The second entry into our Hallucinations series is Def By Temptation!
Joel grew up in the church but has recently started questioning his beliefs. After sensing a supernatural presence from his deceased father, Joel becomes compelled to visit his cousin in New York. But shortly after arriving, they become embroiled in a series of mysterious homicides of local men, all of whom were last seen in the company of a mysterious and beautiful woman. Beautifully photographed by Ernest Dickerson (Do The Right Thing) and starring Kadeem Hardison (I’m Gonna Get You Sucka) and Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction), this sole directorial effort from child actor James Bond III is a macabre, neon-tinged portrait of late 1980s Brooklyn. The movie blends supernatural horror and religious mysticism, punctuated by an electrifying hip hop and R&B soundtrack. Newly restored from the original 35mm camera negative!
Hosted by Polygon’s editor-in-chief Chris Plante, Hallucinations is a monthly event that spotlights movies that challenge our expectations of story, style, and “good taste”. Plante will introduce each film with some behind-the-scenes history and critical context. With Hallucinations, The Frida Cinema wants to build a communal space for lovers of Weird Cinema. We invite guests to bond over films that change what we expect from the medium, the world, and themselves. So come early, stay late, make friends, and watch something strange, surprising, or just shamelessly sick.
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Our second Volunteer Of The Month takes a dark detour courtesy of Maggie, who has chosen Crimson Peak, Guillermo del Toro’s 2015 gothic romance.
The film follows Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), an aspiring writer haunted by the ghostly warning to “Beware of Crimson Peak.” After a whirlwind romance, she marries the enigmatic Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and moves to his decaying ancestral mansion, Allerdale Hall, alongside his mysterious sister, Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain). As Edith unravels the sinister history of the Sharpe family and the house itself, she discovers dark truths lurking beneath its beautiful, crumbling facade.
Combining haunting performances and atmosphere dripping with suspense, Crimson Peak is a masterful blend of romance and horror that pays homage to the classic gothic storytelling that its maker grew up obsessed with.
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Our second Volunteer of the Month is Alex Alcala, who has chosen Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread as his VOTM pick!
Set in 1950s London, the film follows renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his tightly controlled life dedicated to crafting exquisite couture for high society. Reynolds’ world is upended when he meets Alma (Vicky Krieps), a headstrong young woman who becomes his muse and lover. As their relationship deepens, a battle of wills emerges, with Alma challenging Reynolds’ rigid ways and asserting her own desires. Their dynamic becomes a haunting and unconventional love story, steeped in power struggles and mutual dependence.
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Join us as we continue or Tribute To Bud Cort series his wonderful performance in Hal Ashby’s Harold and Maude, making its annual return to The Frida Cinema.
The young Harold (Bud Cort) lives in his own world of suicide-attempts and funeral visits to avoid the misery of his current family and home environment. Harold meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude (Ruth Gordon) who also lives in her own world yet one in which she is having the time of her life. When the two opposites meet they realize that their differences don’t matter and they become best friends and love each other.
Beloved for its quirky humor and tender tone, Harold and Maude is fondly remembered as a black comedy with serious heart.
Beloved character actor Bud Cort built a career out of making the unusual unforgettable. From his odd bird performance in Brewster McCloud to his tender, offbeat turn in Harold And Maude, he gave us a lifetime of bringing humanity to the outsiders he inhabited. Join us in March 2026 as we pay tribute to his work.
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Our hearts continue to ache with the passing of visionary filmmaker David Lynch, as we present Wild at Heart, his 1990 romantic black comedy.
After serving prison time for a self-defense killing, Sailor Ripley (Nicolas Cage) reunites with girlfriend Lula Fortune (Laura Dern). Lula’s mother, Marietta (Diane Ladd), desperate to keep them apart, hires a hitman (J. E. Freeman) to kill Sailor. But he finds a whole new set of troubles when he and Bobby Peru (Willem Dafoe), an old buddy who’s also out to get Sailor, try to rob a store. When Sailor lands in jail yet again, the young lovers appear further than ever from the shared life they covet.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Barry Gifford, Wild at Heart earned a mixed reception upon release but has since been reassessed a key entry in Lynch’s filmography.
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Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is coming back at The Frida for some matinee encores!
A visually inventive and emotionally raw exploration of love and loss, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind follows Joel (Jim Carrey), a reserved man who discovers that his impulsive ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has undergone a medical procedure to erase all memories of their relationship.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for Best Actress (Winslet). It’s often cited as one of the defining films of the 2000s, and a certified Frida Cinema classic that we have thrown on our screens every February for years now. Don’t miss your chance to see this cult classic on the big screen with a crowd!
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Bogie Fest rolls on as we revisit one of the most beloved films of all time: Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca!
The story unfolds in the titular Moroccan city, a haven for refugees seeking passage to the Americas. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), the jaded owner of a popular nightclub, unexpectedly reunites with his former lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), who arrives with her husband, resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). As Rick grapples with lingering feelings for Ilsa, he must decide whether to help the couple escape the clutches of the Nazis, risking his own safety in the process.
With its unforgettable performances and a rich blend of romance and moral dilemmas, Casablanca earned three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and remains one of the most celebrated films in cinematic history. Bogart’s role as Rick continues to be the go-to for fans of hard-shelled man with a soft heart.
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For the first time ever, The Frida Cinema is proud to present Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, starring the incomparable duo of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. This screening is 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.
Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
Earning a record-tying 14 nominations at the 89th Academy Awards, La La Land is the heartful celebration of LA that we all need right now.
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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Love rains with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the 1964 musical romance from Jacques Demy! Now in a brand new 4K restoration!
This simple romantic tragedy begins in 1957. Guy Foucher, a 20-year-old French auto mechanic, has fallen in love with 17-year-old Geneviève Emery, an employee in her widowed mother’s chic but financially embattled umbrella shop. On the evening before Guy is to leave for a two-year tour of combat in Algeria, he and Geneviève make love. She becomes pregnant and must choose between waiting for Guy’s return or accepting an offer of marriage from a wealthy diamond merchant.
Winning the Palme d’Or at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is celebrated by many as one of the best musicals of all time.
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Our Classic Movie Nights series goes platinum with Howard Hawks’ musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring the iconic Marilyn Monroe!
Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the disapproval of Gus’ rich father, Esmond Sr., who thinks that Lorelei is just after his money. When Lorelei goes on a cruise accompanied only by her best friend, Dorothy Shaw, Esmond Sr. hires Ernie Malone, a private detective, to follow her and report any questionable behavior that would disqualify her from the marriage.
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