Our brand new Staff Picks series kicks off with the 2018 indie dramedy Hearts Beat Loud, courtesy of our Development Director, Porter!
In the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, single dad and record store owner Frank is preparing to send his hard-working daughter Sam off to college while being forced to close his vintage shop. Hoping to stay connected through their shared musical passions, Frank urges Sam to turn their weekly jam sessions into a father-daughter live act. After their first song becomes an internet breakout, the two embark on a journey of love, growing up and musical discovery.
Over the years, Hearts Beat Loud has settled into the same emotional space as films like Begin Again, Sing Street, and Once. They’re not huge theatrical hits, but deeply beloved by those who found them. And for first timers, now is as good a time as ever to discover this gem on this big screen!
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Our second Volunteer Of Month comes courtesy of our pal Tyler, who has chosen The Coen Brothers’ bittersweet valentine to the folk scene before it broke big: Inside Llewyn Davis.
Oscar Isaac delivers a revelatory performance as Llewyn Davis, a brilliant but self-sabotaging musician orbiting the edges of success in a world of smoke-filled cafés and battered guitar cases. A portrait of artistic struggle without the mythmaking, it would be underselling the movie to tell you the plot instead of just selling the miserable vibe, which only The Brothers Coen could pull off.
The T Bone Burnett–curated soundtrack, a masterpiece in its own right, is worth the price of admission alone.
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Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the entire Muppet gang as we screen some special encores of The Muppet Christmas Carol!
Charles Dickens’ classic story gets the Muppet treatment as Ebenezer Scrooge (an extremely committed Michael Caine), a cold-hearted miser, is visited on Christmas Eve by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. With help from Kermit’s Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy’s Emily Cratchit, and a chorus of singing, joke-cracking Muppets, Scrooge is shown the impact of his greed — and given one last chance to open his heart and embrace the spirit of Christmas.
A little bit of Muppet mayhem is exactly what every holiday season needs. Don’t miss your chance to see this one on the big screen!
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Rome has the talent to break out as a rapper, but his chance to impress a megastar producer is jeopardized when the only copy of his album is stolen.
So goes the story of the scrappy new Canadian indie film Boxcutter, screening on December 1st at The Frida Cinema!
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Winner of the Audience Award at the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival, director Ido Fluk’s new film Köln 75 is coming to The Frida Cinema!
The story tells the tale of the best-selling jazz records of all time, Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert, how it almost didn’t happen, and how one formidable German teenager, Vera Brandes, breaks every boundary to set the conditions for the creation of a masterpiece. Vera, still in high school when she started producing and promoting music concerts in Cologne, puts everything on the line to put on this show. But Vera believes in the power of music, and she’s never seen anyone play like Keith Jarrett before.
Joining us for introduction before the film will be Ivan Williams, who served as an Co-Executive Producer on Köln 75! Don’t miss your chance to see this award-winning crowdpleaser on the big screen!
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John Waters’ gleefully campy classic Hairspray is being threaded up by our friends at See It On 16mm for a sock-hopping good time on the big screen!
‘Pleasantly plump’ teenager Tracy Turnblad achieves her dream of becoming a regular on the Corny Collins Dance Show. Now a teen hero, she starts using her fame to speak out for the causes she believes in, most of all integration. In doing so, she earns the wrath of the show’s former star, Amber Von Tussle, as well as Amber’s manipulative, pro-segregation parents. The rivalry comes to a head as Amber and Tracy vie for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963.
A joyous explosion of color and music, Hairspray bridges the gap between counterculture and mainstream celebration. Featuring cameos from Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry, and Pia Zadora, Waters’ affectionate satire of 1960s America remains as infectious as ever.
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He’s a master of kung fu. He’s a hero with soul. He’s got the glow.
Berry Gordy’s Motown martial arts masterpiece The Last Dragon kicks its way into our November lineup, now celebrating 40 years since its initial release!
When Harlem martial artist Leroy Green (Taimak) sets out to achieve the final level of enlightenment—the legendary “Glow”—he finds himself battling street gangs, showbiz villains, and the self-proclaimed Shogun of Harlem, Sho’nuff (Julius Carry, in one of cinema’s most gloriously over-the-top performances). Along the way, he discovers that true mastery isn’t just about fighting—it’s about believing in your own power.
Packed with neon-lit action and an unforgettable soundtrack featuring Stevie Wonder and DeBarge, The Last Dragon is a genre-blending cult sensation. Don’t miss it!
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Join our friends at El Pachuco and Muzeo for a night of fashion and film as we present the 1981 classic Zoot Suit on the big screen! And stick around afterwards for an in-person Q&A with LA Times Columnist (and Zoot Suit superfan) Gustavo Arellano!
Part fact and part fiction, Zoot Suit is the film version of Luis Valdez’s critically acclaimed play, based on the actual Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the zoot suit riots of 1940s Los Angeles. Henry Reyna is the leader of a group of Mexican-Americans being sent to San Quentin without substantial evidence for the death of a man at Sleepy Lagoon. As part of the defense committee, Alice Bloomfield and George Shearer fight the blatant miscarriage of justice for the freedom of Henry and his friends.
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The Frida Cinema is paying tribute to legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne in the only way that we know how: with a limited run of the 1986 freak show Trick Or Treat!
When rocker Sammi Curr (Tony Fields) burns to death in a hotel fire, his number one fan, devastated high school student Eddie Weinbauer (Marc Price), becomes embroiled in a supernatural turn of events driven by his desire for revenge against his bullies.
Widely regarded as a cult oddity and beloved by heavy metal fans and ’80s horror enthusiasts, Trick Or Treat is often described as a perfect time capsule of the “Satanic Panic” era, blending teen horror and a hard rock/metal aesthetic.
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Please note: our previously announced screenings of this documentary included bonus footage–as of September 2nd, we have been notified that version of the film is no longer available for us to theatrically screen. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.
The Frida Cinema is proud to present the new documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley!
An immersive journey into the artistry, inner turmoil, tenderness, and legacy of a one-of-a-kind musician. This is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. If you’ve ever fallen under the spell of Buckley’s voice, or wondered what made him so profound, this is the window into his world fans have been waiting for.
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