Special Guests

Paint yourself rich with the new neon-tinged slow-burn suspense film Forge! And stick around afterwards as we are joined for an in-person Q&A with the star of the film, Andie Ju!  In Miami, siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang’s art forgery ring flourishes when they encounter a disgraced millionaire in need of their expertise. Meanwhile, FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee moves to Miami to investigate a series of mysterious paintings. Director Jing Ai Ng's debut feature premiered at SXSW to an enthusiastic audience response and positive reviews highlighting Ng's fresh spin on the caper film. The cast includes Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), TR Knight (Grey's Anatomy), Sonya Walger (Lost), and led by breakout performances by Andie Ju and Brandan Soo Hoo.

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!

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!

Brian Helgeland's medieval action comedy A Knight's Tale is coming back to The Frida Cinema to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and we are honored to be hosting an in-person Q&A with Shannyn Sossamon, who plays Jocelyn in the film! William Thatcher (the unforgettable Heath Ledger) is a peasant who disguises himself as a noble knight to compete in jousting tournaments across Europe. With the help of his loyal friends, including a witty writer named Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), William rises through the ranks of the tournament circuit, all while hiding his true identity. Along the way, he falls in love with a noblewoman and faces off against the ruthless Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), his main rival. With its energetic blend of medieval action and humor, A Knight’s Tale quickly became (and has remained) one the 21st century's most beloved cult classics!

We're teaming up with the fine folks at Muzeo to present a very special screening of the legendary documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys! And make sure to stick around after the screening for a Q&A with our very special guests, Craig Stecyk and Jim Fitzpatrick!  This award-winning, thrilling story is about a group of discarded kids who revolutionized skateboarding and shaped the attitude and culture of modern day extreme sports. Featuring old skool skating footage, exclusive interviews and a blistering rock soundtrack, Dogtown and Z-Boys captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing. Directed by former pro skater Stacy Peralta and narrated with gravelly cool by three-time Academy Award winner Sean Penn, this electrifying documentary that chronicles how a scrappy crew of skateboarding misfits revolutionized youth culture forever. Come see it on the big screen, loud and proud!

Celebrate Pride Month with a signature themed cocktail and 30th anniversary FREE screening of The Celluloid Closet, a documentary adaptation of Vito Russo’s groundbreaking book and lecture series exploring LGBTQ+ representation in film. The Celluloid Closet is an epic story, by turns surprising, hilarious, and disturbing. Academy Award-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman assemble clips from over 100 Hollywood movies and interviews with many of the filmmakers and actors who created them (including Tom Hanks, Shirley MacLaine, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, and Gore Vidal). "Thoroughly enjoyable...a colorful overview with the popular appeal of a 'That's Entertainment'...sheer fun." - The New York Times "TWO THUMBS UP...terrific" - Siskel and Ebert

Come see one of the best Hong Kong action movies ever made, The Heroic Trio, starring three most popular Hong Kong actress in the 90’s namely: Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, and Anita Mui! And stick around after the screening for a Q&A with the legendary James Pax, also known as The Lighting Sorceror from Big Trouble in Little China aka the godfather of Raiden in Mortal Kombat! James Pax plays a scientist trying to invent an invisible suit for Michelle Yeoh's character to wear. However, he dies in the arms of Michelle whispering, "Can I see the blooming white orchid, please?" If you want to find out more about the making of this incredible film, James will tell you everything you want to know! Mr. Pax will also participate in an autograph signing/meet & greet from 2PM-4PM before the screening, and those tickets can be pre-ordered separately through: https://kungfulegends.com/screening or by clicking here! Fans who pre-ordered VIP Tickets & Autograph Packages will wait in the VIP line to meet James--just make sure to print your order confirmation or take a screenshot on your phone, and bring it to the venue to verify your booking and claim for your goodies!  Any questions about the VIP tickets & Autograph Packages, please send your inquiry to: Jennypu2018@gmail.com or FB: Jenny Pu, or call us at Cell: 213-693-0401 About the film: in this gloriously unrestrained action extravaganza from genre maestro Johnnie To, The Heroic Trio (Yeoh, Cheung, and Mui) are 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. This is an event produced by Pax Entertainment in co-partnership with The Frida Cinema. Non-VIP tickets are $25, with another select number of seats being priced at $30, which are in the middle back two rows of the theater. Frida Cinema member discounts and comp passes do not apply.

Coroner to the Stars, the new documentary about the life and controversial career of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, is coming to The Frida Cinema for a special one night only event! And make sure to stick around after the screening, as director Ben Hethcoat and producer Billy Ray Brewton join us for a Q&A! The doc chronicles Noguchi, whose celebrity autopsies forever shaped American culture. From Marilyn Monroe and Robert Kennedy to Sharon Tate and Natalie Wood, Dr. Noguchi's death investigations pushed forensic science into the spotlight, even as Hollywood elites and political adversaries sought to silence him. A Japanese American who unwittingly rose to fame in a city driven by stardom, Noguchi's commitment to “tell it like it is” often put him within the crosshairs of controversy.

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. 

The Frida Cinema is teaming up with our friends at VAALA to screen the critically acclaimed documentary Jimmy in Saigon! And stick around after the screening for a special conversation with the director of the film, Peter McDowell! Jimmy in Saigon begins as a personal exploration into the mysterious death and radical life of Jimmy McDowell, an American 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in 1972, when filmmaker Peter McDowell was only five. While investigating Jimmy’s drug use and sexuality, Peter takes us from the US Midwest to Vietnam, France and back home again. In his quest to get to know his brother, he uncovers a hidden romance, new family ties and a remarkable global love story.

Marty Isenberg’s The Way I Feel Inside blends the whimsical, offbeat charm of Wes Anderson's iconic mixtapes and cinematic language with his own personal story. It’s a soundtrack to the wonder, loneliness and nostalgia of life in the modern world. Presented as a concert that unfolds like a movie, its theatrical storytelling with Isenberg at the center of the frame. Downbeat Magazine’s glowing 4.5 star review says its "pitch perfect" and Vintage Guitar Magazine raves, “It’s a fascinating concept, executed splendidly”. This program is a venue rental engagement. Doors will open 30 minutes before each performance! Tickets are $30 for each showing. Frida Cinema comp passes and member discounts do not apply. 

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.