Nicolas Winding Refn’s stylish 2011 action drama Drive is finally back at The Frida Cinema! And this time around, we’re screening it as part of our LA Fires Fundraiser series. Ticket proceeds from this special screening will be donated to American Red Cross California Wildfires Disaster Relief Fund.
Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
Impressing critics and audiences alike with its potent combination of striking cinematography and graphic violence, Drive is regarded as one of the definitive portrayals of LA of modern cinema.
For more information on the Red Cross’ California Wildfire Disaster Relief Fund, please visit: https://www.redcross.org/local/california/los-angeles/about-us/our-work/california-wildfires-response-january-2025.html
Member discounts and Frida Cinema comp passes not valid.
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Our Classic Movie Night series keeps on rolling with Ball Of Fire, Howard Hawks’ 1941 screwball comedy starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck!
A group of academics have spent years shut up in a house working on the definitive encyclopedia. When one of them discovers that his entry on slang is hopelessly outdated, he ventures into the wide world to learn about the evolving language. Here he meets Sugarpuss O’Shea, a nightclub singer, who’s on top of all the slang—and, it just so happens, needs a place to stay.
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Horror Movie Night presented by HorrorBuzz is back! And this time they’re celebrating 30 years of David Fincher’s serial killer classic Se7en!
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the “seven deadly sins” in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Sommerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer’s mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
Horror Movie Night takes it to another level with a full night of entertainment, including a themed HMN Video Preshow, Trivia, Games, Prizes, and another outstanding horror short from HorrorBuzz’s The Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream.
Doors open and pre-show begins promptly at 7:30 pm, so arrive early!
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Wong Kar-Wai Month winds down with the director’s neon-soaked dramedy Fallen Angels.
The film intertwines two loosely connected stories: a disillusioned hitman who contemplates leaving his dangerous profession and his enigmatic female partner who silently yearns for him, and a mute ex-convict who runs an unconventional business and finds himself entangled with a free-spirited woman searching for her own purpose. Through its fragmented narrative, kinetic cinematography, and surreal atmosphere, the story captures the yearning for human connection amid the alienation of urban life
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Our Classic Movie Night series kicks off 2025 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 labyrinth of deception, murder, and corruption, as Marlowe discovers connections to gambling dens, organized crime, and a missing person. 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.
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Experience a double feature of Akira Kurosawa’s crime films Stray Dog and The Bad Sleep Well!
In Stray Dog, rookie cop Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) loses his pistol to a pickpocket during a sweltering Tokyo heatwave and embarks on a relentless pursuit to recover it. Teaming up with seasoned detective Sato (Takashi Shimura), Murakami uncovers a connection between the stolen gun and a series of violent crimes. As the investigation progresses, the parallels between Murakami and the desperate criminal they chase blur, reflecting the struggles of a society grappling with poverty and moral decay. Combining gritty realism with profound humanism, Stray Dog is a masterful examination of guilt, redemption, and the thin line between law and lawlessness.
The Bad Sleeps Well follows Koichi Nishi (Mifune), a seemingly loyal employee who marries his boss’s disabled daughter, Yoshiko, to infiltrate a corrupt company responsible for his father’s tragic death. As Nishi uncovers the depths of the company’s greed and malfeasance, his meticulously crafted plan begins to unravel under the weight of human frailty and unforeseen complications. With its noir-inspired aesthetic, sharp critique of postwar corporate Japan, and a chilling sense of inevitability, the film is a powerful exploration of morality, justice, and the personal cost of vengeance.
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Up next in our Wong Kar-Wai Month series is the 1988 crime drama As Tears Go By.
Set in the underworld of Hong Kong’s triads, the film follows Wah (Andy Lau), a small-time gangster torn between loyalty and love. Wah must navigate his turbulent relationship with his reckless, self-destructive protégé, Fly (Jacky Cheung), whose impulsive behavior repeatedly draws them into dangerous conflicts. Meanwhile, Wah finds solace in a tender romance with his cousin Ngor (Maggie Cheung), a woman from a quieter world who offers him a glimpse of redemption and a life beyond violence.
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Wong Kar-Wai Month continues with Days of Being Wild, the director’s 1990 Hong Kong drama.
The film centers on the enigmatic and emotionally detached Yuddy (Leslie Cheung), a charming drifter who seduces and abandons women, leaving emotional devastation in his wake. He becomes romantically involved with the reserved Su Lizhen (Maggie Cheung) and later with the free-spirited dancer Mimi (Carina Lau), yet remains emotionally distant as he grapples with his troubled past and his search for his biological mother. Meanwhile, Lizhen finds solace in a kind-hearted policeman, Tide (Andy Lau), who harbors feelings for her. Through interwoven lives and fleeting connections, Wong crafts a lyrical exploration of love’s impermanence and the yearning for belonging.
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Our Kubrick Christmas and Page to Screen series crossover for A Clockwork Orange, the director’s 1971 adaptation of the Anthony Burgess novel!
In a near-future Britain, young Alexander DeLarge and his pals get their kicks beating and raping anyone they please. When not destroying the lives of others, Alex swoons to the music of Beethoven. The state, eager to crack down on juvenile crime, gives an incarcerated Alex the option to undergo an invasive procedure that’ll rob him of all personal agency. In a time when conscience is a commodity, can Alex change his tune?
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Walk on the wild side with Hardcore, Paul Schrader’s 1979 drama that delves into the seedy world of the adult film industry.
The film follows Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott), a conservative Midwestern businessman whose world is upended when his teenage daughter, Kristen, goes missing during a church trip. After discovering that she has been drawn into the world of pornography, Jake hires a private investigator (Peter Boyle) to track her down, ultimately taking the investigation into his own hands. His relentless search leads him deep into a dark and dangerous subculture, forcing him to confront his own values and vulnerabilities.
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