Boys Go to Jupiter + Q&A w/ Jack Corbett

Posted on August 11, 2025

The Frida Cinema is excited to present the brand new candy-colored absurdist animated comedy Boys Go To Jupiter, with the star of the film, Jack Corbett, joining us in-person for a Q&A after the screening!

The story follows Billy 5000, a teenage gig worker in suburban Florida. He tries to earn enough money to move out of his sister’s garage. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of a gelatinous alien named Donut. Billy must protect Donut from the schemes of the Dolphin Groves Juice Company and its CEO, Dr. Dolphin.

Boys Go To Jupiter features a cast of comedic talent, including Jack Corbett as Billy 5000, Janeane Garofalo as Dr. Dolphin, Tavi Gevinson as Glarba, Elsie Fisher as Beatbox, and Joe Pera as Herschel Cretaceous, among many others!

The Lure: Members Only

Posted on July 24, 2025

The bold, genre-defying horror-Mermaid-musical mashup The Lure is August’s Frida Cinema Members Only screening!

In this playful and confident debut of Polish director Agnieszka Smoczynska — a pair of carnivorous mermaid sisters are drawn ashore in an alternate ’80s Poland to explore the wonders and temptations of life on land. Their tantalizing siren songs and otherworldly aura make them overnight sensations as nightclub singers in the half-glam, half-decrepit fantasy world of Smoczynska’s imagining. In a visceral twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s original Little Mermaid tale, one sister falls for a human, and as the bonds of sisterhood are tested, the lines between love and survival get blurred. A savage coming-of-age fairytale with a catchy new-wave soundtrack, lavishly grimy sets, and outrageous musical numbers, The Lure explores its themes of sexuality, exploitation, and the compromises of adulthood with energy and originality.

Not a member yet? Sign up here: https://thefridacinema.org/memberships/

Boys Go to Jupiter

Posted on July 24, 2025

The Frida Cinema is excited to present the brand new candy-colored absurdist animated comedy Boys Go To Jupiter!

Pump Up the Volume + Q&A w/ Allan Moyle and Sandy Stern

Posted on July 19, 2025

On Wednesday, August 20th, join us as we welcome writer/director Allan Moyle and producer Sandy Stern to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of writer-director Allan Moyle’s Pump Up the Volume, a fiery snapshot of early 90’s rebellion that’s endured as a cult classic, as well as a rallying cry for freedom of expression and speaking truth to power.

Christian Slater stars as Mark Hunter, a shy, bookish teenager who transforms into “Hard Harry” by night – an anonymous pirate radio DJ who broadcasts raw, uncensored thoughts to his audience of fellow high schoolers. As Harry’s shows begin to touch on themes of depression, authoritarianism, and hypocrisy, his rants grow bolder, enshrining him as a folk hero to his disaffected young fans – as well as a target for school administrators and the FCC. Highlighted by a sharp script, Slater’s magnetic performance, strong supporting turns by Samantha Mathis, Ellen Greene, and Annie Ross, and a popular soundtrack featuring Sonic Youth, Pixies, Concrete Blonde, and Leonard Cohen, Pump Up the Volume my be ultra-90’s in style, but its themes of censorship, alienation, identity, and the desperate need to be heard in a world that too often refuses to listen, remain sadly timeless.

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Stick around after the show for a conversation with special guests Allan Moyle and Sandy Stern!

Allan Moyle is a Canadian writer and director known for his offbeat, character-driven films that often explore youth rebellion, outsider identity, and the transformative power of music. He gained cult acclaim with his sharp, politically charged 1990 teen drama Pump Up the Volume, and his vibrant 1995 ensemble piece set inside a struggling indie record store, Empire Records; both films have found a devoted following for their quirky charm, quotable dialogue, and celebration of teen individuality. Almost 50 years since his directorial debut, 1977’s The Rubber Gun, Moyle’s work remains beloved for its sincerity, countercultural spirit, and empathy for misfits on the fringes.

Sandy Stern is an accomplished film producer known for championing bold, unconventional storytelling across a wide range of genres. He rose to prominence with the 1990 cult favorite Pump Up the Volume, which established his reputation for backing visionary, risk-taking filmmakers. Over the next decade, Stern played a key role in bringing to life some of the most inventive and iconoclastic films of the era, including Todd Haynes’ 1998 glam-rock fantasia Velvet Goldmine, Spike Jonze’s 1999 mind-bender Being John Malkovich, and the subversive 2004 teen satire Saved! Whether producing edgy dramas, surreal comedies, or heartfelt misfit tales, Stern’s work consistently foregrounds fresh voices and offbeat perspectives, making him a vital figure in the landscape of American independent cinema.

The Phantom of the Opera Centennial Celebration + Live Score By Invincible Czars

Posted on July 16, 2025

The iconic moment when Mary Philbin removed Lon Chaney’s mask in The Phantom of the Opera (1925, dir. Rupert Julian) is one of cinema’s most enduring images. Now, The Invincible Czars will bring their signature blend of eclectic instrumentation, adventurous arrangements and sense of emotional depth to this 100-year-old classic with their new, tastefully modern soundtrack, performing it live with the film in art house cinemas across the US and Canada in 2025!

The tour will celebrate the 100th anniversary of this early American horror film. The band has been captivating both music and film enthusiasts across North America since 2015 when their soundtrack for Nosferatu earned them accolades in the art house community and made them staple of the silent film circuit.

The Czars’ Phantom of the Opera soundtrack is the culmination of nearly a year of meticulous composition, recording, and collaboration. The group drew inspiration from the film’s gothic visuals and haunting narrative to craft a score using their primary instruments: piano, violin, electric guitar/bass, organ, flute, drums and bass clarinet. They create a live experience so immersive that it’s easy to forget the music is being played live at times!

Doors open 7:30PM; show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and Frida Cinema Member Discounts do not apply.

Shall We Dance?

Posted on June 19, 2025

Film Movement Classics is bringing a brand new 4K restoration of Masayuki’s Suo 1996 charmer Shall We Dance? to The Frida Cinema!

Shohei Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho) seems to have it all – a high-paying job as an accountant, a beautiful home, a caring wife and a doting daughter he loves
dearly. However, he feels something is missing in his life. One day while commuting on the train he spots a beautiful woman staring wistfully out a
window and eventually decides to find her. His search leads him head-first into the world of competitive ballroom dancing.

A box office sensation in North America upon its initial release (which led to a Hollywood remake with Richard Gere), Film Movement Classics is presenting the original 137-minute film, available uncut for the first time in North America.

Nashville

Posted on June 19, 2025

Celebrate 50 years of Robert Altman’s 1975 magnum opus, Nashville, as part of our Fireworks At The Frida series!

With unforgettable performances from Lily Tomlin, Karen Black, Keith Carradine, Ronee Blakley, and Henry Gibson, the film skips between recording studios, campaign buses, traffic jams, and concert stages—capturing a cross-section of American life that feels both impossibly specific and disturbingly timeless. It’s more than a musical. More than a satire. More than a political drama.

Nominated for five Academy Awards and still a towering achievement in ensemble storytelling, Nashville holds up a cracked mirror to American identity—how we perform it, profit from it, and try to hold onto it even as it slips away.

The Doors: The Final Cut

Posted on June 18, 2025

Oliver Stone’s The Doors: The Final Cut is a psychedelic firestorm—a feverish vision of the ‘60s rock myth, driven by rebellion, poetry, and the endless search for something beyond the veil. But at the center of it all is Val Kilmer, vanishing into the role of Jim Morrison with such uncanny depth, voice, and electricity that even bandmates couldn’t tell where the frontman ended and the actor began.

Following Morrison’s meteoric rise—from UCLA film student to rock god to haunted wanderer—the film pulses with chaos, charisma, and the tragic gravity of a man burning too bright, too fast. It’s a swirling mix of surreal imagery, concert ecstasy, and Stone’s trademark intensity, backed by iconic music that still rattles the bones.

Come celebrate another one of Kilmer’s most celebrated performances loud on the big screen!

The Wiz: Presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Posted on May 28, 2025

Our annual Segerstrom at the Frida series showcases films that inspired upcoming stage adaptations at OC’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts! Join us as our 2025 series continues with the stunning new 4K Restoration of Sidney Lumet’s bold and imaginative reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, 1978’s The Wiz!

Set in a dreamlike version of New York City and brought to life with an all-Black cast, The Wiz stars iconic performer Diana Ross as Dorothy, a Harlem schoolteacher who gets swept away by a magical storm to a fantastical urban landscape. Along the way, she’s joined by a Scarecrow made of garbage (Michael Jackson), a Tinman from a Coney Island theme park (Nipsey Russell), and a cowardly Lion from the New York Public Library (Ted Ross). Infused with infectious musical numbers, Broadway flair, and stunning costume and set design, the film explores themes of self-discovery, community, and inner courage through a uniquely soulful lens.

We thank Universal Pictures for partnering with us to share their beautiful new restoration at The Frida as part of this series!

Moulin Rouge!: Presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Posted on May 28, 2025

Our annual Segerstrom at the Frida series showcases films that inspired upcoming stage adaptations at OC’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts! Join us as we present a couple of encores of Baz Luhrmann’s eye-popping 2001 musical Moulin Rouge!

A fever dream of romance, music, and heartbreak in turn-of-the-century Paris, Moulin Rouge! stars Ewan McGregor as Christian, a penniless writer who falls madly in love with the dazzling courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman), star performer at the titular famed cabaret. Set against the backdrop of the bohemian underworld and bursting with mash-ups of modern pop songs reimagined through Luhrmann’s hyper-stylized lens, Luhrmann’s vision is a sensory whirlwind of color, musica, and passion that blends theatrical spectacle with melodramatic tragedy, as love and art collide under the threat of greed and ambition. Winner of the Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design, the film was also nominated for Best Actress (Nicole Kidman), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Makeup, Best Sound, and Best Picture of the Year.