinvention.

Season 2, Episode 14 - “Double Play”
Original Air Date: January 26, 1991

As one storyline rooted in small-town intrigue and another veering into noir melodrama, the town’s overlapping schemes continue to collide as Cooper follows new leads, Audrey tries to prove herself in a world of adult secrets and business manipulations, and James, now far from home, finds himself drawn into a dangerous and emotionally complicated situation involving a mysterious older woman.

Our Bogie Fest series begins to wind down with The Big Sleep, Howard Hawks' noir adaptation of Raymond Chandler's iconic novel. Private detective Philip Marlowe (played by Humphrey Bogart) is hired by the wealthy General Sternwood to investigate a blackmail scheme involving his daughter, Carmen. What begins as a straightforward case unravels into a clustermess of murder and corruption, as Marlowe discovers connections to organized crime. Along the way, he encounters the General’s other daughter, the sharp-witted and enigmatic Vivian (portrayed by Lauren Bacall) with whom he shares a smoldering chemistry. Known for its moody cinematography and the world famous Bogie and Bacall on-screen chemistry, The Big Sleep remains a defining work of the noir genre, celebrated for its stylish complexity.

Season 2, Episode 15 - “Slaves and Masters”
Original Air Date: February 2, 1991

As Windom Earle’s presence begins to loom larger, Cooper finds himself facing a threat that is both strategic and deeply personal. Around town, Nadine’s unexpected return to high school creates complications for Ed and Norma, while James remains entangled in a dangerous situation with Evelyn Marsh.

Season 2, Episode 16 - “The Condemned Woman”
Original Air Date: February 9, 1991

Cooper and Truman continue tracking Windom Earle as new information sharpens the outline of his plans, while tension builds around Josie Packard as her position in Twin Peaks becomes increasingly complicated. Catherine, Andrew, and Ben remain locked in a shifting power struggle, and Audrey continues trying to assert herself within her family’s complicated business dealings.

Season 2, Episode 17 - “Wounds and Scars”
Original Air Date: February 16, 1991

As Cooper reflects on his past and his connection to Windom Earle, the investigation takes on a more introspective tone, blending personal history with present danger. James attempts to escape the situation he has been pulled into, while relationships across Twin Peaks strain under the weight of secrets, regret, and unresolved emotion. The episode focuses on the lasting impact of earlier events, showing how deeply they continue to shape the present.

Twin Peaks: The Complete Series, David Lynch’s entire three-season television show, continues with episodes screening every Sunday night through September 20th, 2026.

A lethal secret arsenal was left behind in the jungle of Vietnam. Their job: find it and destroy it! Legendary actor-director Sammo Hung delivers a bazooka blast of pure adrenaline with Eastern Condors, an exemplar of Hong Kong action cinema at its most entertaining. Drawing inspiration from Hollywood war films like The Dirty Dozen, Eastern Condors follows a ragtag band of Asian American prisoners dropped into Vietnam on a secret suicide mission to prevent a cache of weapons from falling into the hands of the Viet Cong, who are more than ready for a fight. Propelled by a dynamic ensemble cast that includes the ever-charismatic Yuen Biao as a black-market trader and a superhuman Yuen Wah as a giggling martial-arts monster, this rip-roaring spectacle offers a nonstop barrage of turbocharged set pieces that defy gravity itself. Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

Season 2, Episode 18 - “On the Wings of Love”
Original Air Date: February 23, 1991

Relationships across Twin Peaks begin shifting in new and surprising directions, as characters act on long-held feelings and uncertain loyalties. Ben Horne’s increasingly strange behavior creates confusion within his family and business, while Cooper and Truman continue monitoring developments tied to Windom Earle.

Season 2, Episode 19 - “Variations on Relations”
Original Air Date: March 2, 1991

As Windom Earle’s influence spreads, connections between characters continue to rearrange themselves, often with unintended consequences. Bobby, Shelly, Audrey, Donna, and others navigate relationships that seem increasingly fragile, while Cooper works to understand the broader pattern behind recent events.

Season 2, Episode 20 - “The Path to the Black Lodge”
Original Air Date: March 9, 1991

Cooper and Major Briggs begin confronting ideas that suggest Twin Peaks is connected to something far older and more metaphysical than a conventional criminal case. As clues point toward the mysterious Black Lodge, Windom Earle becomes more active and more dangerous, and the town’s various storylines begin gravitating toward a shared and ominous center.

The final film in our Starring Natalie Wood retrospective is the oft-requested The Great Race, the movie that paired her with the iconic duo of Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis for an affectionate throwback to silent-era spectacle and early Hollywood farce! Professional daredevil and white-suited hero, The Great Leslie, convinces turn-of-the-century auto makers that a race from New York to Paris (westward across America, the Bering Straight and Russia) will help to promote automobile sales. Leslie's arch-rival, the mustached and black-attired Professor Fate vows to beat Leslie to the finish line in a car of Fate's own invention. Ms. Wood leans fully into broad comedy here, delivering rapid-fire dialogue and playful physical humor, a fun contrast to some of the her more intense performances covered in this series. This Summer, we are celebrating the unforgettable star power of Natalie Wood with a quartet of films that showcase the unique blend of charisma and emotional intensity that made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen icons. This series is co-presented by the amazing folks over at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton as part of their exhibit More Than Love: The Life & Art of Natalie Wood!

Season 2, Episode 21 - “Miss Twin Peaks”
Original Air Date: April 10, 1991

The town prepares for the Miss Twin Peaks pageant, bringing Audrey, Donna, Lana Milford, and many familiar faces together for a public celebration shaped by private tensions, and looming danger. Cooper and Truman remain focused on Windom Earle, while romantic complications and personal rivalries unfold behind the scenes.

Season 2, Episode 22 - “Beyond Life and Death”
Original Air Date: June 10, 1991

As Windom Earle’s plans reach their culmination, Cooper is drawn into the deepest and most mysterious elements of the world surrounding Twin Peaks. The aftermath of the pageant leaves several characters in danger, and long-running storylines converge in ways that feel both intimate and otherworldly. The season finale pushes fully into surreal, nightmarish territory, culminating with a haunting final scene.

Our Classic Movie Nights series is stepping into the courtroom for a battle of the sexes with the sparkling romantic comedy Adam's Rib, starring the incomparable Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy! Married lawyers Amanda and Adam Bonner find themselves on opposing sides of a headline-grabbing case: Amanda defends a woman who shot her unfaithful husband, while Adam takes on the prosecution. What starts as a legal dispute quickly spills into their personal lives, as debates over marriage itself turn their once-harmonious relationship into a witty war zone. With the ever-scandalous neighbor Kip Lurie (David Wayne) stirring the pot, tensions run high. Directed by George Cukor and written by the husband-and-wife team of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, Adam’s Rib is a masterclass in screwball dialogue and chemistry, showcasing one of classic Hollywood’s most iconic screen pairings at their absolute best. Make sure to get to the screening early, as our Marketing Director Bekah will be doing a very informative and entertaining presentation on the film before it starts!

Closing out our Bogie Fest series, celebrating the legendary performances of Hollywood icon Humprey Bogart, is Nicholas Ray's 1950 masterpiece In A Lonely Place! Bogart plays Dixon Steele, a Hollywood screenwriter with talent to spare and a temper he can’t quite control. When a young woman he briefly encounters turns up dead, suspicion settles on him almost immediately. And the unsettling part is…it doesn’t feel entirely misplaced. What makes In a Lonely Place stand out in a filmography stacked full of classics is how it subverts expectations of the noir genre. Directed with a quiet intensity, letting silences stretch and emotions simmer, the violence occasionally erupts in very upsetting aways. And Bogart, often the embodiment of control, lets something fray at the edges here. His Dix is charming enough...until he's not.

From the Land Beyond Beyond…From The World Past Hope and Fear…The Frida Cinema is proud to present a brand new 4K restoration of the most influential fantasy adventures ever made: Ray Harryhausen’s The 7th Voyage of Sinbad! See it the way audiences did in 1958, larger than life on the big screen! This special event includes a rare on-screen video appearance by child star Richard Eyer, along with two additional George Pal Academy Award®-winning Puppetoons, celebrating the golden age of fantasy filmmaking. In this landmark stop-motion adventure, the legendary sailor Sinbad journeys to the mysterious Island of Colossa to save Princess Parisa, his fiancée, who has been magically shrunken by the evil sorcerer Sokurah. Along the way Sinbad confronts a towering Cyclops, battles a sword-wielding animated skeleton in one of the most famous duels in motion picture history, faces a giant two-headed Roc, and ultimately fights a fire-breathing dragon in a spectacular fantasy climax--adventure, monsters, and magic Featuring groundbreaking Dynamation effects by Ray Harryhausen and a thunderous, unforgettable score by Bernard Herrmann! The 7th Voyage of Sinbad became one of the top-grossing films of 1958 and helped redefine fantasy filmmaking for generations to come--a giant-screen fantasy experience that launched a thousand filmmakers. Its influence can be seen in the work of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, John Landis, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker and many others. Hosted by producer-director Arnold Leibovit, who was inspired by the film as a child, later met and directed Ray Harryhausen in The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal, and stayed in touch with him for over 30 years. Leibovit also had the opportunity to meet George Pal and correspond with him for more than a year, and became a longtime friend of Pal’s widow, Mrs. Zsoka Pal. For decades, he has worked to restore and preserve the Puppetoons and carry forward the legacy of classic fantasy filmmaking. In 2008, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” and hailed as one of the finest fantasy films ever made, noted for its stunning color photography, imaginative creatures, and Bernard Herrmann’s thrilling score.   Doors open at 6:00PM and the show starts at 7:00PM! Tickets are $20 to this event. Frida Cinema comp passes and member discounts do not apply. 

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 1
Original Air Date: May 21, 2017

Twenty-five years after the conclusion of Season Two, the world of Twin Peaks expands to a network of places, characters, and mysteries stretching far beyond the state of Washington. In New York, a young man is hired to watch a mysterious glass box, while in Buckhorn, South Dakota, a grisly murder case begins raising strange questions. Elsewhere, Agent Cooper reappears under deeply unusual circumstances, as the new series immediately establishes a broader, darker, and more fragmented canvas.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 2
Original Air Date: May 21, 2017

As a dangerous doppelgänger appears, a confused and disoriented Cooper finds himself trapped in unfamiliar territory.  Meanwhile, law enforcement officers try to make sense of bizarre evidence surrounding the murder in South Dakota, as familiar names and places return in altered form. The result is a continuation that feels both recognizably Lynchian, and startlingly new.

Each holds a secret power...together they face the ultimate evil! We're harnessing the supernova star power of cinema icons Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, and Anita Mui in a gloriously unrestrained action extravaganza double feature of The Heroic Trio + Executioners! From genre maestro Johnnie To, the story follows three knife-throwing, shotgun-toting, kung-fu-fighting super-heroines who must overcome their dark pasts in order to defeat an evil, baby-snatching eunuch who is terrorizing Hong Kong. Eye-popping motorcycle stunts, brain-exploding skeletons, infant cannibals, and kinetically choreographed wire work are all part of the delirium in this unstoppably entertaining cult favorite (referenced in Cheung’s international breakthrough Irma Vep), a kick-butt showcase for three of the coolest women warriors to ever hit the screen. There will be a ten minute intermission between each film. One ticket gets you access to both movies! Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 3
Original Air Date: May 21, 2017

Cooper’s attempt to navigate his strange new condition leads him through some of the most abstract and visually arresting material in the entire series, as spaces, identities, and physical laws all seem to blur. Meanwhile, the doppelgänger continues moving across the country with chilling purpose, leaving violence and confusion in his wake.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 4
Original Air Date: May 28, 2017

Back in Twin Peaks, Sheriff Frank Truman, Hawk, Andy, and Lucy begin reconnecting with unresolved threads from the town’s past, while Gordon Cole (David Lynch himself!), Albert Rosenfield, and agent Tammy Preston pursue a federal investigation with possible ties to Cooper. Meanwhile, Janey-E and young Sonny Jim are introduced to a version of Cooper who is present, but not fully himself.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 5
Original Air Date: June 4, 2017

As Dougie Jones moves awkwardly through home life and office life, those around him begin reacting to his blankness in ways that are comic, tender, and increasingly consequential. In Twin Peaks, Becky Burnett and Steven bring a younger generation’s turmoil into the story, while Red, Shelly, and others suggest that the town’s troubles have hardly disappeared with time.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 6
Original Air Date: June 11, 2017

Dougie’s strange luck continues to carry him through situations he can barely understand, while Janey-E finds herself forced to fiercely protect their household. In Twin Peaks, Richard Horne’s volatility becomes impossible to ignore, and Carl Rodd reappears as a quiet witness to the town’s pain and sadness.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 7
Original Air Date: June 18, 2017

The investigation begins to gather momentum as Gordon, Albert, and Tammy work through evidence tied to Cooper’s doppelgänger, while Sheriff Truman and Hawk continue following clues buried deep in Twin Peaks history. Ben and Beverly’s emotionally charged scenes introduce yet another complicated relationship into the mix, and several mysteries begin to hint at patterns to be resolved as, piece by piece, the larger shape of the story starts coming into view.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 8
Original Air Date: June 25, 2017

One of the most audacious episodes in television history, Part 8 detours into the origins of terror, violence, and perhaps evil itself, using a dazzling blend of sound, image, and nightmare logic. The doppelgänger's fate intersects with forces that feel cosmic in scale, and the episode reaches backward into mid-century America to suggest how long these shadows have been gathering. It is both a mythic expansion of Twin Peaks, and a singular audiovisual experience we can't wait to share on the big screen.

Our Classic Movie Nights series is headed out West as we present the trailblazing Gary Cooper film High Noon! Will Kane, the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, learns a notorious outlaw he put in jail has been freed, and will be arriving on the noon train. Knowing the outlaw and his gang are coming to kill him, Kane is determined to stand his ground, so he attempts to gather a posse from among the local townspeople. High Noon holds a massive legacy as an Oscar-winning revisionist Western that redefined the genre by emphasizing tension over shoot-em-up tropes. It is famously interpreted as an allegory for McCarthy-era blacklisting, symbolizing moral courage against cowardice. The film also introduced the now-iconic cinematic trope of a real-time, high-noon showdown, which has been oft-imitated but never replicated.

He's not Freddy, he's not Jason...he's real. HorrorBuzz continues its 2026 series with the 40th anniversary of one of the most unsettling and influential films of the 1980s: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Loosely inspired by the confessions of real-life murderer Henry Lee Lucas, the movie follows drifter Henry (played by iconic silver screen "that guy" Michael Rooker) and his volatile accomplice Otis as they navigate a bleak Chicago landscape. When Otis’s sister Becky moves in, Henry’s flat affect and unpredictable behavior begin to reveal something far darker beneath the surface. Horror Movie Night takes filmgoing to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Pres-how, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream. Doors open and video pre-show video begins promptly at 7:30 pm. Games, prizes, and short film begin at 8:00PM. Feature starts at 8:30PM. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 9
Original Air Date: July 9, 2017

Several threads are drawn closer together as Gordon, Albert, Tammy, and Diane compare notes with the Twin Peaks sheriff’s department. Long-absent names return to the conversation, old evidence takes on new significance, and Jerry Horne wanders through the woods in a state of comic disorientation.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 10
Original Air Date: July 16, 2017

As a palpable dread hangs over the town, daily life continues in Twin Peaks, with scenes involving Richard, Becky, Steven, and others revealing just how much pain the town now grapples with. Meanwhile, Dougie’s life in Las Vegas remains oddly buoyant, with Janey-E, the Mitchum Brothers, and his coworkers all responding to him in ways that are baffled, yet increasingly affectionate.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 11
Original Air Date: July 23, 2017

Dougie’s improbable path continues to create ripples through Las Vegas, especially as the Mitchum Brothers become convinced he may be more extraordinary than he appears. In Twin Peaks, Bobby Briggs steps further into the role of deputy, and a discovery in the woods suggests that the town’s past is still very much alive beneath the surface.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 12
Original Air Date: July 30, 2017

Conversations take center stage as characters revisit old wounds, hidden histories, and unresolved feelings, particularly in scenes involving Audrey and Charlie, Sarah Palmer, and the members of the Blue Rose task force.

Never was a Hero needed more... Once Upon A Time In China, Writer-producer-director Tsui Hark’s sprawling vision of a changing nineteenth-century China, is coming back to The Frida Cinema! This blockbuster hit cemented Jet Li’s status as the greatest martial-arts superstar of his generation. Li displays his stunning, fast-and-fluid fighting style as the legendary martial-arts teacher and doctor Wong Fei-hung, who, with a band of disciples, battles a host of nefarious forces, foreign and local, who are threatening Chinese sovereignty as British and American imperialists encroach upon the Mainland. Once Upon a Time in China’s breathtaking blend of kung fu, comedy, romance, and melodrama climaxes in a whirlwind guns-vs-fists finale that is also a thrilling affirmation of Chinese cultural identity. Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 13
Original Air Date: August 6, 2017

As several storylines begin moving more decisively, the tension around Mr. C intensifies, while Dougie continues drifting toward moments of accidental brilliance and emotional connection. In Twin Peaks, Sarah Palmer’s growing estrangement from ordinary life becomes more disturbing, and James Hurley quietly returns to the series in a way that reconnects the present to the past.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 14
Original Air Date: August 13, 2017

Old mysteries return to the foreground as Gordon Cole recounts a dream, Hawk investigates a clue left behind by Major Briggs, and several key characters begin rediscovering the hidden history of the town. Andy is drawn into an experience that is both surreal and unexpectedly moving, while the Roadhouse continues serving as a gathering place for reflection, confusion, and sorrow.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 15
Original Air Date: August 20, 2017

Several long-simmering threads take darker and more emotional turns as Nadine, Ed, Norma, Steven, and others reach moments of painful recognition or change. Mr. C continues pursuing his goals with frightening determination, while the ominous phrase “the dreamer” begins to resonate more strongly throughout the narrative. The episode is full of endings, thresholds, and the uneasy sense that something irreversible is approaching.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 16
Original Air Date: August 27, 2017

A series of major turns reshapes the story’s direction as Janey-E, Sonny Jim, the Mitchum Brothers, and the FBI all find themselves pulled into events they could not have anticipated. Mr. C’s trajectory grows more perilous, and long-awaited movement in Cooper’s story brings a surge of emotion and momentum. After so much delay, uncertainty, and displacement, the episode feels electrifyingly alive.

Twin Peaks: The Complete Series, our presentation of all three seasons of David Lynch’s acclaimed television show, continues with episodes screening every Sunday night through September 20th, 2026.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 17
Original Air Date: September 3, 2017

As the series heads into its endgame, Cooper, the sheriff’s department, and the Blue Rose team all converge around long-hidden truths and immediate threats. Familiar faces from across the saga reappear as the story reaches toward resolution, and the line between supernatural conflict and personal reckoning grows increasingly thin. (Can you tell we've tried to be as spoiler-free as possible with all of our episode synopses?)

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 18
Original Air Date: September 3, 2017

All good things come to an end, and the same can be said for one of the greatest television shows ever. The final chapter follows Cooper and a surprise companion into a haunting, uncertain space where identity, memory, and reality itself become unstable. Old places return in altered form, familiar questions take on new weight, and the series abandons any expectation of a tidy farewell. Rather than fully closing the book on Twin Peaks, Part 18 leaves it echoing with mystery befitting the vision and style of its celebrated director.

Join us for the Orange County premiere of Skweezy Jibbs Makes a Movie with the man himself, Skweezy Jibbs, live in person! Be among the first people to see the movie, and stay after for an exclusive Q&A with Skweezy himself as he keeps going on his US tour. One night only! Get your tickets before they're gone! Oddball internet legend Skweezy Jibbs is making the movie of his dreams. Unfortunately for him, he's got no money, no experience, no skill, and no filmmaking talent. When his controlling mother gets involved, Skweezy is forced to confront the very essence of who he is. GA Doors open at 7:00PM and the show starts at 7:30PM! Tickets are $20 to this event. Frida Cinema comp passes and member discounts do not apply.

Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series is  growing larger, darker, and more operatic with each and every chapter. There's no better example of this with our special double feature of A Better Tomorrow II + A Better Tomorrow III! Directed by John Woo, A Better Tomorrow II picks up in the aftermath of betrayal and loss, following survivors pulled back into a violent underworld they can’t escape. As old wounds reopen and new alliances form, the film pushes themes of brotherhood and sacrifice to even more operatic extremes, all building toward action staged on a mythic scale. And then after a quick 10 minute intermission...Tsui Hark’s A Better Tomorrow III rewinds the clock, re-centering the saga around the rise of its most iconic figure amid political upheaval and shifting power structures. Steeped in romantic fatalism, this prequel is less about crime than about identity and the cost of survival. There will be a ten minute intermission between each film. One ticket gets you access to both movies! Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

After a decade of silence...the buzz came back. HorrorBuzz is slicing up our October lineup with a 40th anniversary party of unhinged insanity: Tobe Hooper’s gloriously deranged sequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2! When late-night DJ Stretch accidentally records a pair of murders committed by the Sawyer clan, she teams up with the unhinged Lieutenant “Lefty” Enright (a chainsaw-wielding Dennis Hopper in one of the wildest performances of his career). Their mission: descend into the Sawyer family’s subterranean lair of meat, madness, and twinkling Christmas lights to put an end to the carnage once and for all. Horror Movie Night takes filmgoing to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Pres-how, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream. Doors open and video pre-show video begins promptly at 7:30 pm. Games, prizes, and short film begin at 8:00PM. Feature starts at 8:30PM. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.

The penultimate film in our Hong Kong Action Essentials series is Bullet In The Head, which also happens to be our final John Woo film in the series, as well. There's no better way to end his chapter in this lineup than with his most brutal and personal film to date. Three friends fleeing Hong Kong after a violent crime find themselves trapped in the chaos of the Vietnam War, where their loyalty and morality are tested beyond repair. What begins as a desperate bid for escape descends into a harrowing portrait of friendship under unimaginable pressure. As war strips away ideals and innocence, the bonds between the men fracture, leading to betrayals that cut deeper than any bullet. Fueled by rage and grief Bullet in the Head trades balletic elegance for raw emotional devastation. This is heroic bloodshed turned inward, and a legendary filmmaker pushing himself into completely new territory. Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

"Like Lethal Weapon only far funnier and with more chainsaw action." -Total DVD After so much emotion and violence, we are choosing to close our Hong Kong Action Essentials series by cutting loose with little bit laughter and...uhhh...more violence. Directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Chow Yun-fat, Tiger on the Beat follows a pair of mismatched cops on the trail of a violent drug dealer, a case that escalates from street-level comedy into something far more savage and unhinged. What begins as a rambunctious action/comedy steadily sheds its humor, morphing into a full-throttle collision of gunplay, hand-to-hand combat, and sheer physical excess. By the time it reaches its infamous finale, the film has abandoned restraint entirely, delivering the perfectly brutal and messy ending to our series. Our Hong Kong Action Essentials series explores the time from the mid-’80s through the early ’90s, where Hong Kong filmmakers rewrote the grammar of action cinema forever. Directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, and Lau Kar-Leung fused balletic gunplay, risky stunts, martial arts virtuosity, and raw emotional intensity into a new cinematic language that would be oft-imitated but never replicated. (sorry, The Matrix, we love you too!) Join us every month in 2026 as we explore this golden age where style and emotion collided to change movies forever.

A singing plant. A daring hero. A sweet girl. A demented dentist. It's the most outrageous musical comedy ever made! HorrorBuzz caps off its year of 40th anniversary screenings with the show-stopping musical Little Shop of Horrors! Meek flower-shop clerk Seymour Krelborn (Frida favorite Rick Moranis) discovers a mysterious plant after a solar eclipse and names it Audrey II, after his coworker-crush Audrey (Ellen Greene). But this plant doesn’t want sunlight or water....it wants blood. As Audrey II grows from a cute little sprout to a fast-talking menace, Seymour must choose between fame, fortune, and doing the right thing…preferably before the plant eats the whole block. Horror Movie Night takes filmgoing to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Pres-how, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream. Doors open and video pre-show video begins promptly at 7:30 pm. Games, prizes, and short film begin at 8:00PM. Feature starts at 8:30PM. This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.