Special Guests

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  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 director and composer John Carpenter 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.

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.

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

Join us for a screening of the new film The Travel Companion, followed by an in-person Q&A w/ co-director Travis Wood and actors Tristan Turner and Anthony Oberbeck! Simon, a struggling documentary filmmaker, enjoys free flights courtesy of his best friend and roommate, Bruce, who works for an airline. However, when Beatrice, a more successful filmmaker, enters the picture and starts dating Bruce, Simon risks flying too close to the sun. The film is made by indie filmmakers about indie filmmakers, and it tackles the enduring question of how the hell anyone can possibly maintain healthy friendships in the face of professional disarray.

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 co-writer Matthew Serrano! 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.

The new cringe-com film Situations is making its way to The Frida Cinema, thanks to our friends at Circle Collective. And make sure to stick around after the screening for a special Q&A with director/star Greg Vrotsos and producer Daniel Hartigan! Three months after a breakup, photographer Nick plunges back into L.A.’s dating scene, where party culture clashes with the search for real connection. Despite flaky friends, his ex’s obsessive spreadsheet, and slim odds, Nick’s still chasing love. Vrotsos (Orange Is The New Black, Boston Strangler), who drew inspiration from some of his own experiences, calls Situations his “love letter to Los Angeles” that pulls back the curtain on dating and relationships in a raw and relatable way.

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." 

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!

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. 

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.