Pride Month

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!

Award-winning actor, screenwriter, and Youtuber Maggie Mae Fish joins us in person to present a new series aptly titled Nu-Classics at The Frida Cinema! This series spotlights cult films that deserve to be added to the canon, programmed and hosted by Maggie, with special appearances by her YouTube and Nebula friends. The first nu-classic is Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or winning-masterpiece Titane! Following the screening, Maggie will discuss the movie with Will Reese, director/co-showrunner of her Nebula series Amy's Dead-End Dreamhouse. The story follows a woman with a metal plate in her head from a childhood car accident as she embarks on a bizarre journey, bringing her into contact with a firefighter who's reunited with his missing son after 10 years. Fresh off its historic win at Cannes, the film became one of the most talked-about releases of the year 2022. Critics and audiences alike were electrified, praising Ducournau’s fearless vision. With only her second feature film, she has carved out a gnarly niche of body horror and melodrama that we absolutely adore at The Frida. Come see it on the big screen!

She's evil...and not just high school evil. OC Pride is back at The Frida Cinema to present a special one-off screening of Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama's iconic 2009 cult classic Jennifer's Body! Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader takes evil to a whole new level after she's possessed by a sinister demon. Now it's up to her best friend to stop Jennifer's reign of terror before it's too late. Cody's signature dialogue, the emo-era soundtrack, and terrific darkly comedic performances from a stacked cast including Amanda Seyfriend, Megan Fox, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Kyle Gallner, and many more, make Jennifer's Body the perfect 2000s era time capsule to present for Pride Month this year! Come see it on the big screen with a hot crowd!

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!

Our official Santa Ana Pride afterparty this year is the hilarious early-aughts satire on the superficiality of the music industry: Josie and the Pussycats! The film follows Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid), and Valerie (Rosario Dawson), three small-town girls who form a rock band and get swept up in the glitzy world of fame, where they discover the dark undercurrents of the music industry. As they rise to stardom, they find themselves being manipulated by an all-powerful corporation that’s using their music to influence the minds of consumers. Oh, and did we mention the villain is played by none other than Miss Parker Posey? And who doesn't love Alan Cumming!? Though initially dismissed as a bubblegum teen comedy, Josie and the Pussycats has since gone on to become a cult classic, still electrifying audiences over two decades since its release!